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Trust Me, I'm a (Junior) Doctor
In the vein of the best 'blog books' - the real life story of a hapless junior doctor, based on his columns written anonymously for the Telegraph.
If you're going to be ill, it's best to avoid the first Wednesday in August. This is the day when junior doctors graduate to their first placements and begin to face having to put into practice what they have spent the last six years learning. Starting on the evening before he begins work as a doctor, this book charts Max Pembertons touching and funny journey through his first year in the NHS. Progressing from youthful idealism to frank bewilderment, Max realises how little his job is about saving people and how much of his time is taken up by signing forms and trying to figure out all the important things no one has explained yet. For example, the crucial question of how to tell whether someone is dead or not. Along the way, Max and his fellow fledgling doctors grapple with the complicated questions of life, love, mental health and how on earth to make time to do your laundry All Creatures Great And Small meets Bridget Jones's Diary, in this humorous and accessible peek into a world which normally requires a medical degree, a scratch golf handicap and ward-clearing halitosis.
If you're going to be ill, it's best to avoid the first Wednesday in August. This is the day when junior doctors graduate to their first placements and begin to face having to put into practice what they have spent the last six years learning. Starting on the evening before he begins work as a doctor, this book charts Max Pembertons touching and funny journey through his first year in the NHS. Progressing from youthful idealism to frank bewilderment, Max realises how little his job is about saving people and how much of his time is taken up by signing forms and trying to figure out all the important things no one has explained yet. For example, the crucial question of how to tell whether someone is dead or not. Along the way, Max and his fellow fledgling doctors grapple with the complicated questions of life, love, mental health and how on earth to make time to do your laundry All Creatures Great And Small meets Bridget Jones's Diary, in this humorous and accessible peek into a world which normally requires a medical degree, a scratch golf handicap and ward-clearing halitosis.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
360 people are currently reading
4136 people want to read
About the author
Max Pemberton
32 books14 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Max^Pemberton
Max Pemberton is a British medical doctor, journalist and author. He works full-time as a psychiatrist in the National Health Service (NHS). He is a weekly columnist for the Daily Mail, writing comment on news events concerning culture, social and ethical issues, the politics of health care and the NHS Before his move to the Daily Mail, he was a columnist for the Daily Telegraph. He also writes a monthly column for Reader’s Digest and is a regular contributor to The Spectator. He is the editor of Spectator Health, a quarterly supplement from The Spectator.
Max^Pemberton
Max Pemberton is a British medical doctor, journalist and author. He works full-time as a psychiatrist in the National Health Service (NHS). He is a weekly columnist for the Daily Mail, writing comment on news events concerning culture, social and ethical issues, the politics of health care and the NHS Before his move to the Daily Mail, he was a columnist for the Daily Telegraph. He also writes a monthly column for Reader’s Digest and is a regular contributor to The Spectator. He is the editor of Spectator Health, a quarterly supplement from The Spectator.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews
June 15, 2020
Doctors and nurses are truly amazing. Review coming soon
May 6, 2015
There are so many just-qualified, first-time-in-A&E memoirs out there, that to stand out the book has to be really different from the rest of the genre. And this one isn't.
Its enjoyable enough to read, but I've read so many, and this one has no insights unusual anecdotes to relate. I do wonder whether the author remained a doctor or went into writing full-time though, since he wasn't exactly sold on medicine.
Its enjoyable enough to read, but I've read so many, and this one has no insights unusual anecdotes to relate. I do wonder whether the author remained a doctor or went into writing full-time though, since he wasn't exactly sold on medicine.
August 15, 2019
This would be between a 4 and a 4.5 for me.
I love medical memoirs. The NHS is something which I love and have a strong interest in and I really enjoy books like this which give you a deep and meaningful insight in to the wonderful and crazy life that is the NHS.
It had just the right balance of humour and emotion and I struggled putting it down once I’d picked it up. There are two more books in this series and I can’t wait to read them.
I love medical memoirs. The NHS is something which I love and have a strong interest in and I really enjoy books like this which give you a deep and meaningful insight in to the wonderful and crazy life that is the NHS.
It had just the right balance of humour and emotion and I struggled putting it down once I’d picked it up. There are two more books in this series and I can’t wait to read them.
August 23, 2020
Readable but I’m biased as read Adam Kays book and thought it was much funnier - sorry Max!
March 2, 2021
A very honest, real and eye opening account of the life of a junior doctor.
Parts of this book were really funny. I think I have a very similar humor to Max, so some of the stories in this book made me chuckle a lot.
There were also some very sad and sobering stories which were difficult to read. However, I think the balance was just right.
This book was very easy to read and follow.
I also loved getting to know Max's fellow junior doctors and their experiences. You get a very detailed insight into the incredible work they do everyday.
I didn't realise when buying this book that it was written in 2007, meaning some of the details about the structure of the NHS has changed a lot since publication.
Overall, a very honest, funny and eye opening account into the life of a junior doctor. Highly recommend.
TW: real life accounts of death, injury, disease, suicide references, domestic violence and mental illness
Parts of this book were really funny. I think I have a very similar humor to Max, so some of the stories in this book made me chuckle a lot.
There were also some very sad and sobering stories which were difficult to read. However, I think the balance was just right.
This book was very easy to read and follow.
I also loved getting to know Max's fellow junior doctors and their experiences. You get a very detailed insight into the incredible work they do everyday.
I didn't realise when buying this book that it was written in 2007, meaning some of the details about the structure of the NHS has changed a lot since publication.
Overall, a very honest, funny and eye opening account into the life of a junior doctor. Highly recommend.
TW: real life accounts of death, injury, disease, suicide references, domestic violence and mental illness
April 6, 2021
A very easy read, sort of scary because although it’s not 100% autobiographical it’s all based on his years as a junior doctor and it’s scary to see what we’re going to have to do, I enjoyed it though made me laugh
May 5, 2012
Published in 2008, this is Max Pemberton's account of his first year as a doctor, working as a Junior Doctor in a large hospital. He had a regular newspaper column during that time, and this book is taken from that.
This account is so funny in places that I spluttered and snorted on more than one occasion, but the strange thing is that although it really is funny, it shouldn't be. I know that things in the NHS and the conditions for Junior Doctors have changed in the years since this book was written, and that's only a good thing, but reading through this diary made me feel sad, and angry at times. After six years at medical school, newly qualified Doctors were thrust onto the wards of hospitals, and onto unsuspecting patients and expected to be able to do everything. Putting up with snotty Consultants, over-worked and jaded nurses and surviving on very little sleep, it's a wonder that the NHS have any Doctors left at the end of their first year.
Throughout this book, Max Pemberton's compassion for people shines through, the little things that he did for patients were probably appreciated the most and despite his exhaustion, he continued to care.
I've had a fair bit of experience of the NHS over the past 25 years, both as a patient and as an employee and I think I've met alot of the people in this book! Well, certainly a lot of people who were very similar. I've seen the obnoxious Consultant who swept onto the ward a couple of times a week, who humiliated the junior doctors and spoke to me (the patient) as if I were stupid. I've seen the Junior Doctor who used to try and get 10 minutes sleep in the sluice room at the back of the ward. I've also seen the care and compassion of staff - nurses and doctors alike.
I really enjoyed this read and look forward to reading Max Pemberton's other books.
June 7, 2009
I brought this book for my little sister who is doing her damn best to get the A2 marks to be able to train as a doctor. (And don’t ask what field. She wants to get into the school before she has to worry about that).
She seemed to enjoy it and it ended up in the car as a “stakeout” book. I would page through as I waited for people to get in the car.
By mad chance I read three quarters of it in a hospital as I helped my mother take my grandfather to an appointment.
I do enjoy these kinds of books where you can see people’s feelings on what is a hard and sometimes unrewarding job. Because it’s true. You WILL kill someone eventually.
Although I have to say I found the saga of the “Ash Cash” unbelievable as I was reading it and thought “This is unlikely…BASED on true facts. That explains a lot.”
And funnily enough this book was the one that convinced me to finally start to write a journal. I too want to have a Radio Four Book of the Week.
I like to think I have a bit of an understanding of the massive task my sis has taken on her tiny shoulders.
Bless.
She seemed to enjoy it and it ended up in the car as a “stakeout” book. I would page through as I waited for people to get in the car.
By mad chance I read three quarters of it in a hospital as I helped my mother take my grandfather to an appointment.
I do enjoy these kinds of books where you can see people’s feelings on what is a hard and sometimes unrewarding job. Because it’s true. You WILL kill someone eventually.
Although I have to say I found the saga of the “Ash Cash” unbelievable as I was reading it and thought “This is unlikely…BASED on true facts. That explains a lot.”
And funnily enough this book was the one that convinced me to finally start to write a journal. I too want to have a Radio Four Book of the Week.
I like to think I have a bit of an understanding of the massive task my sis has taken on her tiny shoulders.
Bless.
May 20, 2023
Found this one a little middle of the road. It's definitely illuminating about the state of the NHS (though pretty bleak) and the trials that junior doctors have to endure. There are a lot of hard hitting stories and informative stuff for us non medical folks out there, and some genuinely funny moments. The author seems to have a pretty dry and sometimes dark sense of humour, which I liked but wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea.
Overall the book was alright, but we didn't see much development in the 'characters', so to speak, and much of it read like an impassioned political speech imploring the readers to change the conditions of the NHS - almost like a political agenda rather than a humourous and enlightening autobiography.
It's ok.
Overall the book was alright, but we didn't see much development in the 'characters', so to speak, and much of it read like an impassioned political speech imploring the readers to change the conditions of the NHS - almost like a political agenda rather than a humourous and enlightening autobiography.
It's ok.
November 18, 2020
Beautiful, wonderful, funny and sad. I love reading about the inner workings of the NHS, and this book was no exception. It gives me an insight into the job I hope to do in the future.
January 14, 2023
A book full of medical anecdotes as we follow a junior doctor in his first year in a hospital. Some of the stories are funny; some matter of fact and some are heartbreaking. This book was written over 15 years ago and yet there are lots of familiar topics….bed blocking; too many patients in A&E; paying for hospital parking; not enough doctors; targets that make things more difficult and not necessarily better. It seems that not much has changed, but makes you realise that we should all be very grateful for the NHS.
February 13, 2022
very enjoyable read made being a junior doctor sound like absolute hell. best way of putting it is an interesting set of diary entries. i recommend.
August 6, 2018
Absolutely brilliant, that may sound bizarre to say that about a book based in a hospital but as someone who is in hospital alot due to chronic pain it's nice to read about the people behind the doctors uniform. They are so busy rushing around sometimes as a patient you barely learn your doctors name.
This was insightful and I hope to see more of these books around. The blood sweat and tea series was brilliant and I'd hoped this would be of the same standard even though it was by a different author as that was part of what influenced me to try this. Although I'm surprised max and Ruby didn't become a couple
This was insightful and I hope to see more of these books around. The blood sweat and tea series was brilliant and I'd hoped this would be of the same standard even though it was by a different author as that was part of what influenced me to try this. Although I'm surprised max and Ruby didn't become a couple
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2025
(First time reading I gave 5 stars)
3.5 the second time reading.
It was good to read and enjoyed hearing about the patients and honestly of the authors struggles during his first year as a junior doctor.
3.5 the second time reading.
It was good to read and enjoyed hearing about the patients and honestly of the authors struggles during his first year as a junior doctor.
February 7, 2023
Okay book ..
February 1, 2024
3.5 stars.
I certainly recommend this book for anyone considering entering the medical profession or medical students. Although it’s based on a doctor’s experience within the NHS, the roller coaster ride of emotions and emergencies applies to junior drs everywhere.
The v beginning sees him totally flabbergasted by the paperwork n feeling v ignorant of simple procedures but as in any job, the learning curve is v steep. And it’s a sink or swim situation. One learns to makes friends and ask for help.
Pemberton makes a valid point about the value of nurses in assisting junior doctors and advises humility when dealing with them. This is solid advice which is often forgotten as one climbs up the ladder, and one hears of consultants being obnoxious towards nursing staff.
He also addresses the changes within NHS which is now moving away from nursing care and patients’ welfare towards achieving targets and increasing paperwork.
I certainly recommend this book for anyone considering entering the medical profession or medical students. Although it’s based on a doctor’s experience within the NHS, the roller coaster ride of emotions and emergencies applies to junior drs everywhere.
The v beginning sees him totally flabbergasted by the paperwork n feeling v ignorant of simple procedures but as in any job, the learning curve is v steep. And it’s a sink or swim situation. One learns to makes friends and ask for help.
Pemberton makes a valid point about the value of nurses in assisting junior doctors and advises humility when dealing with them. This is solid advice which is often forgotten as one climbs up the ladder, and one hears of consultants being obnoxious towards nursing staff.
He also addresses the changes within NHS which is now moving away from nursing care and patients’ welfare towards achieving targets and increasing paperwork.
July 14, 2019
3.5/5.0
In this book Max narrates his experiences as a junior doctor, a just off-the-box new doctor, in the NHS in England. I'm also a brand new doctor myself, and I've experienced in the last six months what is to become a part of an hospital for the first time.
I could really see myself in Max's views of the world and opinions. When we're let out of medical school we know a lot about a serires of diseases we will never encounter in our lives, but we know next to nothing about the pratical aspects of it; in my first day in A&E, in January, I didn't even know how to operate the computer system, or where anything was. It's scary, and Max puts perfectly into words what it's like, the highs and the lows of it all.
It's a funny book, I like his sense of humor, and a very quick read.
In this book Max narrates his experiences as a junior doctor, a just off-the-box new doctor, in the NHS in England. I'm also a brand new doctor myself, and I've experienced in the last six months what is to become a part of an hospital for the first time.
I could really see myself in Max's views of the world and opinions. When we're let out of medical school we know a lot about a serires of diseases we will never encounter in our lives, but we know next to nothing about the pratical aspects of it; in my first day in A&E, in January, I didn't even know how to operate the computer system, or where anything was. It's scary, and Max puts perfectly into words what it's like, the highs and the lows of it all.
It's a funny book, I like his sense of humor, and a very quick read.
April 13, 2023
On the back of the edition I read is a quote from Boris Johnson. It reads ‘painfully funny’. I am not quite sure what he means. The book has a few funny stories but on the whole this is a serious book about the life of a junior doctor working in a rapidly declining NHS.
Given that the book was written in 2007 and I am reading it in 2023, it is interesting to see how Max saw how the NHS was being underfunded even back then. At that time we had a Labour government and the the NHS had a good rating. Since then however we have had a Conservative government and funding has been reduced. As I write this review our junior doctors are out on strike having had below inflation pay increases since 2010.
None of us know what the outcome will be, I hope that our government sees sense and pays our doctors what they deserve.
How would I describe this book? Painfully funny.
Given that the book was written in 2007 and I am reading it in 2023, it is interesting to see how Max saw how the NHS was being underfunded even back then. At that time we had a Labour government and the the NHS had a good rating. Since then however we have had a Conservative government and funding has been reduced. As I write this review our junior doctors are out on strike having had below inflation pay increases since 2010.
None of us know what the outcome will be, I hope that our government sees sense and pays our doctors what they deserve.
How would I describe this book? Painfully funny.
November 10, 2023
I always enjoy reading stories about people's time in medicine.
Having said that, this wasn't as engaging as some of the other memoirs/recounts I've read. Additionally, and this is being quite nit-picky, the language used at the start of each day was a bit jarring. It was normally a half sentence, which didn't make sense as the rest of the section was in full sentences.
Having said that, this wasn't as engaging as some of the other memoirs/recounts I've read. Additionally, and this is being quite nit-picky, the language used at the start of each day was a bit jarring. It was normally a half sentence, which didn't make sense as the rest of the section was in full sentences.
March 22, 2024
this was really good - exactly the same style, humour and type of content as the adam kay books, but written earlier than them I believe? which makes it even more depressing how little things have changed for the better in the NHS in the interim years...
I picked it up for £2 from a second hand sale and raced through it, no regrets
I picked it up for £2 from a second hand sale and raced through it, no regrets
August 20, 2018
I downloaded this book by accident looking for This Is Going To Hurt and I'm really glad I did. Read both of them back to back and enjoyed them both.
November 9, 2021
It wasn’t BAD but it wasn’t good
August 20, 2022
Hahaha far too accurate - huge flashbacks of being a baby doctor 😅
July 15, 2023
Gave me a good insight into the life of a junior doctor in the NHS, although systems have changed since then.
June 28, 2024
Humorous and uplifting whilst also being honest about how being a doctor is being responsible for everyone else whilst not having time or opportunity to look after yourself.
Great read.
Great read.
October 19, 2025
An interesting read. Similar to Adam Kay’s writing but not quite so humorous. 3.5 stars.
May 6, 2023
Very whiney. Didn't like it. Maybe it was not up my alley, given that it has 4 stars. But I stopped reading it halfway.
May 18, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. The author describes this book as both fiction and an autobiography which means that he has changed some parts of his story to keep the details of his patients and friends private. I really liked how this book was divided into months of the year, as well as days within the months, which gave it a journal feel. I learnt a lot about the NHS in this book, as well as the pressures that are put on junior doctors when they have just graduated out of medical school
December 18, 2018
Truly one of the best books I've ever read!
January 1, 2025
Brilliant 🌟
Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews