Book Review | Adam Kay's This Is Going To Hurt

Adam Kay's This Is Going To Hurt

"Adam Kay was a junior doctor from 2004 until 2010, before a devastating experience on a ward caused him to reconsider his future. He kept a diary throughout his training, and This Is Going to Hurt intersperses tales from the front line of the NHS with reflections on the current crisis. The result is a first-hand account of life as a junior doctor in all its joy, pain, sacrifice and maddening bureaucracy, and a love letter to those who might at any moment be holding our lives in their hands."

I am almost put off books that are really hyped but there was something about 'This is Going To Hurt' which interested me. Maybe it is because I am already a big advocate for the NHS or maybe because I have friends from uni who will soon be junior doctors but I decided to pick it up. Spoiler alert - I loved it (much like everyone else).

The NHS is criticised a lot for a service which is essential to so many peoples lives. The government but more and more pressure on the staff but I don't think that majority of the public really understand what it is like to be a doctor. That is where Adam Kay perfectly bridges that gap.

The book is full of interesting and insightful anecdotes which guide you through from graduation to slowly climbing the ladder at the hospital.At first I was worried Adam was coming across slightly self-entitled. However, as the book progressed you really saw how much Adam cared about being a doctor and caring for his patients despite working hours and pay.

I think that is what the book comes down to for me. Despite the long hours and low pay the majority of doctors want to care for their patients. I urge anyone who is criticising NHS staff or the waiting at A&E to read this book. Understand how much pressure they are under and instead focus your energy on the government who have the ability to alleviate some of the pressure.

Check out my last book review - Ruth Hogan's The Keeper of Lost Things