Medical Education Literature
I read a lot, and the longer I do this, the more I appreciate how ideas from popular literature permeate my approach to teaching and medical education. I’m sharing some of my favorite books here with a one-liner about my takeaway.
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
This book taught me to think outside the box when it comes to running a session, including starting with the good stuff and sharing “sprout speeches.”
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
I lean into leading with vulnerability, and I like how Brown covers this concept in her work.
Grit by Angela Duckworth
My summary of this book is that hard work matters twice as much as talent, and I love that so much. Duckworth also talks about how to build our grit.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
This is not an educational psychology book specifically, but the observations and lessons in it offer a lot of helpful information to apply to our professional as well as personal lives. I finally started making my bed because of this book!
God’s Hotel by Victoria Sweet
A beautiful read about the practice of medicine and how we should treat patients. I’ve always appreciated my time in big county hospitals, and Sweet captures a lot of that ethos in these words, at least I thought so.
Outliers by Malcolm Grant
I was late to this one, but even years later, Gladwell’s premise that opportunity and training are key for success still resonate.
Deep Work and Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
I love both of these so much! Deep Work talks about how to structure our lives to give us protected time to reach that state of flow while working, and Slow Productivity is a book that dispels the myth of pseudo-productivity and again helps us refine our approach to working for quality output.
10 to 25 by David Yeager
A newer read for me that dives into the science of motivating young adults (like medical students!).
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
Also an older read, but one with such valuable insights about being a practicing physician. I remember feeling really clear on what kind of a doctor and teacher I wanted to be after finishing this book.
Adam Grant
Anything by Adam Grant, really. My most recent favorite is this podcast where he talks about how not every undertaking has to be a 10/10, and that we should prioritize and direct our energy accordingly.