The Other Side

by Kate Granger

It is a truth universally acknowledged that doctors make the worst patients. This is my story as a patient through a doctor’s eyes with the hope that healthcare professionals will read it, in particular young doctors and medical students, and understand exactly what being a patient is really like and how their behaviours, no matter how small can impact massively on their patients. It is also a story of my own personal battles with control and learning how and when to relinquish it.

Genres: Medicine, Medical, Nonfiction, Science, Doctors

114 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 19, 2012

Reviews

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author clearly states that this is a book by a doctor for doctors but do not let this put you off. As a layman I found the story about coming to terms with fragility of life and the tricks 'nature' plays a moving and informative read. I admit to frequent referrals to 'google' but for me that in no way detracted. A quick but not a light read I feel 'informed' by the experience

[Vicky P · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very quick read - took me about 3 hours. Not necessarily a highly crafted book but a truly inspiring and useful story.

(Beware - seems more aimed at medics - a lot of technical terms (which are explained in a glossary but still.)

Should be compulsory reading for all medics though.

[Kara · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a hopeful medical professional, the book was very informative in the importance of communication between medical staff and patients. However, as someone who is also struggling with a loved one who has terminal cancer, I was hoping the book would give some more insight to personal relationships and communicating on those terms

[Kate Kells · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in a day. It is a really informative read about someone’s journey through cancer diagnosis and treatment who has worked in the medical field and has knowledge of the treatments as a professional. I am only concerned how someone without medical knowledge would read this book although there is a glossary of terms at the back. A definite read for all medical students.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very glad that Dr Granger, who I came across on Twitter, wrote this book - a valuable insight into what it's like to suddenly discover you are terminally ill - and what makes such a difference in terms of healthcare

[maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring, informative and heart breaking

An inspiring story which is heart breaking but helps you understand how a doctor must behave from a unique perspective of someone who can truly see both sides. Anyone going into medicine or in healthcare should read it.

[Herminia Da · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didnt start reading yet but am sure its a very nice book..

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving

[Elijah Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an email of a list of five books I need to read before I enter Med school. I definitely believe that list holds authority having now read The Other Side. This shifted view definitely lets me feel more empathy for patients, and perhaps I can recognize that they know more than I might give them credit for. It is easy for me to look at people in an empathetical view, but perhaps those of us in the Medical field (either in training or already professing) can see that our patients truly do know more about what's happening within them than we do. Perhaps we can continue to be more empathetic, as that is always a skill that needs improvement, especially in our field. Dr. Granger is an exceptional writer, and I really enjoyed this book. God rest her soul.

[Julia Kurzeja · Rating 1 out of 5]

What this book really needed was a good editor. There was nothing good about the writing: it was full of unexplained acronyms, syntactical bloopers and inappropriate changes of tense. Even worse, for me, it completely failed to convey the FEELING of what Kate was undergoing, making it difficult to relate to her. This was because it reads purely like a list of procedures. I feel this book was a wasted opportunity to express the horror of dealing with cancer. If only it had been passed to a literary friend, if a professional editor was out of the question. Then a butterfly of a book might have emerged from the rigid crysalis of the pages.

[Wendy Greenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book straight through having heard Kate Granger on the radio. She is a doctor who at a young age develops cancer and this is her very frank treatment diary/experience. I was glued to it. Very readable, accessible, insightful pressing many buttons for me.
On an editorial front there are many glaring errors - complimentary (instead of complementary) therapy used in every use of the phrase...and incorrect uses throughout of different tenses of "to sit". These really screamed from the page.

[Rona Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Total 180 on my usual reading but very insightful, loved it

[Sarah Metcalf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A superb book, would highly recommend all health professionals read this.

[Jessica Rutherford · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5