Total Immersion : My Recall of Surgical, OB/GYN and Research Training in Boston, Fifty Years Ago

by Josimovich, John B.

• ISBN13: 9780533164394
• ISBN10: 0533164397
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-03-01
• Publisher: INGRAM PUB SERVICES

Summary

"During my training in general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, as well as in research, I was exposed to all the foibles, successes, and failures in medical outcomes, and I had to participate fully in these events around the clock." In this frank and compelling memoir, a successful and highly respected doctor looks back on his early years of practice, from his general surgical training at Boston City Hospital to his specialty study in reproductive research at Harvard Medical School. Sharing specific clinical stories from his experiences, Dr. Josimovich's genuine affection for his patients shines through each vignette, in particular his deep sympathy for the plight of the Boston lower classes in the 1960s. His account reveals the resilience and wry humor with which sleep-deprived doctors-in-training faced the unpredictable challenges of each day in the hospital. His clinical stories are also a fascinating glimpse into the limitations of medical treatment just fifty years ago. Beyond his personal experience, Dr. Josimovich also reflects on the triumphs and frustrations that characterize the process of medical training, from his unique vantage as a member of the medical education community for over half a century. Readers will recognize the challenges hospitals still face today staffing shortages, administrative headaches as well as the dedication that characterizes the medical profession today and throughout its history.