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The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician's First Year
A scorchingly frank look at how doctors are made, bringing readers into the critical care unit to see one burgeoning physician's journey from ineptitude to competence.
In medical school, Matt McCarthy dreamed of being a different kind of doctor—the sort of mythical, unflappable physician who could reach unreachable patients. But when a new admission to the critical care unit almost died his first night on call, he found himself scrambling. Visions of mastery quickly gave way to hopes of simply surviving hospital life, where confidence was hard to come by and no amount of med school training could dispel the terror of facing actual patients.
This funny, candid memoir of McCarthy’s intern year at a New York hospital provides a scorchingly frank look at how doctors are made, taking readers into patients’ rooms and doctors’ conferences to witness a physician's journey from ineptitude to competence. McCarthy's one stroke of luck paired him with a brilliant second-year adviser he called “Baio” (owing to his resemblance to the Charles in Charge star), who proved to be a remarkable teacher with a wicked sense of humor. McCarthy would learn even more from the people he cared for, including a man named Benny, who was living in the hospital for months at a time awaiting a heart transplant. But no teacher could help McCarthy when an accident put his own health at risk, and showed him all too painfully the thin line between doctor and patient.
The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly offers a window on to hospital life that dispenses with sanctimony and self-seriousness while emphasizing the black-comic paradox of becoming a How do you learn to save lives in a job where there is no practice?
In medical school, Matt McCarthy dreamed of being a different kind of doctor—the sort of mythical, unflappable physician who could reach unreachable patients. But when a new admission to the critical care unit almost died his first night on call, he found himself scrambling. Visions of mastery quickly gave way to hopes of simply surviving hospital life, where confidence was hard to come by and no amount of med school training could dispel the terror of facing actual patients.
This funny, candid memoir of McCarthy’s intern year at a New York hospital provides a scorchingly frank look at how doctors are made, taking readers into patients’ rooms and doctors’ conferences to witness a physician's journey from ineptitude to competence. McCarthy's one stroke of luck paired him with a brilliant second-year adviser he called “Baio” (owing to his resemblance to the Charles in Charge star), who proved to be a remarkable teacher with a wicked sense of humor. McCarthy would learn even more from the people he cared for, including a man named Benny, who was living in the hospital for months at a time awaiting a heart transplant. But no teacher could help McCarthy when an accident put his own health at risk, and showed him all too painfully the thin line between doctor and patient.
The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly offers a window on to hospital life that dispenses with sanctimony and self-seriousness while emphasizing the black-comic paradox of becoming a How do you learn to save lives in a job where there is no practice?
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2015
549 people are currently reading
15262 people want to read
About the author
Matt McCarthy
3 books178 followersMatt McCarthy is an assistant professor of medicine at Cornell and author of Superbugs (2019), The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly (2015), and Odd Man Out (2009).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 927 reviews
June 18, 2023
Review What distinguishes this book from so many other memoirs of a doctor's first year? Perhaps the author's involvement. He was possibly infected with HIV from a needle stick, and had to endure the subsequent treatment (injections for a month) and a much longer period of time wondering if he had a lifetime as a patient ahead of him. He was forced to to look at both sides of medical care.
The author wrote the book very compassionately, I was involved in a few of the cases he described as if I knew the people. A good read, but flawed. See Reading notes. 3.5 stars.
Reading notes Or What I didn't like about the book I think the book is really honest and down to earth, but the author is beginning to really annoy me. He never loses an opportunity to say he went to Harvard and that's like name-dropping, once is enough, more looks like you are trying to impress. Also the women in the book, no matter whether they are his peers or supervisors, have to have a physical description attached to them, whereas the men don't. What's with describing your boss as having 'impossibly high cheekbones' or a peer as 'butter blonde hair', or a woman acting like some skittish film star? If he described a male in those terms, people would think it was ridiculous.
Good, but not as good as Adam Kaye's This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Medical Resident.
The author wrote the book very compassionately, I was involved in a few of the cases he described as if I knew the people. A good read, but flawed. See Reading notes. 3.5 stars.
Reading notes Or What I didn't like about the book I think the book is really honest and down to earth, but the author is beginning to really annoy me. He never loses an opportunity to say he went to Harvard and that's like name-dropping, once is enough, more looks like you are trying to impress. Also the women in the book, no matter whether they are his peers or supervisors, have to have a physical description attached to them, whereas the men don't. What's with describing your boss as having 'impossibly high cheekbones' or a peer as 'butter blonde hair', or a woman acting like some skittish film star? If he described a male in those terms, people would think it was ridiculous.
Good, but not as good as Adam Kaye's This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Medical Resident.
May 5, 2015
*4.5 stars*
If you want to know why I became a dentist instead of a physician, you should just read this book.
I adored this touching, sometimes humorous, well written book about Matt McCarthy's first year as a doctor at Columbia hospital. It is rare to find a non-fiction story by someone who isn't a writer by trade be this readable. This author has a natural ability to draw people in, and I was completely absorbed by this story.
As many of you know, I'm a dentist. Now, one of the main reasons that I became a dentist is because I knew I couldn't handle the emotional strain and stress of being a physician. Having someone's life in your hands, having to make critical decisions on patients with complicated medical backgrounds is not for the faint of heart. It is a gut-wrenching, and ultimately very rewarding field with super high highs and devastating lows. My father is a cardiologist, and I admire him every day for what he does. It takes a person made of stronger stuff than me to go through it.
What this book shows you is the hard truth: Doctors are not infallible. They are people, they make mistakes, and everyone has to live with the consequences.
It also brought back SO many memories for me. When I was in my residency and in dental school encountering certain situations for the first time, I was scared out of my mind. I frantically tried to remember all I was taught, and sometimes drew a blank. It was only through doing a procedure hundreds and then thousands of times did I get the confidence to know that I could handle any situation thrown my way, within my scope of practice. It reminded me of those days where I would cry to my classmates and husband and agonize over each case. I still feel that from time to time.
I think that even if you have no medical background, you will enjoy this book. It's an enlightening and important story to read. But most of all, it is entertaining. It reads like fiction, with a pace that keeps you interested and twists and turns that make you gasp and keep on guessing. My only complaint is that I got a little lost with all of the characters in the mix, but I think that is a pretty minor issue.
Matt McCarthy did a great job with this story, and if he decides to give up medicine I'm sure he would have a nice career as an author.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
If you want to know why I became a dentist instead of a physician, you should just read this book.
I adored this touching, sometimes humorous, well written book about Matt McCarthy's first year as a doctor at Columbia hospital. It is rare to find a non-fiction story by someone who isn't a writer by trade be this readable. This author has a natural ability to draw people in, and I was completely absorbed by this story.
As many of you know, I'm a dentist. Now, one of the main reasons that I became a dentist is because I knew I couldn't handle the emotional strain and stress of being a physician. Having someone's life in your hands, having to make critical decisions on patients with complicated medical backgrounds is not for the faint of heart. It is a gut-wrenching, and ultimately very rewarding field with super high highs and devastating lows. My father is a cardiologist, and I admire him every day for what he does. It takes a person made of stronger stuff than me to go through it.
What this book shows you is the hard truth: Doctors are not infallible. They are people, they make mistakes, and everyone has to live with the consequences.
It also brought back SO many memories for me. When I was in my residency and in dental school encountering certain situations for the first time, I was scared out of my mind. I frantically tried to remember all I was taught, and sometimes drew a blank. It was only through doing a procedure hundreds and then thousands of times did I get the confidence to know that I could handle any situation thrown my way, within my scope of practice. It reminded me of those days where I would cry to my classmates and husband and agonize over each case. I still feel that from time to time.
I think that even if you have no medical background, you will enjoy this book. It's an enlightening and important story to read. But most of all, it is entertaining. It reads like fiction, with a pace that keeps you interested and twists and turns that make you gasp and keep on guessing. My only complaint is that I got a little lost with all of the characters in the mix, but I think that is a pretty minor issue.
Matt McCarthy did a great job with this story, and if he decides to give up medicine I'm sure he would have a nice career as an author.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
May 29, 2015
What an incredibly fascinating book and the way it is written makes it so easy to read. Matt's first year as an intern, all the cases, rotations, long shifts, doubt, mistakes, victories all the things that go into making a young man into a confident doctor. Some of the cases and people we get acquainted with in depth and it is hard not to cheer and hope these people have a good outcome. Loved the ending, when he and is fellow interns become residents and then a very special something else happens, that will make the reader happy. Can't say because it would be a spoiler. Good, good book.
ARC from publisher.
ARC from publisher.
October 29, 2024
Imagine getting “skewered” by an HIV infected needle and having to endure meds for a month. Meeting Matt at Stanford and observing him helped me to understand why many physicians are prolific readers/authors/healers. Feelings are laid bare when he says I felt like the “dullest scalpel in the drawer” and guilt over a botched diagnosis.
“The clock is ticking, my friend. And you’re stalling.” As my intern pondered the scenario, I turned to the group. A wise man once said that when you arrive at an arrest, the first pulse you should take is your own.”
—-Matt McCarthy, MD
Meeting Matt, him standing tall at the Pegasus Writers Program at Stanford and his millisecond responses to any question I pitched lingually as a curve ball. He had the aesthetic of a professional baseball player. Dr. McCarthy's words were elegant like an internist and his demeanor so oppositional to the orthopedic athlete surgeon.
McCarthy's brazen memoir of his medical internship in a New York hospital gives us sight into how doctors are created. Reading “The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician’s First year” is a journey from ignorance to equanimity. The medical music within is a harmonious cocktail of honesty lacking any hint of pretension. Buy.
“The clock is ticking, my friend. And you’re stalling.” As my intern pondered the scenario, I turned to the group. A wise man once said that when you arrive at an arrest, the first pulse you should take is your own.”
—-Matt McCarthy, MD
Meeting Matt, him standing tall at the Pegasus Writers Program at Stanford and his millisecond responses to any question I pitched lingually as a curve ball. He had the aesthetic of a professional baseball player. Dr. McCarthy's words were elegant like an internist and his demeanor so oppositional to the orthopedic athlete surgeon.
McCarthy's brazen memoir of his medical internship in a New York hospital gives us sight into how doctors are created. Reading “The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician’s First year” is a journey from ignorance to equanimity. The medical music within is a harmonious cocktail of honesty lacking any hint of pretension. Buy.
March 11, 2015
I know what you might be thinking: Another book about the internship year? Yup, but read it anyway. It's different in its brutal honesty about the flawed narrator, and because the doctor-writer really knows how to put together a scene and build tension. In short, dramatic chapters he takes the reader through a year that is at once universal and completely unique. I was hooked!
February 19, 2019
Fastest I've read an audiobook in awhile :) This was one I saw in rec on amazon based on another one I was reading at the time but kind of forgot about it after placing it on my amazon wishlist. It came to notice again when I was searching for a medical memoir to read. Something about it called to me this time and I listened to it on the way to and from work and at home when I wasn't feeling good.
Always love when people read their own memoirs too... to me it adds that extra "something" and helps connect to the stories just that little bit more sometimes.
The way this was written had a down to earth feel and made it easy to listen to and understand, even with the medical terms thrown around. It was fascinating listening to him as he went on his journey, sometimes making mistakes... feeling overwhelmed, trying to learn everything possible.
I became attached to "Benny" as Matt did, and was crossing my fingers for him the whole time... hoping he'd get his heart and marvelling at his optimism and strength in the face of such a trying time. "Benny" was an easy person to like and care about.
One thing that slightly bothered me was when he would describe his colleagues... first time I didn't blink an eye but after that it pulled me out of the narrative briefly at times to wonder why he was doing it. Perhaps in his mind, he thought he was helping to describe what they (and sometimes patients) looked like, but it seemed more odd than not 90% of the time.
It makes me respect the profession more to hear these stories. Doctors/Nurses aren't perfect, and mistakes do happen unfortunately. Sometimes consequences are fatal. (Not talking about here).
There was a few scenes that really tugged at my heartstrings:
Matt accidentally sticking himself with a needle from a Patient and almost getting HIV. The way he had to deal with the meds and waiting period while dealing with/helping patients on the HIV floor.
When he had to tell a woman her spouse had died and had been keeping from her a possible disease he had while she had no idea he had come to the hospital that night. Can you imagine being on either end of that? Just... wow.
This isn't high up on the gore side, for those are concerned with that. It was surprising to me though how many times ribs are cracked/broken with CPR.
An interesting look at a complex and unique year, would recommend.
Always love when people read their own memoirs too... to me it adds that extra "something" and helps connect to the stories just that little bit more sometimes.
The way this was written had a down to earth feel and made it easy to listen to and understand, even with the medical terms thrown around. It was fascinating listening to him as he went on his journey, sometimes making mistakes... feeling overwhelmed, trying to learn everything possible.
I became attached to "Benny" as Matt did, and was crossing my fingers for him the whole time... hoping he'd get his heart and marvelling at his optimism and strength in the face of such a trying time. "Benny" was an easy person to like and care about.
One thing that slightly bothered me was when he would describe his colleagues... first time I didn't blink an eye but after that it pulled me out of the narrative briefly at times to wonder why he was doing it. Perhaps in his mind, he thought he was helping to describe what they (and sometimes patients) looked like, but it seemed more odd than not 90% of the time.
It makes me respect the profession more to hear these stories. Doctors/Nurses aren't perfect, and mistakes do happen unfortunately. Sometimes consequences are fatal. (Not talking about here).
There was a few scenes that really tugged at my heartstrings:
Matt accidentally sticking himself with a needle from a Patient and almost getting HIV. The way he had to deal with the meds and waiting period while dealing with/helping patients on the HIV floor.
When he had to tell a woman her spouse had died and had been keeping from her a possible disease he had while she had no idea he had come to the hospital that night. Can you imagine being on either end of that? Just... wow.
This isn't high up on the gore side, for those are concerned with that. It was surprising to me though how many times ribs are cracked/broken with CPR.
An interesting look at a complex and unique year, would recommend.
April 20, 2015
2.5 stars, rounded up because I liked his writing style.
If you're going to write a memoir, you should probably have a story people would want to read. The tales of Dr. McCarthy's first year as a doctor would make a good chapter in a comprehensive autobiography but makes a boring book.
Once you get past the expected (little sleep, complicated hierarchy, med school doesn't teach you how to read an X-ray or write patient notes, inspiring patients) there really isn't any story. Yes, an accident led to Dr. McCarthy almost getting HIV. I'm sure that wasn't fun. But while the doctor dealt with the almost his patients were dealing with confirmed diagnoses.
I would rather read a book about the adventures Benny had after his heart transplant, or the difficulties of Dre's life that led to her being blind, homeless, and HIV positive.
If you're going to write a memoir, you should probably have a story people would want to read. The tales of Dr. McCarthy's first year as a doctor would make a good chapter in a comprehensive autobiography but makes a boring book.
Once you get past the expected (little sleep, complicated hierarchy, med school doesn't teach you how to read an X-ray or write patient notes, inspiring patients) there really isn't any story. Yes, an accident led to Dr. McCarthy almost getting HIV. I'm sure that wasn't fun. But while the doctor dealt with the almost his patients were dealing with confirmed diagnoses.
I would rather read a book about the adventures Benny had after his heart transplant, or the difficulties of Dre's life that led to her being blind, homeless, and HIV positive.
July 4, 2016
3.5 Stars. "You know," he said, patting me on the back, "there is nothing more rewarding than bringing a ninety-five-year-old demented woman with widely metastatic lung cancer back to life. Well done."
One of the most disturbing things I have realized as I've grown up is that, despite what I thought as a child, most adults are pretty much just winging it. I had excluded doctors from that assessment, for my own peace of mind. Of course everyone has to start somewhere and The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly is a candid memoir about Matt McCarthy's starting point. When Matt begins his intern year at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, he quickly realizes that four years of medical school has left him unprepared for the practical work of dealing with actual patients.
Matt McCarthy is brutally honest as he details his biggest mistakes and biggest triumphs during his intern year. He struggles with connecting to patients and figuring out how much emotional involvement is too much. He introduces us to a few of the patients that made the biggest impact on his bedside manner and made me feel just as invested in their outcomes as he did.
"It occurred to me that we were all wrestling with some form of impostor syndrome, unable to internalize and appreciate our own accomplishments. There was always someone more impressive, someone who could make you look foolish if they really wanted to. Underneath the glimmering personas, some of us--including me and the women in my pod-- secretly worried that we didn't deserve to be doctors, we didn't deserve to hold life in our hands, we weren't the ones who should be leading complex discussions about comfort measures and vegetative states. The key to residency was figuring out ways to ignore those feelings without turning into a monster."
The tone starts out as comedic, but it does take a more serious turn in Part 2 after he has an work-related accident that puts his own health in danger. McCarthy is a frazzled ball of stress for the first half of the book, which is completely understandable as his life becomes a complete whirlwind with minimal sleep. Much of the intern's education is by trial and error and some of the supervisor advice seemed to boil down to "do what your heart tells you." Who wouldn't be panicked when the stakes are so high? McCarthy addresses his subject in a relatable way, even to those of us who aren't doctors. Who hasn't felt like a complete fraud, especially when starting a brand new job after college? Despite some parts that are a little unnerving from the patient point of view, you will cheer Dr. McCarthy on as he establishes a solid footing in his profession and eventually becomes "real" doctor.
While illustrating the absurdities and realities of his first year, McCarthy provides an interesting view of teaching hospitals in the United States.I will admit that I am not sure that I like thinking about my doctor as a vulnerable human being! It is comforting to think about doctors as infallible experts who make decisions based on specific set of scientific data, but this book made me appreciate how many subjective judgement calls doctors actually have to make.
If you are curious about the transition from medical student to doctor or you are a fan of the medical-related parts of Grey's Anatomy *, I think you will enjoy this book.
*No supply closet rendezvous, ferry accidents or plane crashes in this book!
I received this book for free from the Library Early Reviewer's Program
One of the most disturbing things I have realized as I've grown up is that, despite what I thought as a child, most adults are pretty much just winging it. I had excluded doctors from that assessment, for my own peace of mind. Of course everyone has to start somewhere and The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly is a candid memoir about Matt McCarthy's starting point. When Matt begins his intern year at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, he quickly realizes that four years of medical school has left him unprepared for the practical work of dealing with actual patients.
Matt McCarthy is brutally honest as he details his biggest mistakes and biggest triumphs during his intern year. He struggles with connecting to patients and figuring out how much emotional involvement is too much. He introduces us to a few of the patients that made the biggest impact on his bedside manner and made me feel just as invested in their outcomes as he did.
"It occurred to me that we were all wrestling with some form of impostor syndrome, unable to internalize and appreciate our own accomplishments. There was always someone more impressive, someone who could make you look foolish if they really wanted to. Underneath the glimmering personas, some of us--including me and the women in my pod-- secretly worried that we didn't deserve to be doctors, we didn't deserve to hold life in our hands, we weren't the ones who should be leading complex discussions about comfort measures and vegetative states. The key to residency was figuring out ways to ignore those feelings without turning into a monster."
The tone starts out as comedic, but it does take a more serious turn in Part 2 after he has an work-related accident that puts his own health in danger. McCarthy is a frazzled ball of stress for the first half of the book, which is completely understandable as his life becomes a complete whirlwind with minimal sleep. Much of the intern's education is by trial and error and some of the supervisor advice seemed to boil down to "do what your heart tells you." Who wouldn't be panicked when the stakes are so high? McCarthy addresses his subject in a relatable way, even to those of us who aren't doctors. Who hasn't felt like a complete fraud, especially when starting a brand new job after college? Despite some parts that are a little unnerving from the patient point of view, you will cheer Dr. McCarthy on as he establishes a solid footing in his profession and eventually becomes "real" doctor.
While illustrating the absurdities and realities of his first year, McCarthy provides an interesting view of teaching hospitals in the United States.I will admit that I am not sure that I like thinking about my doctor as a vulnerable human being! It is comforting to think about doctors as infallible experts who make decisions based on specific set of scientific data, but this book made me appreciate how many subjective judgement calls doctors actually have to make.
If you are curious about the transition from medical student to doctor or you are a fan of the medical-related parts of Grey's Anatomy *, I think you will enjoy this book.
*No supply closet rendezvous, ferry accidents or plane crashes in this book!
I received this book for free from the Library Early Reviewer's Program
August 17, 2016
I wanted to study Microbiology at the end of high school but due to a range of circumstances I ended up getting a marketing degree years later. But the love and fascination of biology, the macabre and medicine has stayed with me.
Although this book is light on the macabre and the more technical side of practicing medicine it did show how terrifying it could be for an intern’s first year. The writing was easy to digest and had quite a few funny moments in-between the horrors of constantly not trying to kill a patient.
And the things NOT taught in medical school such as correct bedside manner, balancing caring without getting overly attached seemed to be just as difficult to master as the medicine.
These stories clearly showed the emotional pendulum between the exhilaration of practicing medicine and the petrifying angst of f*ing up and inadvertently killing someone and I really enjoyed the experience.
The only thing that freaked me out a bit was the amount of times simple chest compressions resulted in cracked ribs…
Although this book is light on the macabre and the more technical side of practicing medicine it did show how terrifying it could be for an intern’s first year. The writing was easy to digest and had quite a few funny moments in-between the horrors of constantly not trying to kill a patient.
And the things NOT taught in medical school such as correct bedside manner, balancing caring without getting overly attached seemed to be just as difficult to master as the medicine.
These stories clearly showed the emotional pendulum between the exhilaration of practicing medicine and the petrifying angst of f*ing up and inadvertently killing someone and I really enjoyed the experience.
The only thing that freaked me out a bit was the amount of times simple chest compressions resulted in cracked ribs…
August 10, 2015
This was a great nonfiction book. It read like a novel, and it made it so much more interesting when you realize that this is a real doctor and this is what being a real-life doctor is. A lot of the beginning made me think of the first season of Grey's Anatomy, when they didn't know what the hell they were doing. It was a good mixture of scary and hilarious. Plus, the ending made my heart leap with joy. Highly recommend!
August 30, 2015
3.5 stars
This is an accessible, entertaining memoir of one brand-new doctor’s intern year at Columbia University Medical Center. It is rather light reading, but Dr. McCarthy proves a good storyteller, and for anyone who’s ever been a brand-new professional in over their head, it proves a fun (and sometimes wince-worthy) mix of relatability and schadenfreude.
The Real Doctor is the intimate, candid story of the author’s struggles, and sometimes successes, as a trainee doctor. He graduated from Harvard with lots of theoretical knowledge but virtually no practical know-how, to be thrown into the fast-paced world of the hospital, with regular emergencies, 30-hour shifts, and life-or-death decisions. McCarthy relates it all in a clean, fast-paced style that’s heavy on the dialogue; although he begins his tenure taking so many notes that a supervisor likens him to the character in Memento, it’s fair to assume that creative license is being used here.
He is frank about making mistakes, often feeling clueless and overwhelmed, and fumbling through tough interpersonal situations as he struggles to connect with patients without taking it all too personally. The immediacy of the writing pulls the reader right in, regardless of whether you’re in the medical field; I am not, but can relate to many of McCarthy’s feelings and experiences as a young professional, with lots of responsibility but little experience to draw on.
Much as I enjoyed the book, though, it is a bit light. McCarthy doesn’t attempt to provide background research or draw any broader conclusions about the medical field or American hospitals; the book is no more or less than an entertaining account of his personal experiences. Patient stories are included strictly for their effects on McCarthy, rather than being fully fleshed-out or used to educate readers about medical or cultural issues. (Fortunately, for squeamish readers like me, there are only one or two scenes likely to disturb.) For better or worse, it feels like a book written because the author’s friends enjoyed his stories and urged him to “write a book about that!” rather than because he had something powerful to say.
That, in addition to the satisfying but perhaps too-tidy ending, left me enjoying the book without feeling enriched by it. It’s a fast-paced account of hospital life, and a fun and honest piece about imposter syndrome and learning from experience, and as long as you aren’t looking for something deep or meaty, it is worth the read. If nothing else, hopefully it will make you feel a bit better about your own work (though not necessarily about being a patient)!
This is an accessible, entertaining memoir of one brand-new doctor’s intern year at Columbia University Medical Center. It is rather light reading, but Dr. McCarthy proves a good storyteller, and for anyone who’s ever been a brand-new professional in over their head, it proves a fun (and sometimes wince-worthy) mix of relatability and schadenfreude.
The Real Doctor is the intimate, candid story of the author’s struggles, and sometimes successes, as a trainee doctor. He graduated from Harvard with lots of theoretical knowledge but virtually no practical know-how, to be thrown into the fast-paced world of the hospital, with regular emergencies, 30-hour shifts, and life-or-death decisions. McCarthy relates it all in a clean, fast-paced style that’s heavy on the dialogue; although he begins his tenure taking so many notes that a supervisor likens him to the character in Memento, it’s fair to assume that creative license is being used here.
He is frank about making mistakes, often feeling clueless and overwhelmed, and fumbling through tough interpersonal situations as he struggles to connect with patients without taking it all too personally. The immediacy of the writing pulls the reader right in, regardless of whether you’re in the medical field; I am not, but can relate to many of McCarthy’s feelings and experiences as a young professional, with lots of responsibility but little experience to draw on.
Much as I enjoyed the book, though, it is a bit light. McCarthy doesn’t attempt to provide background research or draw any broader conclusions about the medical field or American hospitals; the book is no more or less than an entertaining account of his personal experiences. Patient stories are included strictly for their effects on McCarthy, rather than being fully fleshed-out or used to educate readers about medical or cultural issues. (Fortunately, for squeamish readers like me, there are only one or two scenes likely to disturb.) For better or worse, it feels like a book written because the author’s friends enjoyed his stories and urged him to “write a book about that!” rather than because he had something powerful to say.
That, in addition to the satisfying but perhaps too-tidy ending, left me enjoying the book without feeling enriched by it. It’s a fast-paced account of hospital life, and a fun and honest piece about imposter syndrome and learning from experience, and as long as you aren’t looking for something deep or meaty, it is worth the read. If nothing else, hopefully it will make you feel a bit better about your own work (though not necessarily about being a patient)!
March 16, 2016
Nervously I approached this book. How many times have I been burned by my anticipated hopes for a memoir by someone with an intriguing point of view who turns out to have few storytelling skills?
Eagerly, let me assure you, Matt McCarthy can write. Whew. One hurdle. And he has a great story, that first year as a doctor. Whew. Second hurdle. And we’re in the race.
I read on and on, watching from the sidelines as our doctor, who is expected to leave college and be ready to handle every health condition with speed and knowledge, fumbles the ball and punts the ball and throws incomplete passes. It’s all so unexpected and, apparently, normal, that it leaves you wondering how anyone survives even a short stay in the hospital. It’s so refreshingly frank, as well, that you know every day this young doctor is getting a college education in the care of patients, and you are glad.
Loved this read.
Eagerly, let me assure you, Matt McCarthy can write. Whew. One hurdle. And he has a great story, that first year as a doctor. Whew. Second hurdle. And we’re in the race.
I read on and on, watching from the sidelines as our doctor, who is expected to leave college and be ready to handle every health condition with speed and knowledge, fumbles the ball and punts the ball and throws incomplete passes. It’s all so unexpected and, apparently, normal, that it leaves you wondering how anyone survives even a short stay in the hospital. It’s so refreshingly frank, as well, that you know every day this young doctor is getting a college education in the care of patients, and you are glad.
Loved this read.
December 7, 2016
This memoir outlines the making of a physician. Dr. McCarthy gives the reader a walk in his shoes as he navigates his first year out of medical school. For the lay person and medical professional alike, it is very readable.
The medical jargon is explained without talking down to the reader. The situations he finds himself in are typical and yet extraordinary. After a needlestick, he is forced to confront himself and what kind of doctor he wants to be.He struggles with empathy and objectivity as he deals with patients and their families, all while chronically sleep deprived.
I enjoyed my look behind the curtain. No matter how far they go in their field, they all have to start somewhere. They all have to begin at the beginning and they do not come pre-programed for success.Med school, internships and residencies are brutal. Once through all that I can see how some doctors seek to insulate themselves and their emotions. I'm glad that Dr. McCarthy continues to put himself out there for his patients,his students and now his readers.
The medical jargon is explained without talking down to the reader. The situations he finds himself in are typical and yet extraordinary. After a needlestick, he is forced to confront himself and what kind of doctor he wants to be.He struggles with empathy and objectivity as he deals with patients and their families, all while chronically sleep deprived.
I enjoyed my look behind the curtain. No matter how far they go in their field, they all have to start somewhere. They all have to begin at the beginning and they do not come pre-programed for success.Med school, internships and residencies are brutal. Once through all that I can see how some doctors seek to insulate themselves and their emotions. I'm glad that Dr. McCarthy continues to put himself out there for his patients,his students and now his readers.
March 2, 2015
I have read a number of accounts of the first year of medical internship. This one ranks somewhere in the middle. What is appalling, but not surprising, is the grueling aspects of this intern year. Makes me want to forever avoid being a patient in a teaching hospital. Dr McCarthy's account had some good moments when I cared about him and his patients but it also revealed a whiney persona that was less than attractive at times.
July 19, 2017
5 Stars, Completed June 7, 2015
The quote above is one of the many words of wisdom and advice Dr. Matt McCarthy learned as a first year intern at Columbia hospital, and it perfectly illustrates the pressure health care professionals have to deal with every day.
In this frank memoir, The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly, Dr. McCarthy beautifully writes about the brutal truths behind the field of medicine and a physician’s infallibility, but somehow manages to do so with humor through interspersed comedic relief. In less than 100 pages into the book, readers learn that on his journey towards becoming a “good physician,” Dr. McCarthy stitches a banana peel, has feces-stained scrubs thrown at his face, and witnesses a patient almost die his first night interning in the cardiac care unit.
Dr. McCarthy soon realizes that interns are to do so much more in one night than months of medical school. And, at some point in the book, he illustrates that the mind of an intern is like a canvas or wall where paint can splatter onto. Some areas are completely bare with a few drops of paint while others have large areas occupied, meaning the field of medicine is so vast and, despite years of instructional training and thorough reading in medical school, interns cannot completely prepare for when it’s time to use their knowledge in action during their intern year as practicing doctor. Also, after several mistakes in his first year, he also begins to question if he’s practicing in the field of medicine for him and his reputation or for the patient.
In this, Dr. McCarthy also discusses the roles experienced physicians and second year residents, that surprisingly have gone through the hellish stages as an intern like him only a year ago, possess that inspires him to become a better doctor. And along with meeting and growing fond of his continuously changing superiors, readers quickly find themselves becoming invested in cases and patients like Dre and Benny, which makes this novel touching and, at times, intense.
After finishing this book, I couldn’t find any flaws. The medical terminology and procedures are well explained and doesn’t leave readers overwhelmed or intimidated. So it is, surprisingly, a readable memoir, written in a manner readers with little or no medical background can easily understand and enjoy. The plot was never boring because of Dr. McCartney’s natural ability of creating nice anecdotal flow and short but dramatic chapters. Overall, The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly really did a great job illustrating and touching topics such as medical hierarchy, ethics of medicine, and humanity in general. I found it really inspiring and consider it one of the best reads this year for me.
**Quote(s) from corrected, review galley!
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Thank you Crown and Blogging for Books for giving me an opportunity to read this! This in no way affected my honest review.
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More reviews at Xingsings
“You do not want to be the physician who assumed the patient was sleeping," the instructor told us, "when in fact he was dead."
The quote above is one of the many words of wisdom and advice Dr. Matt McCarthy learned as a first year intern at Columbia hospital, and it perfectly illustrates the pressure health care professionals have to deal with every day.
In this frank memoir, The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly, Dr. McCarthy beautifully writes about the brutal truths behind the field of medicine and a physician’s infallibility, but somehow manages to do so with humor through interspersed comedic relief. In less than 100 pages into the book, readers learn that on his journey towards becoming a “good physician,” Dr. McCarthy stitches a banana peel, has feces-stained scrubs thrown at his face, and witnesses a patient almost die his first night interning in the cardiac care unit.
Dr. McCarthy soon realizes that interns are to do so much more in one night than months of medical school. And, at some point in the book, he illustrates that the mind of an intern is like a canvas or wall where paint can splatter onto. Some areas are completely bare with a few drops of paint while others have large areas occupied, meaning the field of medicine is so vast and, despite years of instructional training and thorough reading in medical school, interns cannot completely prepare for when it’s time to use their knowledge in action during their intern year as practicing doctor. Also, after several mistakes in his first year, he also begins to question if he’s practicing in the field of medicine for him and his reputation or for the patient.
In this, Dr. McCarthy also discusses the roles experienced physicians and second year residents, that surprisingly have gone through the hellish stages as an intern like him only a year ago, possess that inspires him to become a better doctor. And along with meeting and growing fond of his continuously changing superiors, readers quickly find themselves becoming invested in cases and patients like Dre and Benny, which makes this novel touching and, at times, intense.
After finishing this book, I couldn’t find any flaws. The medical terminology and procedures are well explained and doesn’t leave readers overwhelmed or intimidated. So it is, surprisingly, a readable memoir, written in a manner readers with little or no medical background can easily understand and enjoy. The plot was never boring because of Dr. McCartney’s natural ability of creating nice anecdotal flow and short but dramatic chapters. Overall, The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly really did a great job illustrating and touching topics such as medical hierarchy, ethics of medicine, and humanity in general. I found it really inspiring and consider it one of the best reads this year for me.
**Quote(s) from corrected, review galley!
---
Thank you Crown and Blogging for Books for giving me an opportunity to read this! This in no way affected my honest review.
---
More reviews at Xingsings
August 6, 2020
I thought the author gracefully wrapped things up at the end. It seems like 95% of the challenges Dr. McCarthy faced could have been prevented by just reading more of each patient's chart, an issue I run into frequently while trying to advocate for hospital patients in my current role.
Overall, Dr. McCarthy's story was exciting and educational. My only complaint is a lack of nursing staff mentioned in his anecdotes. Does this guy not make any nursing friends at all? Are they completely invisible to him?? Nurses do so much emotional heavy lifting, but based on Dr. McCarthy's writing, you'd think it would fall completely on the residents! It's very "Grey's Anatomy" in that respect, just with less sex in elevators, call rooms, and supply closets.
Overall, Dr. McCarthy's story was exciting and educational. My only complaint is a lack of nursing staff mentioned in his anecdotes. Does this guy not make any nursing friends at all? Are they completely invisible to him?? Nurses do so much emotional heavy lifting, but based on Dr. McCarthy's writing, you'd think it would fall completely on the residents! It's very "Grey's Anatomy" in that respect, just with less sex in elevators, call rooms, and supply closets.
October 25, 2019
Doctors really don’t know how to do anything. On TV shows they show doctors doing everything and nurses are basically nonexistent. But the real doctor will see you shortly tells you how it is. Dr. McCarthy knows pretty much nothing and “is not a functioning human being yet“. So we go from seeing him know basically nothing to knowing a bit less than nothing or a bit more than nothing I suppose and it was funny and entertaining and I feel like i learned a bit as well.
May 20, 2019
Dr. Matt McCarthy tells of his experiences as a first-year resident at Columbia Hospital in New York City. He provides a rare in-depth look at the inner workings of a hospital through the eyes of an intern. What this book does is show just how human doctors are. They mess up... a lot. But there's always someone who's got their back in the event that they do. If medical shows make you squeamish, I'd advise not to read. But I'll definitely recommend to anyone who likes those sorts of things. There are certainly some fascinating medical things that are explored through Matt's eyes.
June 22, 2015
I'm sure this will be a popular book with the lay reader, but as a medical professional I did not find it interesting, except perhaps as: what not to do when trying to become a physician. Matt McCarthy retells what his experiences in medical school and residency were like on his way to becoming a doctor. I wasn't clear how long ago he actually took this journey as many of his references to Charles in Charge, TV dramas, HIV care, and celebrity gossip, seemed very dated. Even his 30 hour work day is not commonly seen anymore. I have no problem with him writing his memories as a memoir, but this current work is written as though this the standard medical practice now, which is misleading to most readers. Finally, I appreciate Matt's honesty about his emotions, struggles and difficulties during his education; but instead of striking a balance of sharing a story I found the revelations to be disturbing and felt his incompetence was often putting himself and his patients as incredible risk (needle sticks, medication errors, poor communication...). Not something I would brag about in a best seller.
May 25, 2019
As a high-acuity health practitioner myself, I have to say that the incompetence described by the author during his first intern year was appalling. No person already ascribed a doctorate in medicine, with four years of so-called training behind him, should be performing to such low standards, let alone glorifying those failures as part of some 'honest' account of real-life doctoring. Failing to understand the significance of a unilaterally dilated pupil, knowing nothing about cardiac arrest, never having done IVs... it's no wonder that this dangerous clown needle-stuck himself. By that point, I'm not feeling sympathy for a serious accident that could have happened to anyone, I'm scratching my head as to why it's being treated like bad luck for the poor intern instead of a foreseeable lapse by a lousy doctor with a record of being incompetent. If I knew that the doctors I was seeing as a patient were this inexperienced, I'd be keeping a first aid kit under my bed, drinking herbal teas, and avoiding hospitals for the rest of my life.
The guy can put sentences together, but I did not like him and especially did not like how this book normalises poor healthcare standards.
The guy can put sentences together, but I did not like him and especially did not like how this book normalises poor healthcare standards.
July 23, 2022
post-Postscript — since apparently that’s necessary for inquiring minds — jeez remain calm it was a joke! I’m not on the brink of holy matrimony (At least, not yet…😉)
Important P.S. — was also dryly funny :) will stick with me forever
Literally just yesterday I subjected some poor souls to a recap featuring every single last little detail (Lol I’m sorry I couldn’t help it!😂) of my chance-encounter conversational exchanges with a guy who’s awfully similar to Matt McCarthy here (although he’s in a slightly different junior phase of his medical career, though still post-md)* and now you get my take on this book, which I devoured in the subsequent 24 hours! I appreciated how McCarthy has a similar eye for detail in reenacting real-life scenes so vividly 😉he seems like a very fun guy to be around!
An insightful look into the hardworking, intense, fascinating life of a first-year resident/intern. The terminology from back when I used to take biology/do research all came rushing back. I think my favorite line was this: “who are you trying to help? You? Your reputation? Or your patient? That’s why we’re here.” I literally grew up hearing about the ways in which the life of a healthcare worker is not for the faint-of-heart! And thank God for the people (love you Amanda!) who have what it takes to help patients, because it’s really so true—down to every last detail, as portrayed here.
Important P.S. — was also dryly funny :) will stick with me forever
Literally just yesterday I subjected some poor souls to a recap featuring every single last little detail (Lol I’m sorry I couldn’t help it!😂) of my chance-encounter conversational exchanges with a guy who’s awfully similar to Matt McCarthy here (although he’s in a slightly different junior phase of his medical career, though still post-md)* and now you get my take on this book, which I devoured in the subsequent 24 hours! I appreciated how McCarthy has a similar eye for detail in reenacting real-life scenes so vividly 😉he seems like a very fun guy to be around!
An insightful look into the hardworking, intense, fascinating life of a first-year resident/intern. The terminology from back when I used to take biology/do research all came rushing back. I think my favorite line was this: “who are you trying to help? You? Your reputation? Or your patient? That’s why we’re here.” I literally grew up hearing about the ways in which the life of a healthcare worker is not for the faint-of-heart! And thank God for the people (love you Amanda!) who have what it takes to help patients, because it’s really so true—down to every last detail, as portrayed here.
February 3, 2025
Surprisingly entertaining read for a medical memoir. The end was way too cheesy and I almost don’t believe it really happened but otherwise was a good book
April 15, 2015
You really can't judge a book by its cover. Trust me, THIS book is much much better than its blah cover. Better than its title, too. I'm really happy I won this one through a Goodreads giveaway, because quite frankly, nothing about it would have captured my eye if I'd seen it... or to be more accurate, overlooked it... in a book store. I entered the giveaway based on its blurb, but in a book store setting, who's gonna pick up a book to even read a blurb if there's nothing noteworthy about the look of the book or the sound of its title? I hope the cover is upgraded prior to its final publication next year.
What I read is an uncorrected proof, and I was very impressed with how few errors I found in it. Not only is this book well-written and smooth-flowing, but it is also fascinating and educational. It gives a crystal clear image of the hectic, sleep-deprived, hilarious and horrifying, uplifting and humbling road to becoming a doctor. Learning the basics in medical school is one thing, but that first terrifying, exhilarating year of working with actual patients is a whole 'nother matter altogether.
Bottom line, I loved this book. It's the best inside look at a doctor's life since the old book "Intern" by Doctor X. Unlike Doctor X, though, Dr. McCarthy gives us an honest look at his experiences, mistakes and all. My guess is that he became an exceptional doctor. He sure did write an exceptional book.
What I read is an uncorrected proof, and I was very impressed with how few errors I found in it. Not only is this book well-written and smooth-flowing, but it is also fascinating and educational. It gives a crystal clear image of the hectic, sleep-deprived, hilarious and horrifying, uplifting and humbling road to becoming a doctor. Learning the basics in medical school is one thing, but that first terrifying, exhilarating year of working with actual patients is a whole 'nother matter altogether.
Bottom line, I loved this book. It's the best inside look at a doctor's life since the old book "Intern" by Doctor X. Unlike Doctor X, though, Dr. McCarthy gives us an honest look at his experiences, mistakes and all. My guess is that he became an exceptional doctor. He sure did write an exceptional book.
February 21, 2015
This is one of the best memoirs I've read - an urgent, funny, and fascinating look at how one doctor was made. I'll write a longer review soon, but want people to be aware of this book now!
April 18, 2022
this book was one of the books that got me out of a reading funk. after finishing this book, I genuinely asked my pre-med friends, "you KNEW this is what the doctor life was like, and you STILL decided to go down this route?" I already held physicians in high regard, but I had no idea the intensity of the journey to get there :-( really appreciated this book, getting to hear about a physician's first year. because without this book, I would not have had the slightest clue what my pre-med (and now med!!) friends will be doing.
August 4, 2021
Very relatable
December 31, 2022
Fun! Especially so since I carried this to my doctor's and read while I got bored there lol
August 27, 2021
Insightful view into the inner monologue that most going through internship experience. Something that is both daunting and profoundly reassuring when looking to the future
April 13, 2015
The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly is an incredibly candid inside look at what life as an intern was like for author and doctor Matt McCarthy during his third year of medical school.
I must admit that I began this book with the expectation that McCarthy would be one of the many doctors who can't seem to take the time to string two coherent sentences together. So I was honestly shocked to find that McCarthy is, in reality, a truly exceptional writer and storyteller. This book has wonderful flow and is structured perfectly. It was easy to follow McCarthy through his day-in-day-out routine. He includes just the right amount of detail so that his reader can understand what's going on without getting bogged down in arduous medical jargon. I don't have advanced medical knowledge, but I understood this book. Moreover, I never felt condescended to. McCarthy spoke to me on my level without making it obvious he was dumbing down often complicated information.
My only minor complaint is that this book stressed me out! Besides the obvious fact that, oh my God, these interns have no idea what they are doing and that frightens me, I found that McCarthy's frantic energy of his early days as an intern translated almost too well to the page. Reading the first half of this book was difficult. McCarthy is so agitated and worried, frazzled and insecure. He is constantly rushed, constantly stressed, and I felt the tone of the book matched that. I know McCarthy aims to give an accurate description of what the chaos of his life was like, but sometimes I felt that the writing left no room to pause and breathe. As a reader, I needed a mental break every so often.
Thankfully, as McCarthy becomes more comfortable and competent in his crazy environment, the book also becomes a bit more calm and easier to process. When I finished The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly, I actually felt grateful that McCarthy had taken the time to record his experience. Not only did I learn a lot from reading his memoir, but I also found myself feeling a bit more optimistic about doctors in general. It is so obvious that McCarthy cares, both about the medical profession and about the people he treats. I loved how candid he was about his shortcomings and areas needing improvement, and I absolutely appreciated his desire and willingness to "do better" whenever and wherever he could. He showed a lot of humility, and I respect that. On the one hand, I want to say that this book is such a success because McCarthy is uniquely humble, dedicated, intuitive, and insightful. On the other hand, I really want to believe that most doctors are like this--because, if they were, I think we'd all be in very good hands.
I must admit that I began this book with the expectation that McCarthy would be one of the many doctors who can't seem to take the time to string two coherent sentences together. So I was honestly shocked to find that McCarthy is, in reality, a truly exceptional writer and storyteller. This book has wonderful flow and is structured perfectly. It was easy to follow McCarthy through his day-in-day-out routine. He includes just the right amount of detail so that his reader can understand what's going on without getting bogged down in arduous medical jargon. I don't have advanced medical knowledge, but I understood this book. Moreover, I never felt condescended to. McCarthy spoke to me on my level without making it obvious he was dumbing down often complicated information.
My only minor complaint is that this book stressed me out! Besides the obvious fact that, oh my God, these interns have no idea what they are doing and that frightens me, I found that McCarthy's frantic energy of his early days as an intern translated almost too well to the page. Reading the first half of this book was difficult. McCarthy is so agitated and worried, frazzled and insecure. He is constantly rushed, constantly stressed, and I felt the tone of the book matched that. I know McCarthy aims to give an accurate description of what the chaos of his life was like, but sometimes I felt that the writing left no room to pause and breathe. As a reader, I needed a mental break every so often.
Thankfully, as McCarthy becomes more comfortable and competent in his crazy environment, the book also becomes a bit more calm and easier to process. When I finished The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly, I actually felt grateful that McCarthy had taken the time to record his experience. Not only did I learn a lot from reading his memoir, but I also found myself feeling a bit more optimistic about doctors in general. It is so obvious that McCarthy cares, both about the medical profession and about the people he treats. I loved how candid he was about his shortcomings and areas needing improvement, and I absolutely appreciated his desire and willingness to "do better" whenever and wherever he could. He showed a lot of humility, and I respect that. On the one hand, I want to say that this book is such a success because McCarthy is uniquely humble, dedicated, intuitive, and insightful. On the other hand, I really want to believe that most doctors are like this--because, if they were, I think we'd all be in very good hands.
May 12, 2016
This book reads like a novel and takes the reader through the author's experiences of his first year as a medical intern. I've never liked working with residents, interns, or medical students precisely because of the types of experiences talked about in this book. It was scary, yet often humorous to read about different cases and patients this intern encountered, and reminded me of all of my experiences as the mother of the patient, trying to explain things to a young intern or resident. As this author points out, they really don't know what they are doing!
My favorite doctors are the ones that admit that they have never heard of Aicardi Syndrome and ask me to teach them about it. On the other hand, we've had doctors pretend that they know about my daughter's condition and reference false information. Not good. So it was interesting to read this book and see the viewpoint of the young intern and gain insights into their learning experiences. Many of the stories were touching, and I wanted to cheer for the young doctor as he finished his internship feeling confidant and capable. A warning however, this young intern is understandably under a lot of stress, so he does use quite a bit of strong language. But it was an interesting book to me, especially as the daughter of a doctor, and as the mother of a special needs child who spends a lot of time in hospitals and dealing with interns and residents.
My favorite doctors are the ones that admit that they have never heard of Aicardi Syndrome and ask me to teach them about it. On the other hand, we've had doctors pretend that they know about my daughter's condition and reference false information. Not good. So it was interesting to read this book and see the viewpoint of the young intern and gain insights into their learning experiences. Many of the stories were touching, and I wanted to cheer for the young doctor as he finished his internship feeling confidant and capable. A warning however, this young intern is understandably under a lot of stress, so he does use quite a bit of strong language. But it was an interesting book to me, especially as the daughter of a doctor, and as the mother of a special needs child who spends a lot of time in hospitals and dealing with interns and residents.
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