Danielle Ofri MDSingular Intimacies: Becoming a Doctor at Bellevue

A glimpse at the road to being a doctor. No, even more than a glimpse. Doctor Ofri's stories made me shutter several times. I have faced new challenges in my life where you are expected to know everything and do the right thing and it isn't always clear what you need to do, but never quite like this. It certainly gives a good idea of how difficult it must be to begin those first years of medicine.Everyone should read this book.

Recently Dr Ofri gave a lecture in Arizona to a group of physicians. Listening to her, I was so impressed by her focus on patients as PEOPLE, on relationships rather than just treatments, that I began reading her books. "Singular Intimacies" is the first one I found and the first one she wrote, about her early years as a medical student, intern, and resident at Bellevue Hospital. Once I started, I just couldn't put the book down. I kept wanting to know more and more about each patient she wrote about and about her feelings. Her writing is so beautiful, her descriptions so bring to life the people and places she describes, that when I learned at the end that she subsequently co-founded and was editor of the Bellevue Literary Review I wasn't surprised! She is a first-rate writer as well as physician.

The first chapter was not that interesting and I did not like the writing style but now I understand that the three year of medical school is one of confusion and insecurity of not knowing where to be or stand plus the feeling that everyone knows more than you.She writes about the change in elevation of status personally and from others. How the world looks at her differently. Going to a funeral and people questioning about the disease that caused the death and all she wants to do is grieve.<image.png>

Dr. Ofri describes her journey from medical student to 1st and 2nd year resident in Bellevue hospital, New York city with a rare combination of medical skills together with emotions and feelings both as a healing provider and with insight into those of her patients. Over a 10 year period, Dr. Ofri completed a Ph.D in Pharmacology as well as an MD in addition to becoming a remarkable writer. The reader stands over her shoulder as Dr. Ofri writes down the final directions given by a charming french woman with lung cancer,recounts her first night on call attending to prisoners from Rikers Island, in Ob/Gyn, being involved in the birthing of a newborn, the ordeal of talking to the wife of a psychiatrist dying from pancreatic cancer about what terminal treatment her husband would want Certainly, Singular Intimacies-Becoming a Doctor at Bellevue should be read by anyone aspiring to be in or involved in the healthcare field. Moreover, with the current emphasis on shared physician-patient medical decision making, it will enhance participation of those seeking medical care. Lastly, this work has the impact of a vivid and engrossing novel.

Danielle Ofri is the type of doctor you would be lucky to find, should you need one. This book is an extremeley intelligent and sensitive document of the interaction between doctor and patient, health and sickness, and the nature and limits of healing. It's also a hands-on, first person account of what it's like to work in one of the biggest and busiest hospitals in the country. Her essay, "Merced," on a patient who continuted to suffer from a mysterious and unknowable ailment, is a wrenching tale of a doctor who can't help her patient, despite incredible efforts and every modern mechanism. The fate of that patient is gripping and chilling, and she stays with me some three months after reading the book. Finally, for a doctor -- for anyone, in fact -- Danielle Ofri writes like a dream.

Excellent explanation of the various skills required and emotions experienced by a dedicated physician/scientist. The author's honesty and compassion produce case histories that are sure to make a lasting impression.

Singular Intimacies, Danielle Ofri's first non-technical book, is a brilliant addition to the memoirs of physicians and other health care workers. In it, Ofri chronicles her transition from medical student to internist at New York City's Bellevue Hospital. She is humble, funny, smart, sophisticated, vulnerable, and blessed with rare insight. In addition, she has the gift for lucid, direct prose. This book will appeal to physicians, other health care workers, the general public; and especially to those young persons considering a career in medicine. For this latter group and for medical students it is a "must read."Occasionally, when reading a book I feel like Keats did when he first opened Chapman's "Homer." "Then felt I like some watcher of the skies when a new planet swims into his ken." Singular Intimacies imparted this welcome and always surprising feeling to me. It should enjoy a great success and help to inspire and humanize many future (and some practicing) physicians.

This is a thoroughly good book. We regular people have no idea what goes on in the minds of our doctors and nurses. Ms. Ofri gives a lot of Insight in to the work and feelings of all the people involved in the hospital care given to all the patients. God bless them.

米国で最も古くからあり、最大規模のニューヨーク大学病院での臨床研修の実際が細やかに描写されている。医師と患者、医学生と上級医師、医師とコメディカルとの関係、救急室、集中治療室、病棟の様子、米国の医療制度、教育回診などが如実に記述されている。自分が受け持った患者のうち極めて印象的な例を取り上げて、医師としての科学的な見方と、人としての本質的なかかわり方の両面から、たぐいまれな鋭い感性と優れた文章力で書かれているので、読み始めると区切りがつくまで、途中で止められなくなるほど興味深い書である。医師特に研修医あるいは臨床教育に携わっている医師、米国特にニューヨークの病院に興味のある方にはぜひお勧めしたい素晴らしい随筆である。