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Another Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside
Katrina Firlik is a neurosurgeon, one of only two hundred or so women among the alpha males who dominate this high-pressure, high-prestige medical specialty. She is also a superbly gifted writer–witty, insightful, at once deeply humane and refreshingly wry. In Another Day in the Frontal Lobe, Dr. Firlik draws on this rare combination to create a neurosurgeon’s Kitchen Confidential–a unique insider’s memoir of a fascinating profession.
Neurosurgeons are renowned for their big egos and aggressive self-confidence, and Dr. Firlik confirms that timidity is indeed rare in the field. “They’re the kids who never lost at musical chairs,” she writes. A brain surgeon is not only a highly trained scientist and clinician but also a mechanic who of necessity develops an intimate, hands-on familiarity with the gray matter inside our skulls. It’s the balance between cutting-edge medical technology and manual dexterity, between instinct and expertise, that Firlik finds so appealing–and so difficult to master.
Firlik recounts how her background as a surgeon’s daughter with a strong stomach and a keen interest in the brain led her to this rarefied specialty, and she describes her challenging, atypical trek from medical student to fully qualified surgeon. Among Firlik’s more memorable a young roofer who walked into the hospital with a three-inch-long barbed nail driven into his forehead, the result of an accident with his partner’s nail gun, and a sweet little seven-year-old boy whose untreated earache had become a raging, potentially fatal infection of the brain lining.
From OR theatrics to thorny ethical questions, from the surprisingly primitive tools in a neurosurgeon’s kit to glimpses of future techniques like the “brain lift,” Firlik cracks open medicine’s most prestigious and secretive specialty. Candid, smart, clear-eyed, and unfailingly engaging, Another Day in the Frontal Lobe is a mesmerizing behind-the-scenes glimpse into a world of incredible competition and incalculable rewards.
Neurosurgeons are renowned for their big egos and aggressive self-confidence, and Dr. Firlik confirms that timidity is indeed rare in the field. “They’re the kids who never lost at musical chairs,” she writes. A brain surgeon is not only a highly trained scientist and clinician but also a mechanic who of necessity develops an intimate, hands-on familiarity with the gray matter inside our skulls. It’s the balance between cutting-edge medical technology and manual dexterity, between instinct and expertise, that Firlik finds so appealing–and so difficult to master.
Firlik recounts how her background as a surgeon’s daughter with a strong stomach and a keen interest in the brain led her to this rarefied specialty, and she describes her challenging, atypical trek from medical student to fully qualified surgeon. Among Firlik’s more memorable a young roofer who walked into the hospital with a three-inch-long barbed nail driven into his forehead, the result of an accident with his partner’s nail gun, and a sweet little seven-year-old boy whose untreated earache had become a raging, potentially fatal infection of the brain lining.
From OR theatrics to thorny ethical questions, from the surprisingly primitive tools in a neurosurgeon’s kit to glimpses of future techniques like the “brain lift,” Firlik cracks open medicine’s most prestigious and secretive specialty. Candid, smart, clear-eyed, and unfailingly engaging, Another Day in the Frontal Lobe is a mesmerizing behind-the-scenes glimpse into a world of incredible competition and incalculable rewards.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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About the author
Katrina Firlik
6 books24 followersKatrina is a neurosurgeon-turned-entrepreneur. Her first book is Another Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside, published by Random House.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews
April 9, 2022
Gerbils. "My research project involved trying my best to cause strokes in these subjects, animals that other people call pets, not subjects. The long-term goal was to prove that the drug could minimize stroke damage in humans whose brains were at risk during certain operations. Unfortunately, the drug had to be given just before the stroke."
"Creating gerbil strokes requires a mini-operation performed by mini-instruments on a mini-subject. All told, this was the most satisfying aspect of the project for me."
The author then goes on to say that it wasn't disturbing doing this, it was science, but killing the gerbils by freezing their brains when the stroke had started by immersing them in liquid nitrogen, now she didn't like that because it reminded her of when one of her sister's gerbils had to be put to sleep. Scientists who write with such detachment of hurting animals and killing them sound like psychopaths.
_________
I'm struggling with this book. The author says that "Neurosurgeons are renowned for their big egos and aggressive self-confidence" and then goes on to demonstrate that in her writing. It gets a bit much. Her anecdotes of actual operations are interesting, but this book is far more than that. It's about the speciality of neurosurgery, about the brain, about Dr. Katrina Firlik. I'm going to perserve, it may get less wearing hearing about her absolute wonderfulness. I may even put her on my lunch list one day.
Changed my mind. Dnf after 100 pages. I don't think this is a bad book, it's just not one I'm enjoying. I find if I don't like an author, and the book is primarily about the author, it irritates me, so I'm giving it up. Others may love her strident personality and enjoy the book.
"Creating gerbil strokes requires a mini-operation performed by mini-instruments on a mini-subject. All told, this was the most satisfying aspect of the project for me."
The author then goes on to say that it wasn't disturbing doing this, it was science, but killing the gerbils by freezing their brains when the stroke had started by immersing them in liquid nitrogen, now she didn't like that because it reminded her of when one of her sister's gerbils had to be put to sleep. Scientists who write with such detachment of hurting animals and killing them sound like psychopaths.
_________
I'm struggling with this book. The author says that "Neurosurgeons are renowned for their big egos and aggressive self-confidence" and then goes on to demonstrate that in her writing. It gets a bit much. Her anecdotes of actual operations are interesting, but this book is far more than that. It's about the speciality of neurosurgery, about the brain, about Dr. Katrina Firlik. I'm going to perserve, it may get less wearing hearing about her absolute wonderfulness. I may even put her on my lunch list one day.
Changed my mind. Dnf after 100 pages. I don't think this is a bad book, it's just not one I'm enjoying. I find if I don't like an author, and the book is primarily about the author, it irritates me, so I'm giving it up. Others may love her strident personality and enjoy the book.
July 2, 2019
Talk about rhythmus here. A woman neurosurgeon is a rarity (1 in 200) in America. We learn that the cerebrum (brain) is a tofu-like textured organ being heinously transfixed/poked by tumors, blood clots, infections and in one case a rather corpulent smelly maggot---that quite successfully induced nausea in Dr. Firlik. Cases are riveting.
Sexist epithets by neurosurgical gods fly (like poisoned arrows) yet slide off Firliks’ impenetrable force field. “In Another Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside,” we ascertain how “toothpaste” delineates damaged brain tissue and what torture a neurosurgical residency is---being a person of a marginalized sex.
“And one female neurosurgery resident I knew had a brain tattoo on her hip, before tattoos were commonplace, and I wondered if she used it as proof of her dedication during interviews. (She eventually left neurosurgery to become a radiologist.) Regardless, I wasn’t willing to go that far.”
---Katrina Firlik, MD
Count on vivid pictures spun by neat freak Dr. Firlik. This is total brain-nerd poetry. She contrasts a “glioblastoma” to a mess of un-executed popcorn with kernels showing up in close/far places (yet far cells are hidden). Absolutely mesmeric read. What brain surgery tool is referred to as “my little nipper?” Explosive “schwarz” humor “drinnen.” Read.
Sexist epithets by neurosurgical gods fly (like poisoned arrows) yet slide off Firliks’ impenetrable force field. “In Another Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside,” we ascertain how “toothpaste” delineates damaged brain tissue and what torture a neurosurgical residency is---being a person of a marginalized sex.
“And one female neurosurgery resident I knew had a brain tattoo on her hip, before tattoos were commonplace, and I wondered if she used it as proof of her dedication during interviews. (She eventually left neurosurgery to become a radiologist.) Regardless, I wasn’t willing to go that far.”
---Katrina Firlik, MD
Count on vivid pictures spun by neat freak Dr. Firlik. This is total brain-nerd poetry. She contrasts a “glioblastoma” to a mess of un-executed popcorn with kernels showing up in close/far places (yet far cells are hidden). Absolutely mesmeric read. What brain surgery tool is referred to as “my little nipper?” Explosive “schwarz” humor “drinnen.” Read.
August 13, 2008
Katrina Firlik writes about brains in much the same way
Click and Clack write about cars--with deep understanding, experience, and irreverence. She makes it clear that a neurosurgeon--or, indeed, any kind of surgeon--is a mechanic first (hopefully an excellent mechanic) and a human being second. Emotions can't be allowed to get in the way of the application of skills honed over many years of intense training and practice.
In Another Day in the Frontal Lobe, Firlik displays keen awareness of the oddity of her career. (There are only about 4,500 neurosurgeons in the U.S. of whom about 200 or so are women.) The tone is casual and conversational, as though she's talking to a friend over dinner. She answers many of the questions she's been asked over the years and discusses memorable cases--for example, a newborn baby apparently normal in all respects but lacking all but the most rudimentary parts of the brain. A flashlight held to the infant's head makes it glow like a light bulb, because the cranium is filled with cerebral fluid instead of "gray matter" (which, by the way, isn't always gray).
In general, it's clear that Firlik tries to avoid being judgmental and giving advice, but there are lessons here: avoid head injuries in Africa (where neurosurgeons are scarcer than hen's teeth), cherish each day you get to live with conscious awareness, and for heaven's sake--buckle up!
Click and Clack write about cars--with deep understanding, experience, and irreverence. She makes it clear that a neurosurgeon--or, indeed, any kind of surgeon--is a mechanic first (hopefully an excellent mechanic) and a human being second. Emotions can't be allowed to get in the way of the application of skills honed over many years of intense training and practice.
In Another Day in the Frontal Lobe, Firlik displays keen awareness of the oddity of her career. (There are only about 4,500 neurosurgeons in the U.S. of whom about 200 or so are women.) The tone is casual and conversational, as though she's talking to a friend over dinner. She answers many of the questions she's been asked over the years and discusses memorable cases--for example, a newborn baby apparently normal in all respects but lacking all but the most rudimentary parts of the brain. A flashlight held to the infant's head makes it glow like a light bulb, because the cranium is filled with cerebral fluid instead of "gray matter" (which, by the way, isn't always gray).
In general, it's clear that Firlik tries to avoid being judgmental and giving advice, but there are lessons here: avoid head injuries in Africa (where neurosurgeons are scarcer than hen's teeth), cherish each day you get to live with conscious awareness, and for heaven's sake--buckle up!
May 22, 2012
I do research on the mind, which is deeply connected with the brain. However, my experience with the brain is not like Katrina Firlik's experience with the brain. The brains I've gotten to play with have been cadaver brains, which greatly differ in texture from their living counterparts. I find it interesting to see what "lights up" during particular cognitive activities, but I'm far less interested in individual idiosyncrasies than consistences across individuals.
This book provided a fascinating glimpse into what other people think about when they think about the brain. Firlik describes interesting cases in detail. She explains what it's like to become a neurosurgeon, from medical school to the internship, residency, and beyond. She talks about how she deals with emotional and risky cases, how she balances life, and how her cases cause her to introspect on her own life. Overall, it's a very human look into a profession where people are more likely to be called "cocky" than "sympathetic."
The only major problem I had with the book was the last chapter. In this final chapter, Firlik speculates on how neurosurgery will change in the future. She claims that people will be able to do things like remove their spatial abilities to become memory savants. In saying this, she makes untenable assumptions: that the mind is a zero-sum machine, and that it's somehow wonderful to be a memory savant. Of course, we know that having a perfect memory can be completely debilitating (see The Mind of a Mnemonist: A Little Book about a Vast Memory for more on this). Thus, while she seems to be a remarkable surgeon, she's not a research scientist, and her pure research claims should be taken with a grain of salt.
This book provided a fascinating glimpse into what other people think about when they think about the brain. Firlik describes interesting cases in detail. She explains what it's like to become a neurosurgeon, from medical school to the internship, residency, and beyond. She talks about how she deals with emotional and risky cases, how she balances life, and how her cases cause her to introspect on her own life. Overall, it's a very human look into a profession where people are more likely to be called "cocky" than "sympathetic."
The only major problem I had with the book was the last chapter. In this final chapter, Firlik speculates on how neurosurgery will change in the future. She claims that people will be able to do things like remove their spatial abilities to become memory savants. In saying this, she makes untenable assumptions: that the mind is a zero-sum machine, and that it's somehow wonderful to be a memory savant. Of course, we know that having a perfect memory can be completely debilitating (see The Mind of a Mnemonist: A Little Book about a Vast Memory for more on this). Thus, while she seems to be a remarkable surgeon, she's not a research scientist, and her pure research claims should be taken with a grain of salt.
May 11, 2010
I had really high hopes for this book. I truly enjoy the nitty, gritty stories of medicine and hoped this would really be an insider's look at neurosurgery. Alas, it was not. It was interesting and gave some great historical information about the development and advances of neurosurgery. The cases she presented were really interesting, but there weren't really many of them and she didn't really give much in the way of description as far as surgery goes. The explaination of the different diseases and afflictions of the brain was fascinating, however. It's not a bad read. In reflecting upon what she views as the arrogance of some of her collegues because they are in such a elite profession, she does come off as a bit arrogant and superior herself. We get it. You're awesome and things that laypersons wouldn't understand come as easily to her as breathing. The descriptions of other famous neurosurgeons, pioneers in the field, and their research and developments are interesting. I have to admit though, by the end chapter my eyes were glazing over a bit. I really, really wish the writing and presentation were better. This had great potential.
June 7, 2010
While a readable and informative inside look at neurosurgery, the tone of the this memoir kept me at bay and from fully enjoying it. Neurosurgery as a discipline attracts the arrogant and overly confident. Dr. Firlik appears to be no exception, though from her own descriptions of colleagues, she is perhaps more relatable to mere non-neurosurgery mortals than some other docs. Having said all that, though I read this for pleasure, I did find it helpful to me in my own medical practice. It provided another perspective on epilepsy surgery that was perhaps divine timing in creating a meaningful and effective treatment plan for one of my patients.
Perhaps arrogance is so intricately related to neurosurgery that one can't write about the subject without it. Either way, the tone left a distaste in my mouth making it harder to appreciate the good the book does offer.
November 25, 2008
This book has some good content but I find myself slightly but repeatedly annoyed at the writing style. I wish the author would step back a little bit and make the book more about neurosurgery and less about herself. There's a little too much I, me, and my in there. You can pull that off if you're really charming or an established public figure... but she's not. Or maybe I'm just a jerk.
Example: In an early chapter she talks about her husband and tells us about a dance he did when she got an A in organic chemistry. Boring and unrelated to the topic of the book!
Example: In an early chapter she talks about her husband and tells us about a dance he did when she got an A in organic chemistry. Boring and unrelated to the topic of the book!
March 28, 2013
When I was younger, I lived and breathed the quirky show Scrubs. It introduced me The Shins and other indie bands that would become a staple in my everyday listening. But more importantly it felt young, something as an 13 year old I could relate to more than other shows like Seinfeld, which seemed like something my *gulp* parents would watch. Though I was not a dedicated viewer throughout its 9 year run, I would always return back at some point, and I did gather with some friends to watch the series finale, because it was too emotional of a moment to be alone.
Flash forward to about 3 weeks ago, and I flew down to Arizona to visit my brother for a week (and to see some sunshine!) Bobby and I little in common when it comes to books. He prefers anything gruesome and medical, while I am a sane human being. But he kept insisting that I would like this ‘feminist literature’ Another Day in the Frontal Lobe. “She doesn’t writing enough about the brain, she mostly writes about her personal experience as resident in her neurosurgery program.” Though reluctant at first, after finishing two other novels, I left myself in quite a bind with nothing left to read on the flight home.
And boy, I am glad that I am such a fast reader.
Another day in the Frontal Lobe is exactly like Scrubs at times its FREAKY. For example: surgery being a male dominated field. Scrubs often made jokes about surgery residents as ‘jocks’ or a ‘boys club.’ Firlik was the only woman in her entire residency, and often refers to some of her fellow residents as ‘jocks.’
(This really has no relevance to this review, but in art school we had similar dynamics. Illustrators/animators were always nerds, painters were always OCD (obsessive about painting, we literally never left the building), graphic designers were always organized and put together, printmakers were slackers, visual studies were weirdoes (this makes sense as ‘visual studies’ is anything you want it to be, so the students who didn’t fit anywhere else flocked to this emphasis), ceramic students were brainy (you need to know quite a bit of math for glazing), and sculptors were always bros. Metal students were the exception, they consisted of bros like other 3D students but also women who liked jewelry.)
So I recommend this book to my fellow Scrubs fans. Just like the show, the book gives a humorous yet dramatic take to medical residency programs.
R.I.P. Scrubs
Gone but not forgotten.
Flash forward to about 3 weeks ago, and I flew down to Arizona to visit my brother for a week (and to see some sunshine!) Bobby and I little in common when it comes to books. He prefers anything gruesome and medical, while I am a sane human being. But he kept insisting that I would like this ‘feminist literature’ Another Day in the Frontal Lobe. “She doesn’t writing enough about the brain, she mostly writes about her personal experience as resident in her neurosurgery program.” Though reluctant at first, after finishing two other novels, I left myself in quite a bind with nothing left to read on the flight home.
And boy, I am glad that I am such a fast reader.
Another day in the Frontal Lobe is exactly like Scrubs at times its FREAKY. For example: surgery being a male dominated field. Scrubs often made jokes about surgery residents as ‘jocks’ or a ‘boys club.’ Firlik was the only woman in her entire residency, and often refers to some of her fellow residents as ‘jocks.’
(This really has no relevance to this review, but in art school we had similar dynamics. Illustrators/animators were always nerds, painters were always OCD (obsessive about painting, we literally never left the building), graphic designers were always organized and put together, printmakers were slackers, visual studies were weirdoes (this makes sense as ‘visual studies’ is anything you want it to be, so the students who didn’t fit anywhere else flocked to this emphasis), ceramic students were brainy (you need to know quite a bit of math for glazing), and sculptors were always bros. Metal students were the exception, they consisted of bros like other 3D students but also women who liked jewelry.)
So I recommend this book to my fellow Scrubs fans. Just like the show, the book gives a humorous yet dramatic take to medical residency programs.
R.I.P. Scrubs
Gone but not forgotten.
June 6, 2009
I really wanted to like this book. It was fun to read about brain things again for a change, and interesting to read about them from a neurosurgeon's point of view. I got super-irritated by her unnecessary (to me) rant against religion, and had a hard time recovering. I think it's possible to state what you believe without belittling those who happen to think differently than you do.
So, a little preachy, a little whiney about money (I seriously do not think she, a practicing neurosurgeon and her venture-capitalist neurosurgeon husband are hurting for cash), but an interesting look at a profession that is surrounded by a certain mystique.
So, a little preachy, a little whiney about money (I seriously do not think she, a practicing neurosurgeon and her venture-capitalist neurosurgeon husband are hurting for cash), but an interesting look at a profession that is surrounded by a certain mystique.
December 8, 2009
Any writer who sets out to explain to the general reader the juicy workings of the human body has to deal with what might be called the Ew! Factor: Just how much do we really want to know about what goes on in there? On the other hand, TV hospital shows like "ER" and "House" and forensic detective shows like "CSI" have somewhat inured us to the grosser anatomical realities.
Katrina Firlik simply confronts the Ew! Factor in the very first paragraph of her book about neurosurgery, in which she discusses whether the texture of the brain is more like toothpaste or tofu. And soon she's off into the first of many stories about patients in distress – this time it's about a carpenter with a nail driven into his brain. ("Apart from the nail, he looked great," she notes dryly.)
If that's more than you want to handle, then Firlik's Another Day in the Frontal Lobe is not for you. And even the most hardened "CSI" watchers may find it tough going when Firlik gets to the story of the man whose brain was infested with maggots. (For those who would prefer to skip that part, it's on pages 165 through 171.) But if you suppress your squeamishness, what you'll find in the book is an engaging account of a young neurosurgeon's life and training, a lucid explanation of the techniques involved in poking around in the brain, and a compassionate attitude toward the people who go under the knife (and drill and saw and so on).
For some reason, there seem to be a lot of surgeons who write well. Firlik doesn't display the poetic gifts of Richard Selzer, and her book doesn't have the range and depth of Atul Gawande's New Yorker essays, but she writes with candor and a self-deprecating wit that seems untainted by false modesty. The biography on the book jacket points out that Firlik was the first woman in the neurosurgery residency program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and Firlik notes that only 5 percent of the 4,500 neurosurgeons in the United States are women. But if she encountered sexism from Neanderthal professors or fellow students, or patients reluctant to be operated on by a woman, she doesn't think it worth mentioning. "In general," she says, "I don't bother getting worked up over minor things that could be construed as sexist."
She also downplays any notions we might have that a neurosurgeon is smarter or more glamorous than ordinary people – a notion that she shared before she become one. She imagined "a James Bond type of character: calm, cool under pressure, precise in his actions, and culturally refined." In reality, she tells us, neurosurgeons "are part scientist, part mechanic." They're competitive – they "were the kids who always got a chair in musical chairs" – but their work "requires a delicate balance between fearlessness and caution," a fanatical devotion to the job and a "puritanical work ethic."
A neurosurgeon's work puts things in perspective, she tells us. "I still get mildly annoyed by people who are frazzled and tortured by the least important decisions: Pulp or no pulp? Skim or 2 percent? I feel like butting in: 'Look. You're not deciding whether or not to pull the plug. Lighten up.'" She observes that "handling a patient's anxiety can be more complicated, and sometimes even more time consuming, than the surgery itself." She cried once when she had to deliver fatal news to a patient, but only once: "I've regretted it ever since."
It can not only be a depressing job, but it's also a risky one. Although Firlik tells us that the neurosurgeon's mantra is "The patient is the one taking the risks, not the surgeon," the kind of risks she faces is reflected in the fact that her malpractice insurance premium is $106,000 a year. She admits to a fantasy of bailing out to become "a handbag designer or a cookbook author," but she stays the course because neurosurgery allows her to indulge her passion for learning. She is also sustained by a simple humanist creed: "Life is not a dress rehearsal. You have to enjoy it, make the most of it, while your neurons are still buzzing with live connections. It's amazing how holding a human brain can emphasize these points, at least for me."
Firlik's steady devotion to a job that demands meticulous attention to detail, her patience and humor and above all her sympathy for those who need her services sustain this involving and informative book. It peters out a bit toward the end, after Firlik has completed her residency and set up her practice in Connecticut. She concludes with a look at future neurosurgical techniques, a section that doesn't have the warmth or suspense of her stories about working with patients. (It may also reflect the fact that she's married to a former neurosurgeon turned venture capitalist, who has a stake in new technologies.) And the title is a bit misleading: As she tells us, much of a neurosurgeon's work deals with the spine, which doesn't have the abiding mystery of the brain.
But one comes away from the book with a sense that Firlik's patients are in the best of hands. You expect a neurosurgeon to possess expertise, and it's evident that she has that. But what you really want is wisdom. She has that, too.
Katrina Firlik simply confronts the Ew! Factor in the very first paragraph of her book about neurosurgery, in which she discusses whether the texture of the brain is more like toothpaste or tofu. And soon she's off into the first of many stories about patients in distress – this time it's about a carpenter with a nail driven into his brain. ("Apart from the nail, he looked great," she notes dryly.)
If that's more than you want to handle, then Firlik's Another Day in the Frontal Lobe is not for you. And even the most hardened "CSI" watchers may find it tough going when Firlik gets to the story of the man whose brain was infested with maggots. (For those who would prefer to skip that part, it's on pages 165 through 171.) But if you suppress your squeamishness, what you'll find in the book is an engaging account of a young neurosurgeon's life and training, a lucid explanation of the techniques involved in poking around in the brain, and a compassionate attitude toward the people who go under the knife (and drill and saw and so on).
For some reason, there seem to be a lot of surgeons who write well. Firlik doesn't display the poetic gifts of Richard Selzer, and her book doesn't have the range and depth of Atul Gawande's New Yorker essays, but she writes with candor and a self-deprecating wit that seems untainted by false modesty. The biography on the book jacket points out that Firlik was the first woman in the neurosurgery residency program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and Firlik notes that only 5 percent of the 4,500 neurosurgeons in the United States are women. But if she encountered sexism from Neanderthal professors or fellow students, or patients reluctant to be operated on by a woman, she doesn't think it worth mentioning. "In general," she says, "I don't bother getting worked up over minor things that could be construed as sexist."
She also downplays any notions we might have that a neurosurgeon is smarter or more glamorous than ordinary people – a notion that she shared before she become one. She imagined "a James Bond type of character: calm, cool under pressure, precise in his actions, and culturally refined." In reality, she tells us, neurosurgeons "are part scientist, part mechanic." They're competitive – they "were the kids who always got a chair in musical chairs" – but their work "requires a delicate balance between fearlessness and caution," a fanatical devotion to the job and a "puritanical work ethic."
A neurosurgeon's work puts things in perspective, she tells us. "I still get mildly annoyed by people who are frazzled and tortured by the least important decisions: Pulp or no pulp? Skim or 2 percent? I feel like butting in: 'Look. You're not deciding whether or not to pull the plug. Lighten up.'" She observes that "handling a patient's anxiety can be more complicated, and sometimes even more time consuming, than the surgery itself." She cried once when she had to deliver fatal news to a patient, but only once: "I've regretted it ever since."
It can not only be a depressing job, but it's also a risky one. Although Firlik tells us that the neurosurgeon's mantra is "The patient is the one taking the risks, not the surgeon," the kind of risks she faces is reflected in the fact that her malpractice insurance premium is $106,000 a year. She admits to a fantasy of bailing out to become "a handbag designer or a cookbook author," but she stays the course because neurosurgery allows her to indulge her passion for learning. She is also sustained by a simple humanist creed: "Life is not a dress rehearsal. You have to enjoy it, make the most of it, while your neurons are still buzzing with live connections. It's amazing how holding a human brain can emphasize these points, at least for me."
Firlik's steady devotion to a job that demands meticulous attention to detail, her patience and humor and above all her sympathy for those who need her services sustain this involving and informative book. It peters out a bit toward the end, after Firlik has completed her residency and set up her practice in Connecticut. She concludes with a look at future neurosurgical techniques, a section that doesn't have the warmth or suspense of her stories about working with patients. (It may also reflect the fact that she's married to a former neurosurgeon turned venture capitalist, who has a stake in new technologies.) And the title is a bit misleading: As she tells us, much of a neurosurgeon's work deals with the spine, which doesn't have the abiding mystery of the brain.
But one comes away from the book with a sense that Firlik's patients are in the best of hands. You expect a neurosurgeon to possess expertise, and it's evident that she has that. But what you really want is wisdom. She has that, too.
February 17, 2013
I had a difficult time rating this book- it's deserving of 2.5 stars, but not quite 3. As much as I enjoyed the topic and the author's smooth writing style, she presents her story in a condescending manner. A family's choice to elect surgery on an elderly family member's brain should not be referred to as "pathetic". Also, the 'slang' terminology that is used in the medical professions should not be repeated outside a medical facility as the terms sound callous and rude (I will not repeat examples here). I respect neurosurgeons for what they do, and am thankful that individuals chose to go into the field. The author found her passion and worked hard to get there. The beginning of the book was rough, however I am glad that I stuck it out. I would read a follow-up book by this author, but I hope she focuses on patient cases and medical/research information.
February 25, 2009
Interesting and conversational. Not as focused as you might expect from someone with such a focused career; her anecdotes wander about, many of them unfinished and unsatisfying. But they are real, and I think that's what counts. Firlik wants to give the reader the real picture, as best she can, and to that end (as far as I can tell) she succeeds.
June 21, 2023
Really interesting…. Some accuse her of being unlikeable or cold… but I think she is just what the job requires her to be and she related her stories with some humor and humanity
July 26, 2020
A brain surgeon stories . Need a special person to do this job.
January 8, 2010
Having been relatively healthy my entire life, I don't have much inside knowledge on the inner workings of a hospital. I thought this book would be an interesting way to find out more. It ended up being a charming memoir, that at times was quite gripping.
The novel is very well written, and was an absolute breeze to read. This took me by surprise, as it is a book about neurosurgery. An impressive first novel from the author, I eagerly await her next.
I don't know about you, but I find myself running to WebMD every time I have a headache, and then self diagnosing myself with some deadly ailment. I also love to watch the Discovery Health channel. Especially shows like "Mystery Diagnosis" or "Trauma: Life in the E.R.". It comes as no surprise that my favorite prime time drama is "Grey's Anatomy". It is absolutely fascinating to see these obscure medical cases, and how the doctors work to resolve them. People must trust their lives in their doctors hands. In the midst of a life changing medical crisis a patient must have faith in a total stranger.
This book gives a glimpse into the lives of surgeons. They are people just like you and me. Although what the patient is facing may be life altering for them, we find that more often than not, its not life altering for the doctors. It is purely their job. The decisions they make are with their heads, not their hearts. Part of becoming a doctor is learning how to keep their hearts from interfering with their heads, as we learn in this novel.
The author is very confident in her ability and skill within her field. She is one of less than 5000 neurosurgeons in the country, less than 5% of which are female. Although her confidence can be construed as cockiness at times, my general impression of her was in a positive light.
Whats it about?
Katrina Firlik is a talented and highly esteemed neurosurgeon. She writes this memoir of her time post-medical school. The tales span nearly a decade, covering her time as an intern, all the way to Chief Resident of Neurosurgery at a prestigious Connecticut Hospital. The novel is filled with cases she encountered, each one as interesting and amazing as the last. She also briefly covers the history of Neurosurgery as well as the future, which features "brainlifts". You have to read it to believe it!
The novel is very well written, and was an absolute breeze to read. This took me by surprise, as it is a book about neurosurgery. An impressive first novel from the author, I eagerly await her next.
I don't know about you, but I find myself running to WebMD every time I have a headache, and then self diagnosing myself with some deadly ailment. I also love to watch the Discovery Health channel. Especially shows like "Mystery Diagnosis" or "Trauma: Life in the E.R.". It comes as no surprise that my favorite prime time drama is "Grey's Anatomy". It is absolutely fascinating to see these obscure medical cases, and how the doctors work to resolve them. People must trust their lives in their doctors hands. In the midst of a life changing medical crisis a patient must have faith in a total stranger.
This book gives a glimpse into the lives of surgeons. They are people just like you and me. Although what the patient is facing may be life altering for them, we find that more often than not, its not life altering for the doctors. It is purely their job. The decisions they make are with their heads, not their hearts. Part of becoming a doctor is learning how to keep their hearts from interfering with their heads, as we learn in this novel.
The author is very confident in her ability and skill within her field. She is one of less than 5000 neurosurgeons in the country, less than 5% of which are female. Although her confidence can be construed as cockiness at times, my general impression of her was in a positive light.
Whats it about?
Katrina Firlik is a talented and highly esteemed neurosurgeon. She writes this memoir of her time post-medical school. The tales span nearly a decade, covering her time as an intern, all the way to Chief Resident of Neurosurgery at a prestigious Connecticut Hospital. The novel is filled with cases she encountered, each one as interesting and amazing as the last. She also briefly covers the history of Neurosurgery as well as the future, which features "brainlifts". You have to read it to believe it!
October 3, 2017
Ever want to pick up a power tool and drill a hole into someone’s thick skull? If you answered ‘yes’, then a career as
Another Day in the Frontal Lobe is an anecdote-filled memoire by Dr. Katrina Firlik recounting her life as a medical resident. Firlik includes numerous reminiscences describing her life: growing up the daughter of a surgeon, as a student in med school, as a surgical resident and as a surgeon. Though I didn’t find her anecdotes particularly surprising, the stories are reasonably interesting. My impression is that, while Firlik derives some satisfaction from the job, that she really doesn’t care for the lifestyle it dictates. This is likely due to the long hours and fact that brain injuries often manifest themselves as emergencies, leaving one with little opportunity for a personal life.
Many reviewers seem to object to the tenor of the book, which they decribe as ‘arrogant’, but I find this characterization rather misguided given the calm and reasonable tone of the text. What these individuals are, in fact, objecting to is Firlik’s naturalistic worldview and her lack of belief in such superstitions as alternative medicine, creationism, or religion. Here’s the thing though, given that each of these theories lack any supporting evidence for their existence it is their adherents who are claiming to know something that they could not possibly know, not Firlik … which of course is the true definition of arrogance.
I will say, Firlik’s views aren’t entirely evidence based given she recommends chiropractic and acupuncture for the treatment of back pain at one point in the text.
Overall, the book was decent, however I had hoped that that there would be more neuroscience involved.
November 19, 2019
What a great read! Dr. Firlik is a member of a small elite group of Neurosurgeons, mostly dominated by male physicians. Though I have knowledge of brain function because I was a medical Speech-Language Pathologist, I found her style of writing amenable to any reader. Her dedication to her field is admirable and her insight into the character of neurosurgeons and her sense of humor makes the content an enjoyable, informative, and interesting book.
January 9, 2011
This book gives insight into the life of a female neurosurgeon, peppered with occasional anecdotal patient stories - it was much more heavy on the history of neurosurgery and technique rather than personal experience. She does a great job at explaining things to the layman, but occasionally I found myself getting a bit bored.
October 17, 2016
Busy moms (and dads), here is a book that is not for the faint of heart, but one that will likely touch yours. I first read Another Day in the Frontal Lobe in the midst of my graduate program, preparing to become a physician assistant. Dr. Firlik fascinated me, right off the bat, not only for the fascinating stories and experiences she had to share, but also for the natural way she told the stories. It's no small feat for someone with a high level of intelligence to explain a complex condition or surgery and have it translate well to a novel or memoir. Her prose is a smooth, easy read and drew me into the room with her such that when the case wrapped up, I was eager for the next one.
Another Day in the Frontal Lobe delves into both the brain through case studies and into the mind of Dr. Firlik. She tells her story, from early influences to college decisions and med school, with residency getting the greatest focus. I noticed there are a number of negative reviews of this book, most of whom seemed to expect a different story than the one that is marketed. The book is titled "Another Day in the Frontal Lobe." It seems fitting that so much of the book is focused on cases, patients and on the subject that is a major focus for a neurosurgical resident: the brain. If majority of the book was not about neurosurgery cases, I would say there was an issue with presentation and marketing of the book. But in my opinion, it delivers what it promised.
Dr. Firlik shows compassion, but does so while offering frank insight to the world of medicine, of neurosurgery, from a physician's perspective. She did not promise to write an unbiased book about the field of neurosurgery. She wrote an autobiography, a book about her experience, cases on which she worked, and life from residency training to the sought after status of "attending physician." In this book, a number of subjects are raised, which is what happens when treating human patients and their loved ones. She expresses her opinions about the field of medicine, religion, other practitioners, and our litigious society, to name a few. Who doesn't have opinions about these subjects? She will offend some. Who doesn't?
Readers, I definitely think this is a book that worthy of your time, so I make this recommendation before reading it: Consider seeing what she describes, feeling what she feels as if you stood in her shoes. Not in yours. That ability to be considerate and compassionate of all our fellow men and women is how we come to understand each other. From understanding we can learn to better communicate and work together. And hopefully, at the end of this book, you, too, will have a little more insight as to what it is to be a resident, and an attending, in the high-pressure field of neurosurgery. Hopefully this book will encourage you to do a little (or a lot) of research into the science of a disease and it's treatment, into evidence-based medicine practices, and ask informed questions when the time comes that it is you sitting in the patient chair.
Another Day in the Frontal Lobe delves into both the brain through case studies and into the mind of Dr. Firlik. She tells her story, from early influences to college decisions and med school, with residency getting the greatest focus. I noticed there are a number of negative reviews of this book, most of whom seemed to expect a different story than the one that is marketed. The book is titled "Another Day in the Frontal Lobe." It seems fitting that so much of the book is focused on cases, patients and on the subject that is a major focus for a neurosurgical resident: the brain. If majority of the book was not about neurosurgery cases, I would say there was an issue with presentation and marketing of the book. But in my opinion, it delivers what it promised.
Dr. Firlik shows compassion, but does so while offering frank insight to the world of medicine, of neurosurgery, from a physician's perspective. She did not promise to write an unbiased book about the field of neurosurgery. She wrote an autobiography, a book about her experience, cases on which she worked, and life from residency training to the sought after status of "attending physician." In this book, a number of subjects are raised, which is what happens when treating human patients and their loved ones. She expresses her opinions about the field of medicine, religion, other practitioners, and our litigious society, to name a few. Who doesn't have opinions about these subjects? She will offend some. Who doesn't?
Readers, I definitely think this is a book that worthy of your time, so I make this recommendation before reading it: Consider seeing what she describes, feeling what she feels as if you stood in her shoes. Not in yours. That ability to be considerate and compassionate of all our fellow men and women is how we come to understand each other. From understanding we can learn to better communicate and work together. And hopefully, at the end of this book, you, too, will have a little more insight as to what it is to be a resident, and an attending, in the high-pressure field of neurosurgery. Hopefully this book will encourage you to do a little (or a lot) of research into the science of a disease and it's treatment, into evidence-based medicine practices, and ask informed questions when the time comes that it is you sitting in the patient chair.
August 7, 2019
I loved the pithy, sharp writing of this book. While I thought the last 50 pages superfluous, this doctor can write! I enjoy this genre of nonfiction by doctors, and this was one of the best for its unvarnished, sometimes brutal honesty.
February 18, 2021
2.5 stars. Wanted to like this more than I did.
April 5, 2021
Man patiešām patika ielūkoties, kā sieviete pieņem lēmumu un kļūst par neiroķirurģi, lai droši stātos līdzās pretējā dzimuma kontrolētajā jomā. Nē, šis nav feministisks stāstiņš ar izsaucienu “I did it!”, jo autore redz mediķu darbu jau no bērnības savā ģimenē. Šis ir stāsts par garām stundām laboratorijās, operējot mazus grauzējus, kuriem iepriekš mākslīgi jāuzraisa trieka, lai savukārt ar šāda darba novērojumiem, gūtām atziņām tālāk glābtu cilvēku dzīvības. Ko nākas ziedot, no kā atteikties? Kā sabalansēt ģimenes dzīvi? Ar interesantu piemēru palīdzību autore pārliecina, ka katrs mērķtiecīgs medicīnas students var būt arī neiroķirurgs, turklāt godīgi norāda, ka medicīna ir bizness, bet neiroķirurģija sniedz stabilitāti un arī karjeras izaugsmi.
April 27, 2018
When she was talking about cases it was interesting, but she talked a lot about herself and things like, "no matter how good you are you're gonna get sued," and how much her malpractice insurance is. Sorry but with great power comes great malpractice. Her discussion of vivisection was pretty horrifying especially after she acknowledged it was basically futile animal death to pad her resume I was quite disgusted.
August 7, 2020
Eh. Three stars is generous for this one. The organizational structure is chaotic while maintaining the chronological norm of the narrative. The book doesn’t maintain focus on much of anything, and it’s most uneven on the ends. The author struggles most when not within the confines of her residency. There are stronger parts, and at points we see her as more than just a surgeon. There are far better medical — and surgery — narratives.
March 16, 2016
Ultimate difficult job? Brain surgeon, right? Turns out it's not that hard...at least it doesn't seem all that hard according to Katrina Firlik in her memoir, Another Day in the Frontal Lobe. She's got some stories to tell. I won't give anything away, but you won't forget the man with the infection that moved from his face into his brain.
August 3, 2015
Did you know the live brain has about the consistency of tofu? Unless it's being squeezed out of the skull under pressure. Then it's more like toothpaste.
I enjoyed the medical stories and descriptions of neurosurgery residency, and found it very readable for the lay person. If the description above was too gross for you, this book may not be the best choice.
I enjoyed the medical stories and descriptions of neurosurgery residency, and found it very readable for the lay person. If the description above was too gross for you, this book may not be the best choice.
June 20, 2016
I try to do a few "science reads" every summer. This was the most disappointing one I have done. The writing was not the most readable and many stories were just left hanging and the writing style was very chaotic. She is definitely a talented lady, but the book makes it obvious that she knows it.
Some interesting things learned, but not worth the time.
Some interesting things learned, but not worth the time.
June 24, 2011
I loved the science involved with reading this book, but you don't have to be a brain surgeon to understand it! The art of brain surgery is discussed on a very down-to-earth manner so that everyone can understand. If you're interested in shows like "House" or "Grey's Anatomy", you would like! :)
August 10, 2018
I love reading medical whodunnit and longform articles, but this was my first medical memoir. It was informative and interesting, but I did not love it, and I’m not sure why. There is a glibness to her writing style that doesn’t sit well with me.
February 20, 2017
Started out interesting but quickly lost interest. By the end, I was skimming.
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