The majority of people who go to medical school have an idealistic idea of saving lives and helping sick people get well. Yet patients complain that doctors seem to lack caring, compassion and dedication to the profession. Is something missing from the training of a doctor that prevents them from having the characteristics patients expect? Is it the process of medical training itself that causes this? Or is it that we are simply selecting for medical school the kind of person who will be successful yet incapable of having the kind of attributes that patients want?

I am working on a book that removes the shroud of mystery that surrounds this transformative process. I can and have recounted scores of stories about my medical school training that sound ridiculous and unbelievable, but sadly were true experiences. I would like you to help me in two ways:
  1. If you are not an MD, I would like to know what is in your head when you picture what is involved in the training of a physician.

  2. If you are an MD or medical student, I would like to know what is the most cut-throat, horrible experience you've had in pre-med, medical school and/or residency training.

Please write your answer in the comments section. By writing you give consent that your comment could end up somewhere in my book. Whether you use a real name or not, if I use part of your comment, I will give you credit in my acknowledgements. And if I use any part of one of your comments, and you leave an email contact, I will send you a free book when it is published.

Thanks for your help!