Medic: a Diary

by Dave Horowitz

It's a story as old as time; an award winning children's book artist gets bored and becomes a paramedic, and then chronicles ten years of death, puke, and nudity into one of the most compelling book you will ever read. 
Medic, a Diary, is a graphic novel documenting author/illustrator/paramedic Dave Horowitz's true to life journey from totally green EMT (emergency medical technician) to seasoned and potentially burned-out paramedic. During his ten years on the ambulance, Horowitz has worked through the bankruptcy of one agency, a global pandemic, and has been witness to the relentless suffering that is the bread and butter of EMS (Emergency Medical Services).

Kindle Edition

Published November 24, 2025

About the author

My name is dave horowitz. I grew up in Smithtown, New York in the 1970s. Instead of paying attention in school I drew pictures of my teachers. Then I went to a famous art college in Rhode Island and studied coloring.

In 1992 I graduated and went to Oregon to play drums and drink coffee. Then I moved to New York City and worked next door to the Twin Towers. Then I learned how to climb rocks and got fired.

Then I climbed rocks.

I moved up to the Hudson Valley and then to California and then to New Hampshire and then back to the Hudson Valley. Then I got a job as a “professional” rock climber. Then I got too old for that.

I still live in the Hudson Valley where I write and illustrate picture books. Also, I'm a paramedic. So far so good…

Reviews

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very quick read, this graphic novel is a diary (or memoir) of the author's time as a medic. The artstyle is cartoonish, but serves the story well: it allows the author to show graphic subject matter without the presentation overtaking the writing. The author is the kind of person I would want to have rescuing myself or my family, and that makes reading his thoughts enjoyable. About 2/3 of the way through the book, the author discusses his time during covid as well.

I really enjoyed the artwork for this memoir. I've been reading a lot of emergency personal books and this one really offers a fresh perspective just by showing you images that other books would have to describe. "Medic: A Diary" isn't detailing gory deaths but there is this relentless feeling of hopelessness you can see permeating through each background, each patient. Speaking of which, I thought the portrayal of patients was respectful while still being truthful. Even when a patient is shown to be annoying, the author still gives them dignity.

Lastly, I found the book interesting just because one could analyze the author's perspective. Some memoirs are written by bitter and burnt out responders or by hilarious jokesters who will tell you a funny story before swerving into the most horrifying description you've ever read. This one feels more grounded. There are moments where the writing dips into melancholy and the author wonders if he is saving people or just prolonging their torture-- but these moments also stand out as much as they do because they're presented by a person who cares about what they're doing. Knocked down, the author gets back up again. It's admirable and I enjoyed spending time with his perspective.

I think other books (that aren't graphic novels) will cover more ground or go into more detail, but this one really gets the "mood" of what it's like and I would recommend it to anyone curious about the job.

[Stephen Hatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but excellent read.

I read it in two hours but it showed me much about the process and challenges of being an EMT.