Resident on Call: A Doctor's Reflections on His First Years at Mass General

by Scott A. Rivkees

In turn heartbreaking, irreverent, moving—and at times raucously humorous—one of the nation's leading pediatric researchers recounts his first years as a newly minted, stuggling, and insecure doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. A graduate of a state university medical school, Scott Rivkees was competing with elite students from some of the most prestigious schools in the country. Nervous and uncertain, he worked unholy hours with patients ranging from indigent street people to celebrity guests drawn to the reputation and care offered by Mass General. Along the way he learned what medical school textbooks don't how to deal with immense pressure, exhaustion, unruly patients, mysterious conditions, the joy of saving a life, and the wrenching suddenness of losing a patient, more often than not a young child. His resident education did not prevent him from losing his sense of irony and humor as he recounts bleary nights on the town, the allure of young nurses, substandard housing, and the value of pricking an inflated ego.

Genres: Nonfiction, Medical, Medicine

232 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2014

Reviews

[Liralen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay writing* with the occasional highly entertaining anecdote but littered with tiresome bro-ish-ness.

At first I thought I'd love this. By about page 40 the shininess had worn off, by page 100 I was ready to be done, and if the book had lasted another hundred pages I might have given up. I have no reason to question Rivkees's ability as a pediatrician, but a smart doctor does not always a compelling writer make. Too many tales of sophomoric pranks; too heavy a reliance on Wags as a sort of comedic, bumbling (with the ladies, anyway. He's described as a competent doctor...and oh, when Rivkees describes Wags 'ambulance-surfing', it's with approval; civilians who do the same are 'shameful ambulance-surfers' (82)) foil; about fifty too many uses of 'Man's Greatest Hospital'; just as many uses too many of 'girls' when 'women' would suffice (example**: The girls would color theirs [gray hair]; the men wore their gray temples as badges of distinction (56)).

Still, some funny moments:

I was the son of an achieving businessman who would say, "Hard work is rewarded by harder work." My mother was a wildly compassionate person who would say, "No matter how much it costs, we'll spend the money to have your big ears pinned back." (2)

One needed to look no further than the responses to head-on bicycle crashes that happened regularly on the macadam paths along the Charles to witness the Boston doctor glut. Two bike riders would collide and be quickly surrounded by joggers.
"I'm a doctor," one would say. "I'm a doctor" would say another.
"I'm a doctor," would say a panting third.
Then the next round of pronouncements would volley.
"I'm an orthopedist."
"I'm a cardiologist."
"I'm an ER physician."
"You're a pediatrician. You can go now!" Then my run could continue. (6)

One morning, Dr. Bigelow opened the door without a knock and watched Dr. Peacock discreetly tuck his lit cigarette into his coat pocket. Dr. Bigelow deliberately extended the conversation until he stood to say, "Your jacket is on fire," as he left for the hallway. (43)

Wags told me that sometimes he'd use the scalp veins of the old bald men he'd care for when he couldn't start an IV anywhere else. Seeing these, the gray-haired surgeons would say, "What the hell! Oh, you're the one who rooms with the pediatrician. (156)

For the most part Rivkees is respectful of patients, though he has little sympathy for those he judges as having brought their ailments upon themselves. I wasn't sure what to make, for example, of the story of the two boys who, trying to burn geese, burned themselves badly instead—the implication seems to be that they deserved the indignity of smelling like armpit and growing hair all over (their skin grafts coming from their armpits) when they hit puberty, but it seems a bit...callous. Also not convinced that Rivkees was entirely over his inferiority complex regarding his med school, considering that he takes pains to explain that he and Wags chose their schools (Wags for a fraternity and Rivkees for the lower tuition) and that plenty of the Harvard grads had inferior intellects and work ethics.

Oh well. Quick read. Back to the library it goes.

*Rather scattered and prone to nostalgia for my tastes, though. Also, good grief that was a lot of passive voice. And was the proofreader asleep on the job? (Sommerville instead of Somerville (135); Julia Childs instead of Julia Child (144); Wesley instead of Wellesley (175); they'd become be hungry (181); an injury described as a huge bleed and then followed up with, on the next line, the bleed was huge (184)...)

**See also: A white-haired man in his late forties with a girl about thirty (95)

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from Goodreads firstreads. This book is a collection of stories written by a prominent pediatrician. The stories include tales of the patients, research, doctors, nurses, relationships, and pranks. Some of the stories are very funny, while others are insightful. It did seem that the ordering was a bit strange to me in places, but didn't put me off too much. As someone who works with physicians on a regular basis but does not work in the clinical setting I found this book to be a funny and insightful view into the world of medicine through the eyes of a resident.

[Paige · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written and poorly edited. More stories about being a frat boy than a medical resident. Not sure why I persisted?

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be an enjoyable read and a helpful insight into a young doctor's everyday life. As someone who is not from the medical field, this book helped me get a look at what it is really like to be a doctor. It is filled with amusing anecdotes of unusual cases and pranks of the residents at the hospital. The author reflects on the struggles of dying patients and regrets of his early medical mistakes. I do wish that the author had included less stories of college humor. Details on his young, immature, single life may have been amusing for him to recount but they become tiresome and seem like juvenile inside jokes. Some descriptions of the nurses in particular were disturbing and unnecessary. I don't think that I would like to meet this author in person but I appreciate this well-written story that has shown me a personal side to a career in medicine.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but disjointed. It read more as bits of what he remembered rather than a cohesive tale of his first year of residency. The stories of his mentors and what they taught him were fabulous. The info of Boston woven in was great, although I would have liked more of the medicine instead of trips to the Cape. And I was tired of "Man's Greatest Hospital" by the end. Could it not just have been Mass Gen?

[Pam D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put this book down (read the book in less then 24 hours)! Well written with funny quips. Happy
and sad outcomes. But with each challenge he shares what he learns and how he grows. I enjoyed reading about the bonds formed during residency and the key role Attendings play in the resident's journey. It takes place in the best city, "Bawston" (Boston) and at MGH (Man's Greatest Hospital).

[Clarice Wall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to stop reading. It was endless frat boy conversation with little insight (which I was hoping to receive as a rising resident).

[Molly · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF = 1 star. Dude might be a good doctor, but he's not much of a writer, and comes off like a total asshole. "Oops, haha, accidentally traumatized a patient because we figured fuck the rich guy, right??? LOL" and the misogyny rolling off the book in WAVES. I'm not saying doctors can't be bros; I'm just saying I'm not interested in what they have to say.

[Diane V-R · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 stars

[Hannah]

dnf @ 34%

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

won't do much to dispel the stereotype that physicians can be a little arrogant. Couldn't get all the way thru it. A career winner (now chair, or as his author blurb annoyingly calls it, "chairman", of pediatrics at U. Florida) looks back on his residency at Mass General Hospital (sorry, "Man's Greatest Hospital" as he calls it repeatedly) and finds basically nothing wrong with the insane hours, dehumanizing interactions with teachers, etc.

One of the blurbers "laughed out loud" -- I don't usually follow up with book blurbers, but I would be curious to know specifically where. Was it the messy apartment tales? The umpteenth allusion to his dating "the Cathys", no one of whom apparently merited any individuating description? The recounted zingers from grand rounds along the lines of "no, you idiots, what this child needs is a pillow!"

sorry, i feel a little bad slamming such a personal book by anyone, and he's not a career writer so there should be some allowance for that, but it was tough to take.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this in a goodreads giveaway and was intrigued based on the description...thought it would be a fun, light read. It was light but it wasn't particularly fun or engaging. Perhaps readers who work in the medical field might have a better ability to relate to the author's stories than I could.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Resident on Call" Review

"Resident on Call" Review

enjoyable and relatable for those who work in the medical field, especially those in the Boston area. Interesting stories too

[Chelsey Langland · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was OK. The premise was more exciting than the actual book, which was a lot of inside stories that I think were supposed to be funny. I wanted more medical stuff. Plus there were proofreading errors and that drives me nuts.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book of a doctor's days as a resident - funny, heart-wrenching and interesting. A quick, enjoyable read.

[Jen Johnston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Writing style was not great...stick to medicine.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhat of a disappointment. I was hoping for more of an insiders view into a resident's work life. Instead it was baseball game date nights and descriptions of a disgusting apartment.

[Bsldavio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memior

[Mercy Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was okay but it jumped around a lot and something about the voice grated on my nerves.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with another reader that the book was rather disjointed. I thought this would be more about life on the different wards in a hospital and less about his social life. A rather quick read.

[Sarah Cawlfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Jay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Misogynistic.

[Lesley · Rating 1 out of 5]

This guy sounded like a jerk

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

entertaining read especially coming from Boston healthcare field.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

SO disorganized. Some funny stories, but hard to read because it jumps around so much.

[Maddy Rounds]

one of the nation's leading pediatric researchers recounts his first years as a newly minted, stuggling, and insecure doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. A graduate of a state university medical school, Scott Rivkees was competing with elite students from some of the most prestigious schools in the country.