Committed: Dispatches from a Psychiatrist in Training

by Adam Stern

Grey’s Anatomy meets One L in this psychiatrist’s charming and poignant memoir about his residency at Harvard.
Adam Stern was a student at a state medical school before being selected to train as a psychiatry resident at one of the most prestigious programs in the country. His new and initially intimidating classmates were high achievers from the Ivy League and other elite universities around the nation. Faculty raved about the group as though the residency program had won the lottery, nicknaming them “The Golden Class,” but would Stern ever prove that he belonged?
In his memoir, Stern pulls back the curtain on the intense and emotionally challenging lessons he and his fellow doctors learned while studying the human condition, and ultimately, the value of connection. The narrative focuses on these residents, their growth as doctors, and the life choices they make as they try to survive their grueling four-year residency. Rich with drama, insight, and emotion, Stern shares engrossing stories of life on the psychiatric wards, as well as the group’s experiences as they grapple with impostor syndrome and learn about love and loss. Most importantly, as they study how to help distressed patients in search of a better life, they discover the meaning of failure and the preciousness of success.
Stern’s growth as a doctor, and as a man, have readers rooting for him and his patients, and ultimately find their own hearts fuller for having taken this journey with him.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Psychology, Medical, Medicine, Science, Mental Health

325 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 13, 2021

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had surgery on one of my eyes last week, and waiting for it I only had this book with me so I read it, if I had another I would probably have dnf'd this one. It wasn't that bad a book, but it wasn't the book the title and blurb described. It was over 50% about the author's love life - whole chapters devoted to it - and bonding with his fellow psychiatric trainees over meals, vacations to Mexico and something called a 'Feelings' class. If the book had been entitled 'The lives and loves of a trainee psychiatrist" it would have been more accurate. And I wouldn't have bought it.

The case stories were very sketchy only one or two people described enough so I could imagine them and not well. I really liked the style of Irvin D. Yalom and the neurologists Harold Klawans and Oliver Sacks - the way they described their patients as people who had disorders centred in the mind or brain, rather than just the cases and a bit about the person. The most important parts of the book to the author seemed to be his love life and interaction with his fellow doctors.

The ending of the book was extremely disconcerting. It was quite a long passage on the suicide of one of his fellow doctors. But at no point in the book had she been even mentioned. There was no reason for the suicide given, but she was eulogised. We can all say, 'there but for the grace of God go I", but there was no context for this story or at least one I could discern.

GR says that 2 stars is 'I liked it', so I will give it 2.5 stars, but not rounded up as although there were parts I enjoyed, the love story, copied text conversations and the ending were not part of them.
____________________

Notes on Reading Both the title and the blurb of the book led me to believe I was going to be reading primarily about a doctor training as a psychiatrist. Neither of them indicate that at least half of the book is devoted to his personal relationships. I find the endless discussion of him and his ex and the two women in his life and his text conversations very boring.

Rachel: what do you want to do
me: i would like to drink and am otherwise fairly flexible
me: food/movie/bar/be outside—​any of those would work for me
Rachel: i am starting to get hungry
me: what about that sushi place—​Kyufuga?
Rachel: eh
Rachel: it’s expensive
Rachel: and not really THAT good
me: are you in the mood for anything in particular?
Rachel: idk
Rachel: will you eat pho
me: what is that
Rachel: it’s kind of like a soup
Rachel: with noodles and chicken or beef
me: yeah, i eat that
me: where do you get it?
Rachel: at a place that sells pho
Rachel: there is one near my house
me: okay
me: do you want to tell me where it is and meet me there or should I come to your house
Rachel: just come here
Rachel: idk if there is parking over there
Rachel: meters are free after 8
me: ok, come nowish?
Rachel: yeah

His relationships with his fellow psychiatric trainees bonding over meals out and Mexican vacations aren't any more interesting.

The case studies are interesting, but although the author says he is interested in the person, it doesn't come across in the writing. Perhaps I have been spoiled by Irving Yalom and Oliver Sacks et al, who think of the patient as a person first who has a disordered mind, rather than this patient has a disorder and here's a bit about them.

I am getting the strong feeling (but not necessarily the correct one) that this book is not only being compared to "House" (tv) in the citations, but was written to be made into a tv show. "Why don't you write about your life as a trainee psychiatrist, include lots about your cohort and your shared problems and how you bond over meals and go on vacations together. And don't forget to include love interest. It should be a bit dramatic. If the book flies, there's going to be no problem getting it sold for a show!" Sort of combination House and Friends.

So there has been a lot I've skimmed. I'm just not interested in the girlfriend bit and the long copy and pasted whatsapp conversations are ridiculous. Maybe it will improve? Hopefully.

[podczytany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Czasami za dużo prywaty, ale… rel, czuję, że rozumiem co mógł czuć w wielu aspektach.

Ocena: 4,0.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this book, I knew right away I wanted to read it. It’s a memoir of the author’s 4-year psychiatry residency at Harvard Medical School. I have always been interested in psychiatry, though I’ve never had the desire to practice it. My specialty was internal medicine with a subspecialty in infectious diseases. But still, I love reading books with psychiatric/mental health topics--the workings of the mind and how to repair those components when things go awry. Three of my favorite books that I’ve read in the last 2-3 years are Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, Good Morning, Monster: A Therapist Shares Five Heroic Stories of Emotional Recovery, and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed. So when I saw this one on the Libby App, I grabbed it and read it in 3 days (fast for me).

We take the journey with Adam from when he is an insecure medical school graduate sure that Harvard has accepted him into their psychiatric residency program by mistake to a competent and compassionate psychiatrist who lands a job in the Harvard community postgraduation. I was captivated by his training experiences in the hospital ward with the sickest patients, the emergency room, and in the office setting. Adam peppers his book with stories of patients who made a deep impression on him—those he helped and those he couldn’t. He lets us in on his feelings of inadequacy that led him to seek therapy himself. He shares with us his efforts to make difficult decisions, the bonds he has made with his residency mates and mentors, his failures and his successes. He opens himself up to describe his feelings of loneliness and his desire to find someone to share his life with. Adam’s story enthralled me from the get-go.

At the end of the book is a touching memoriam to a fellow physician and also acknowledgements that get your attention. For more information on the latter, you can google Adam Stern MD.

I was inspired by Adam’s book and enthusiastically recommend it to all interested in medical memoirs.

[Meike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stern's memoir is a breezy read, telling the story of how he managed to get accepted as a psychiatrist in training at a hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School and what he experienced during his time as a trainee. At first, the young doctor feels intimidated and lonely in this new environment, and like most people starting complex jobs after a long and expensive stretch of highly theoretical training gets overwhelmed by the reality of his profession - so yes, the blurb doesn't lie when it connects the book to TV shows like "Grey's Anatomy", but the fact that Stern and his peers deal with mental disorders gives the genre a new, interesting twist.

Unsurprisingly, Stern finds comraderie and grapples with his self-image until he gains confidence and yes, there's a woman, yada yada yada. The whole love story, while apparently true, reads like the woman involved needs help herself, which I doubt was Stern's intention, and the last remarks about the suicide of another medical trainee who hasn't featured in the text once until then didn't sit well with me. Oh, and of course the whole thing will be turned into some kind of show, movie, web show...not that is has been announced already, but the book and its marketing are one major pitch.

But make no mistake, this text, while not the height of literary writing, reflects that its author is interesting and intelligent, and I had a good time reading it and pondering what it means to work in this field of medicine. Stern reveals how he struggles with the fact that psychiatry is no exact science, with the realization that he can't help everybody, and with the related feeling of not being good enough, and it reads like an honest and realistic account. So if you're interested in the profession, this is recommended reading.

[Zaczytana.Querida Maja Wiktorowicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Siadam na niewygodnym fotelu i wbijam wzrok we własne, zmarznięte dłonie. Zaczynam bawić się pierścionkiem. Tym z dużym, różowym oczkiem. Obserwuję, jak swobodnie kręci się wokół kości. Lekarz przegląda papiery, a potem patrzy na mnie, czuję na sobie jego wzrok. „Pewnie myśli, że jestem za gruba, żeby tu być”, przemyka mi przez głowę. Jeszcze na niego nie spojrzałam. Nie mam odwagi. Po sekundach trwających wieczność w końcu się odzywa:
- Co Cię do mnie sprowadza, Maju?
Zerkam na komputer, teczkę, ramę okna i znowu na splecione palce.
- Skierowanie - mówię, bo nie wiem, co innego miałabym powiedzieć. Psychiatra się uśmiecha.
- Bystra z Ciebie dziewczyna - zaczyna, a ja pierwszy raz patrzę mu prosto w oczy.

▪️ „Z pamiętnika początkującego psychiatry” - Adam Stern ▪️

Są książki, które potrafią przywołać wspomnienia zostawione długie lata temu za niewidzialnymi drzwiami z karteczką „nie wchodzić”. Taką książką okazał się właśnie ten pamiętnik. Z niebywałą lekkością zdjął wszystkie kłódki, otworzył zamki i wepchnął mnie w sam środek lat 2013 - 2015. Pierwszym wspomnieniem, które złapałam w dłonie, stojąc za zakazanymi drzwiami, było właśnie to przywołane we wstępie. A jeśli już jesteśmy przy skierowaniach… po przeczytaniu tej książki mam ochotę wypisać Wam jedno o teści:
„Skierowanie na (od)dział literatury faktu w celu zakupu „Z pamiętnika początkującego psychiatry”. W trybie pilnym.”

Historia Adama Sterna to coś więcej niż opis pracy psychiatry. Coś więcej niż „przypadki”. Coś więcej niż książka, która wzrusza. Przeczytałam takich wiele. Wspomnienia lekarzy, pielęgniarek, ratowników medycznych. Historie z izolatek, bloków operacyjnych i pędzących karetek. Żadna nie może równać się z tą tutaj. Żadna historia nie była taka i mam wrażenie, że żadna już taka nie będzie. W moim osobistym rankingu to ta zajmuje najwyższe miejsce. Może dlatego, że i Adam zajął specjalne miejsce w moim sercu. Jako człowiek.

Podczas czytania miałam dwa razy ciarki na skórze i łzy w oczach. Gdy trzymałam za rękę Jane i gdy uśmiechałam się do Charliego. Chciałabym im z tego miejsca powiedzieć: Ktoś zawsze będzie o Was pamiętać. Tym kimś będę ja.

Wracam za zakazane drzwi. Przemierzam ponure gabinety, słucham diagnoz i wyciągam na wierzch kolejne wspomnienia. Niektóre wydają mi się bardzo śmieszne, niektóre nieprawdopodobne, a inne tylko smutne. Myślę o tym fragmencie książki:
„- Dostałem listę nowych pacjentów i… i to wszystko ludzie, którymi już się tu zajmowałem.
- No i?
- No i kiedy ich wypisywałem, byli w dobrym stanie. Trochę się zdziwiłem, że wrócili.
- Młody, oni zawsze wracają.”
Myślę o powrotach. Doktor Adrian, do którego sprowadziło mnie skierowanie, pracował w Klinice Psychiatrii Młodzieżowej w Łodzi. CKD… po kilku latach wróciłam w to miejsce, jako studentka Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Łodzi. Spędziłam tam trzy lata i za każdym razem myślałam o tamtym pierwszym razie, gdy przyjechałam tutaj jako pacjentka. Gdy, chyba tylko cudem, nie zostałam w szpitalu. „Wygrałam”, rozpuszczam to słowo w ustach.
Z tym skierowaniem wiąże się jeszcze jeden powrót. Ktoś przecież musiał je wypisać. Wypisała je pewna psychiatrka. Widziała mnie ostatnio w 2014 roku. 42 kg, brak miesiączki, wstrzymany rozwój i praca jajników. Usiadłam niedawno naprzeciwko niej i zastanawiałam się, czy pamięta. Jeśli nie, to na pewno przeczytała wszystko w starej karcie. Zaczęłam mówić:
- Trzy miesiące temu urodziłam dziecko… - i chociaż głos mi się załamał i nigdy nie chciałam czuć tego, co czułam w tamtej chwili, pomyślałam znowu: „wygrałam”. Jestem tutaj, bo urodziłam. Bo mogłam zajść w ciążę. Bo ktoś kiedyś wypisał skierowanie. I wiem, że znowu wygram. Dla mojej córki.

„Oni zawsze wracają” - tłucze mi się w głowie.
Nie chcę.
Nie chcę już nigdy wracać.

_
Gorąco zachęcam do lektury tej pięknej książki!
Zaczytana Querida

[Olive Fellows (abookolive) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The way that the early seasons of Grey's Anatomy had a chokehold on me back when I was in high school (I watched the pilot the night it premiered... I'm that old 💀), it's no surprise that I loved the "group of residents becoming family" aspect of this memoir. That being said, the text message conversations added nothing and the author's approach/writing style was rather clinical.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very disappointed in this book. I was hoping for insight into what it is like to be a psychiatrist and lots of interesting stories about patients. Instead this book focused on how busy the author was during his residency, and his dating struggles. Pages were filled with transcripts of text message conversations between the author and his fellow female residents and later his girlfriend about topics as benign as which apartment the body butter was at.

I also had a hard time relating to the author. He several times states in the same sentence that he went into medicine because he had a desire to help people and because of the high salary physicans make, which is honest but a bit offputting. He also states that he comes from a family of physicians: his father is a physician, and his brother is also in medical school. Although the family he was born into is of course not his fault, it is difficult to relate to a person whose biggest insecurity when starting a residency at Harvard is that they went to med school at a public university. There are other memoirs about residency and psychiatry that are much more engaging and insightful.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love medical memoirs and COMMITTED is a gem. It chronicles the author’s impactful four-year psychiatry residency. He’s a kind man, willing to share his humanity as he strives to become an excellent shrink while becoming a better man. We follow the vivid stories of his training, his relationships with other stressed colleagues, and poignant insights into patients. His writing is superb and we’re left feeling blessed to know him.

Sad note: Dr. Stern was diagnosed at 33 with a virulent form of kidney cancer, now incurable. He’s currently a psychiatrist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and writes frequently about his experiences online and in print. May this wonderful man beat this thing so many others can benefit from his grace and healing!

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 13 Jul 2021

Thanks to the author, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#Committed #NetGalley

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty interesting look at the troubles and experiences of a doctor in training, I found the encounters with the patients genuinely affecting. But then there is a bit too much about the author's love life, to my taste - I get it, the whole life of a doctor in training is chaotic, and the private and professional intertwine, I just wasn't that interested in that aspect.

(Thanks to Mariner Books for providing me with a review copy through NetGalley)

[teach_book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jedna z lepszych książek, napisanych przez medyka, którą rekomenduję!

Lekko, niewymagająco, szczerze.

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Patients are people. We are people. Be a person with your patients, and you are already halfway there.”

Committed provides an overview of what it’s like to be a resident psychiatrist, from imposter syndrome to applying textbook knowledge to patients’ lives. Dr Stern was one of 15 residents in “The Golden Class” at Harvard Medical School, the “highest ranked class in the history of the program”. In this book, he explores the highs and lows of these four years in three Parts (years three and four are combined).

There was a greater focus on the other members of the class than I had expected. I loved Feelings class, where the residents were able to bond, process the emotions they experienced as interns and learn to “never worry alone”. I also hadn’t anticipated the amount of time dedicated to Dr Stern’s dating experiences during his internship. It was probably because of her name but it started to feel like I was in an episode of Friends when Dr Stern was figuring out if he should ever kiss Rachel. I did eventually get sucked into the ‘will they or won’t they?’ though.

“Always find out about the people behind your diagnoses. That’s the most important part of this whole deal.”

I enjoyed Dr Stern’s writing style and would be interested in reading about patients he treated after his time as an intern. I felt I got to know Jane reasonably well and loved her, although I’m not sure if it was because of or despite her constantly challenging Dr Stern.

When I read Lori Gottlieb’s Maybe You Should Talk to Someone I couldn’t help becoming emotionally invested in the lives of her patients. While I was interested in Dr Stern’s other patients’ stories, I didn’t become invested in most of them. Much of this could be put down to the transitory nature of residency; oftentimes Dr Stern would be introduced to a patient, start to treat them and then move on to a new rotation, not knowing how the patient fared over the long term himself.

Content warnings include bullying, child abuse, death by suicide, eating disorders and mental health.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity to read this book.

Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com

[Rhiannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

My library shelved this in the 600s for information on psychiatry, but this clearly should’ve been shelved in biography because this was just a long winded account of a dude who happened to go to school for psychiatry and desperately pined over getting a date until his wife begrudgingly agreed to marry him. I thought I’d get deep dives into specific cases a la Oliver Sacks or something but there was way more text about the author’s love life or lack of it, and if a book is going to be heavy on pining or romance the writing should actually make me feel something.

[Mediaman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Simple-minded overview of a psychiatric resident’s four years at Harvard. It hits all the stereotypical notes regarding mentally ill people and the unstable professionals that treat them. The book certainly makes me trust psychiatrists even less than I already do since it seems like they consider drugs the solution to everything, their verbal therapy is intentionally vague with no suggestions given that could enact change, and they have such a low success rate. As the author says during his final year of residency, he feels like he still doesn't know what he's doing and in truth most don't until they retire.

There is a side story where he falls in love with a resident that's a year older but they refuse to tell anyone else they're dating until after they're engaged and she leaves for her first job. Along with their whole hidden logic sounding crazy the author includes back and forth text or email messages between the two of them that stop the book dead in its tracks. It's incredibly boring and has nothing to do with the main topic. As a matter of fact there's very little actual successful psychiatry in this book.

Through it all Stern manages to overpraise himself constantly. Dozens of times he mentions compliments he gets from patients, colleagues, and other residents--it gets to be ridiculous when he has to tell us he had the top score in his class when he graduated. Sorry Adam Stern but that means nothing when it comes to treating patients or being good as a doctor.

There really is very little to this and the only people who should read it are those who plan on going into the profession. It may scare them away from the career because you discover that psychiatrists that think they can seriously help others are the ones who need to be committed.

[rach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


Committed: Dispatches from a Psychiatrist in Training is Dr. Adam Stern’s memoir about his residency at Harvard. Coming from a family where his father is a doctor, Adam always knew that was his path in life. While he did not get into a prestigious medical school, he was picked for one of the most elite medical programs in the country for residency. Dr. Stern struggles with feeling as if he does not belong, especially since all of his classmates came from the Ivy League and other elite medical schools. What if I’m a fluke?


Through his four year residency, Stern learns a lot of important lessons while trying to prove to himself he is not an imposter. The story focuses on the real problems Adam and each of his fellow residents face while on the road to becoming doctors.


While Adam focuses on the emotional side of things and the problems faced, there is a ton of stories in here too. From dealing with patients who were forcefully committed, to those in the Emergency Room, and eventually those seeking outpatient care— this book has it all. Not only does this focus on his experiences at the hospital, but there’s a sprinkle of his love life throughout the story.

I found this book to be very intriguing and I loved how the medical jargon was explained easily for one to follow. I tended to skip over some prescription names, but overall I was never confused as to what was going on. The story focuses on Dr. Stern’s experiences and how he dealt with them, which I found fascinating. He faces real issues and I love how he was even willing to talk about the stigma of Psychiatrists seeking therapy of their own when needed. Adam goes through some tough times, but along the way he finds love— not only with another person, but with his career.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone who likes medical drama shows, who wants to learn more about the experience of medical residency, or who just wants a well told story!

[Czyta_bo_lubi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Opinia mojej Lubej:

Nigdy nie martw się sam.

To hasło pojawia się na początku i towarzyszy nam do końca książki. I to chyba jedyna mądrość, którą można z niej wynieść.

„Pamiętnik” jest dosłownie pamiętnikiem. W większości przypadków wychodzi to książce na plus, tym razem jednak autor troszeczkę za daleko odpłynął. Jeśli ktoś szuka psychologicznych smaczków, trochę życia zza kulis, ciekawych zdiagnozowanych przypadków i skomplikowanych rozterek moralnych, to trochę się rozczaruje. Autor głównie skupia się na sobie, swoim życiu prywatnym i jak to jest ciężko mieć nocny dyżur, a rano zajęcia.

Coś, co lubię najbardziej w tego typu książkach, czyli historie pacjentów, potraktowane zostały zdawkowo. Bliżej poznaliśmy zaledwie kilka przypadków, m.in. dziewczynę chorą na anoreksję czy ChAD. Zabrakło mi choćby krótkiego opisu poszczególnych chorób. Sama interesuję się psychologią, mniej więcej orientuję się na czym polegają wymieniane dolegliwości, jednak na pewno są ludzie, którzy mają po raz pierwszy styczność z tym tematem. W takim przypadku będą musieli szukać informacji na własną rękę, bo w tej książce tego nie ma.

Mimo bardzo małej dawki wiedzy książkę czyta się po prostu lekko i przyjemnie. Trochę jak prozę. Mamy więc ogrom wewnętrznych rozterek Adama, czy podoła? Czy na pewno się nadaje? Czy to wstyd chodzić do psychologa skoro samemu chce się być psychologiem? I najważniejsze, czy koleżanka z rezydentury zwróci na niego uwagę? Wątek miłosny zajmuje bardzo dużą część książki, co jak wiadomo, nie każdemu odpowiada.

Przyjemnie było obserwować przemianę autora, od zarozumiałego, silącego się na intelektualistę chłopaczka do pełnego empatii lekarza. Szkoda tylko, że ostatni moim zdaniem najciekawszy rozdział, czyli czwarty rok i początek samodzielnej drogi, był tak okrojony. Nie mniej to przyjemna pozycja. Lekka, szybka, idealna na weekend. Zdecydowanie polecam jeśli ktoś chce miło spędzić czas na powieści obyczajowej, z psychiatrią w tle.

[Kasia (kasikowykurz) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rozczarowanko no. Bardzo lubię tego typu książki, ale coraz ciężej znaleźć mi taką, która faktycznie opowiadałaby o wykonywanym zawodzie, dawała jakieś smakowite kąski, szokowała bądź zwyczajnie interesowała.

Adam chciał dobrze, chciał opowiedzieć nam historię o tym, jak z przerażonej owieczki stał się szanowanym lekarzem psychiatrii i tą część akurat zrobił dobrze, bo na sam koniec człowiek odczuwa jakąś tam dumę, może podziw, że tak dorósł, dojrzał i zmieniła mu się perspektywa. Że po skończeniu szkoły nie chce być tym zwykłym doktorkiem co to siedzi na kozetce i zadaje niewygodne pytania, tylko jednak chce czegoś więcej.

Ale czy książka jest tym, czym być powinna? Nie bardzo, bo po jej zakończeniu nie pamiętam praktycznie w ogóle pacjentów, ani samego Harvardu, pamiętam za to narzekania na to, jaki jest przepracowany (bo jak idziesz na medycynę na Harvard, to po to, żeby bąki zbijać), bardzo dokładnie opisane randkowe faile i w ogóle rozbudowaną historię randkowania i powstawania związku z obecną żoną i mnóstwo, ale to mnóstwo transkrypcji SMSów.

Nie mam nic przeciwko prywacie w pamiętnikach - w końcu to pamiętnik. Ale jednak w takich pozycjach szukam przede wszystkim medycyny i to ona powinna być na pierwszym miejscu. Dlatego rozczarowanko, bo jednak mogło być świetnie, można było rzucić jakieś nowe światło na bądź o bądź, dosyć nielubianą profesję. A wyszło mdło i nudno.

[PErvOL Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75⭐️

[Elizabeth Plunkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you like Grey's Anatomy and have a goal to read more non-fiction books this year? Then boy do I have good news for you; Committee by Adam Stern was fun and insightful. I loved hearing about his formative experiences in Psychiatry residency and what he learned from his patients. If you're considering med school, pick up a copy to get a real life view into what life after graduation is like.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot:

In this memoir, we encounter Dr. Stern who is doing an internship to be a psychiatrist. We hear about what it is like to do the rounds and hear some amusing and sometimes sad encounters with some of the patients that he encounters.

What I Liked:

- I enjoyed the different anecdotes about the patients. I found his treatment of them to be very interesting as well as how different the problems they dealt with were.

What I Didn't Like:

- I could have done with more patient stories and less about the author's love life.

Final Thoughts:

This was a good read and one that I read in two sittings over the course of an insomnia filled night!

[Hillarie (Hillareads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Committed is a memoir that follows the author, Adam Stern, through his four years as a psychiatry resident at Harvard Medical School, where he and his fellow classmates were dubbed "The Golden Class" due to their combined rankings and talents. The book is split into three parts: Year One, Year Two, and then a combined Years Three and Four.

Not only are we introduced to some of the patients who influenced Stern throughout his journey, we also get to know many of his classmates and mentors. I enjoyed watching him grow from a cautious intern to a confident doctor throughout the book. I cared about the outcomes of his patients and felt some of his frustrations throughout the process.

Stern did an excellent job of showcasing his own humanity and shortcomings in the book. People often have unrealistic expectations of medical professionals, but they're people too. It was good to see how Stern dealt with his life outside of his residency program, especially relationships. I suspected who he might end up with, but it was still satisfying to see it happen after some disastrous missteps.

I've never watched Grey's Anatomy, so I can't attest to the comparison, but this book DID remind me of some of the darker moments in Scrubs, from the impostor syndrome to the trauma that comes with losing a patient. But that is where the comparisons end. This book is not one to go into if you might find some topics triggering, such as suicide, bullying, eating disorders, and abuse.

Overall, this book was an easy read and definitely one I'd recommend to people who find psychology and psychiatry interesting. With the first two parts focusing on an entire year and the final part covering two years, the conclusion felt somewhat rushed, but I'm not sure there is an ideal way to address that without making the book too long for a memoir. Although this book is nonfiction, the book also feels accessible for people who primarily read fiction.

Note: I received an e-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This moving memoir follows Stern, a young psychiatrist, and the other doctors in his class through four grueling years of their psychiatry residency. Stern lets us into the world of mental health and his own struggles with kidney cancer. What follows is a book full of compassion, insight, and the immediacy of mortality.

On the one hand, this book covered the author’s time as a resident in the incredibly draining process (emotionally, psychologically, physically). And on the other hand, the author gave an intimate view of his cancer diagnosis with a 50/50 shot at survival. His own experience with the loss of patients through suicide reminds us of how important the training and work of psychiatrists really is in our society today. The author created a unique memoir about living on both sides of the fence in sharing stories about his patients’ bravery in their struggles and his own struggle with physical health.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at: https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/ada...

[Iwona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Początek nieciekawy, później tylko lepiej, a wszystko za sprawą lekkiego pióra autora.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adored the book. Such a great peek into psychiatry residency and such a pleasant and enjoyable love story to read. Had a smile on my face for most of it, and was brought to happy tears at the end. Couldn’t be better

[Hopksiazka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bardziej 2,75 Na początku miałam wrażenie, że więcej tu takiej prywaty niż strony zawodowej (a czegoś innego oczekiwałam), ale w ogólnym rozrachunku książka była ciekawa i w porządku. Nie zaspokoiła niestety całkowicie mojej potrzeby dowiedzenia się czegoś o tym zawodzie

[Kelly (The Happiest Little Book Club) · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I actually listened to this audiobook via the Libby app but could not seem to find the edition that matched, but I am sure the Audible version is the same).

This was an interesting listen/memoir. Dr. Adam Stern shares stories from his time at Harvard which is where he trained as a psychiatry resident.

Adam narrates the book himself and I think he did a wonderful job. This book explores Adam's time spent in the psychiatry program and the peaks and pitfalls, both personally and professionally.

I have quite a few doctor friends (including one Psychiatrist) and have mad respect for anyone that chooses this career path.

Blood, needles, and average grades aside, I am too much of an empath and would likely constantly be carrying my job around with me. It would be really hard.

[zunia · Rating 5 out of 5]

ależ to było dobre

[Bonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Committed is the memoir of Dr. Adam Stern during his four years of psychiatric residency at Harvard. It's an interesting story, and more than that, the story of one man's growth from an unsure first-year resident to becoming (somewhat) more sure of himself and his abilities to practice psychiatry. He also grows as a classmate, teacher, husband, and human being. It was surprising to me to read that even at Harvard, Dr. Stern and his fellow residents often felt like impostors and sometimes even failures when they were unable to help their patients. He comes to learn that the slogan "Never worry alone" told to the residents by their attending physicians is valuable advice.

I knew I would never be the version of the mythical Harvard psychiatrist that had existed in my mind four years earlier. I had seen too many examples of shared humanity among the patients and those trying to help them to be hung up on formalities. The space where that psychiatrist has once existed in my mind had been filled instead with hard-earned truths about what it means to connect to those people around you, to commit to them, and to purposefully keep moving forward.

Those are words that all of us can live by whether we are psychiatrists, patients, or simply average people trying to maintain our connections with others.

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book.

[Kiersten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not the book I expected from reading the description, but much more. While yes, it is the story of Adam Stern arriving at Harvard Medical School for this psychiatry residency program with a serious case of impostor's syndrome - it shows his journey from idealistic medical student generally "wanting to help people" to a compassionate caregiver discovering his strengths and how he can best use these to do so without losing himself in the process. What I really didn't expect was how Stern's memoir is mostly about relationships - with his family, his patients, colleagues, mentors, dating partners and ultimately spouse - and how his residency program informs all of these, for better or worse. A quick-moving yet insightful and fulfilling read, with a lot of heart.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mariner books, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Christie Bane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounding up to 4. Doctors' stories about their patients are always interesting, and this one was no exception. The book consists of stories from the author's education at Harvard while he was in process of becoming a psychiatrist. The patients were interesting; the doctor himself less so. He sounded nice enough but not exciting. I did not think he would get the girl in the end, because she seemed so unenthusiastic about him for most of the book. He did get the girl. Sorry if that was a spoiler!

[Bex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Committed is to psychiatry what The Secret Teacher is to teaching and This is Going to Hurt is to junior doctors. You really feel like you get inside Adam's head as he navigates his challenging residency at Harvard: you feel his frustration and tiredness come through, but you also get a building sense of optimism as he becomes more sure of himself as a psychiatrist.

This book was full of pathos and I would highly recommend it - especially to fans of the two texts mentioned above.

Thank you to Adam Stern, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.