Letter to a Young Female Physician: Thoughts on Life and Work

“Looking for a snack, we saw vials of insulin and penicillin lined up next to the chocolate milk.” Growing up in the community circle of Suzanne Koven, the neighbor’s patriarch and her father were physicians…of course; but, as a child, the matriarchs were moms who baked kugel and brisket and acquiesced to their husbands.Koven’s brilliantly penned new book is the account of the struggles and pains of a 61 year- old Harvard physician in a world where women combine the self- battle and anxiety of Imposter Syndrome against their constant need to prove themselves- versus the more immediate success of their male counterparts..Told with candor, in the genre of a modern- day Erma Bombeck, Koven, an astoundingly accomplished crafter of her story tells of cultivating one’s children, parenting one’s parents and facing the trials of COVID 19.Articulated through the lens of the persistent restrictions of chauvinism on her prospering profession, Suzanne’s book will resonate completely with most ambitious females. As I voraciously read her truth, I could associate with the ever -present perception that women of her day “wasted a space” in the sphere of medicine. Her account allowed me to re-examine my own personal advancement as a woman. We were once told there was no place for females in professional schools, but Koven proves her place through her private anecdotes. To all the women out there with big dreams, and all of the Women’s Studies classes, this book is a must-read. Frankly, I could not put it down!!!

Nearing the end of this engaging book of essays, I stopped, called my mom, and said "I have to read this to you." By the time I'd read two pages aloud, we were both crying, and having one of those moments where you wake up to the intense beauty of the everyday life in front of you. I am not a physician, but the wisdom and personal stories in this book are so universally relatable that I plan to buy it as a holiday gift for several women I know--especially 1) the ones just beginning their careers and 2) the ones in the thick of working demanding jobs and raising small children. In just a few brief pages, each of these essays transported me with their wonderful storytelling, smart insights and good humor--and gave me a fascinating window into the medical field along the way. For someone with scant reading time who still craves depth, a book like this is a gem.

As a retired male physician, I found so much to like about this story. I am happy that I ignored the title and read a few chapters. I was hooked. I have recommended it to many friends and to my daughters. I recommend it to you.

Yes she’s a retired doctor, but she happens to have a gift for writing that allows her to express the concept of empathy in a variety of life situations. Every time I see a doctor I wish for them to communicate the way this doctor did. I have to agree that a familiarity with literature can be a powerful tool in many professional interactions, well beyond doctor and patient.

Amazing book! Such great insights both into situations and feelings I have experienced as a young female doctor as well as opening my eyes to what might be nice. A great way to fight the burn out we are all facing right now. I am her target audience but I think a much wider audience would enjoy this book!

Beautifully written, a career to admire and learn from. Lessons for being a human in medicine and understanding different phases of a career in medicine and through that helping to understand ourselves.

The recipient of this gift is going on to Medical school. She loved it!

“Your training and sense of purpose will serve you well. Your humanity will serve your patients even better.”Although each essay in this book can be read separately, together they paint a picture of Suzanne Koven’s life, from her childhood recollections of her father’s orthopedic practice and always choosing to be the doctor during childhood games of Careers to her own residency and eventually her work as a doctor. Throughout, the reader witnesses Suzanne struggling to maintain a work-life balance, parenting her children, caring for her ageing parents and figuring out how to be the best doctor she can be for her patients.“I find my patients much more interesting than their diseases.”Although I was introduced to a number of the author’s patients, albeit de-identified and with some details changed, there were times I was holding out for a resolution that failed to come. I wanted to know what became of these people whose stories I was just becoming invested in.For some reason I also became invested in the story of the white pine trees, where the infection of one may result in the infection of its neighbours. My biggest frustration with this book was not learning whether the two pine trees survived or not. Why do I care so much about this? Perhaps it was because of what those trees symbolised to the author. Regardless, I felt cheated by not knowing their fate.My favourite parts of this book involved the author’s relationship with her mother and how it changed throughout her life.The reflections on what it is that makes a good doctor would be particularly valuable for newly trained doctors, who are finding their feet in a world where having empathy for their patients can prove just as important as knowledge of their medical conditions.“Students worry about knowing enough. Patients worry about them caring enough.”Content warnings are included on my blog.Thank you so much to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for granting my wish to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

I enjoyed the book very much, helps if you are in the medical profession to appreciated all of it!

Excellent for any new young female doctor starting in medicine.