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Undoctored: The brand new No 1 Sunday Times bestseller from the author of 'This Is Going To Hurt’

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I think Adam’s approach to life and his writing will divide people- of course, I am not defending any commentary that does show disregard, but I do think this book allows us to see a human side that is sometimes forgotten in the association of the medical field. Personally I know people who are doctors (and honestly are the most interesting people I know,) but you can forget about the high stakes that come with their line of work and the impact it can have on their mental and physical health. Adam Kay's secret diary from his time as a junior doctor This is Going to Hurt was the publishing phenomenon of the century. It has been read by millions, translated into 37 languages, and adapted into a major BBC television series. But that was only part of the story. At the end of the book, reflecting on it, I enjoyed it more than I did actually reading it. That's the second time in a row I've had that experience - yesterday it was with Sorry For Your Loss: What Working with the Dead Taught Me About Life so I can't tell if it's the books or me! If you enjoyed This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor you might enjoy this one. It's quite different, a whole lot more introspective, and much less episodic. Enjoyable, without a doubt. Now I understand him better, I understand his cruelty. He never extended kindness to himself. This book is breathtakingly sad, and I suspect that will anger him, too.

Behind Kay’s intensely critical voice – the one I objected to in This Is Going to Hurt, when it faced his female patients – the voice that whirrs on, presumably full time in his head, is his mother’s. Perhaps it is artistic licence, perhaps exaggeration, but he presents his mother as intensely critical, oblivious to his pain. Though medicine broke him, she yearned for him to return to it, as if she could not hear. He needed a microphone.We have some really good nominations - with some really really long names - be sure to get your vote in. Speaking of extracurriculars, medicine really is all about privilege. I know I wouldn't have made my way here without all the private classes my parents were able to afford. But, much like Adam, I can't help feeling a tiny bit defensive. So I told them the truth: the hours are terrible, the pay is terrible, the conditions are terrible; you’re underappreciated, unsupported, disrespected and frequently physically endangered. But there’s no better job in the world.”

I should say that given I'm a medic, this review will most likely be very medicine-centred. That's not to say I didn't enjoy reading all the other bits, just that I have something more tangible to say about medicine. You know us medics, it's always about medicine. As I said before, I liked Kay’s previous books but in my opinion this was the most well written one because it showed how he improved as a writer and a comedian and the way it was edited was so well done and the flow was immaculate which made me appreciate it even more. I read Adam’s previous two books: The first as a medical student on the verge of graduation, the second as a medical intern and now I am reading his third book as a resident and it certainly hit closest to home. I was the same way in school. I will say that a lot of it was self-imposed because I intentionally put my life on hold by saying that I'd find friends in medical school who were like-minded. I came and there wasn't much of a difference in the type of people; worse, because we weren't forced into close proximity for eight hours every single day, it was harder to make friends. I do consider myself relatively proactive and I did make friends (though I often do still feel lonely). However, when hanging out with people, I catch myself falling into the same trap of "oh my Gods, I have work to do and I can't afford to become besties with this person if they expect me to hang out with them every weekend." My first thought is always how little time I will have left to study. An insight to the authors life during and after being a doctor. Found myself giggling at some of the things wittily mentioned! Although I found it took a dark turn at the “worst gig” chapter! It’s an uncomfortable read although I understand why it’s there.And despite all the humor and funny moments there is a criticism at the job and the medical system which I believe is universal and not confined to the UK. I did not know Kay was queer and another thing that made me a bit confused was how he talked a lot about being in a tight spot with money despite his books having sold million of copies -to be fair most of it was prior to him becoming very successful as an author- This book is slightly different from his other 'memoirs' - it feels a lot more personal and really delves deep into Kay's mental health and post traumatic stress. It looks at Adam Kay as a person, rather than anecdotes within his career within the NHS.

Undoctored was every bit as hilarious as I expected it to be, if not more given the subject matter. It certainly helped that, rather than random Harry Potter characters, everyone was named after MCU characters. It details Adam's (yes, first name basis) life after leaving medicine including: recommendations are subjective and should be treated as guidelines unless otherwise stated. With this in mind, we I hated this book. I just couldn’t get into it. I really enjoyed “This is going to hurt” but I just didn’t find this funny at all. Gave up after a few chapters. It always surprises me when people readily say they want children. In my head, I'm screaming, "Do you NOT understand how horrible the world is and what your theoretical children would be exposed to???" all whilst maintaining a calm and carefully neutral expression. He didn’t want to be a doctor, but he became one. He didn’t want to be a straight married man, but he became one: he married a woman. He plotted adultery – he took a comedy gig in New Zealand so he could go to a gay sauna – and was raped there. He developed bulimia after a fellow doctor – a psychiatrist no less – called him “a big lad” when they slept together.Adam writes about how there's a certain homogeneity among medics. He explained how one of the consultants during placement forced him to cut his hair short and wouldn't allow painted nails. You're not supposed to stand out in a hospital. There's a certain image doctors are meant to project and medical students are held to the same standard--formal clothing in GP surgeries, scrubs (but NEVER outside a hospital because god-forbid how patients would react to that...okay, also because of infection control and all that), no outrageous coloured hair, no painted nails, formal footwear, no jewellery. I do think the rules are relaxing a bit. I know one girl in my year who dyed her hair red and I don't think she's faced any disciplinary action. There are also more tattoos among doctors and nurses! Though my own tattoos have been frowned upon by some elderly patients.

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