Summary

In this collection of autobiographical essays, Koven contemplates some unique challenges confronting female physicians: discrimination, sexism, lower annual salary on average than male counterparts, possible pregnancy and motherhood. She recalls her medical school and residency experience, describes her internal medicine practice, and highlights her role as a daughter, spouse, and mother.

Worry is a theme that works its way into many phases of Koven's life and chapters of this book. The opening one, "Letter to a Young Female Physician," introduces self-doubt and concerns of inadequacy regarding her clinical competence. "Imposter syndrome" is the term she assigns to this fear of fraudulence (that she is pretending to be a genuine, qualified doctor). She worries about her elderly parents, her children, patients, and herself. Over time, she learns to cope with the insecurity that plagues both her professional and personal life.

Some of these essays are especially emotional. "We Have a Body" dwells on the difficult subject of dying, spotlighting a 27-year-old woman who is 27 weeks pregnant and diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the lung. "Mom at Bedside, Appears Calm" chronicles the author's terror when her young son experiences grand mal seizures and undergoes multiple brain surgeries for the tumor causing them.

Listening emerges as the most important part of a doctor's job. Koven encourages all doctors to utilize their "own personal armamentarium" which might include gentleness, exemplary communication skills, a light sense of humor, or unwavering patience. She fully endorses a concept articulated by another physician-writer, Gavin Francis: "Medicine is an alliance of science and kindness" (p228).

Commentary

Writing with honesty, warmth, and humility, internist Koven covers a lot of medical territory in illuminating the life of a female physician. Much of her personal space - how it intersects and competes with her medical career - is divulged too. Fear of failure weighs heavily on her mind. She must balance multiple roles as wife, mother, daughter of aging and sick parents, teacher, and doctor. Yet she finds comfort in listening, strength in stories. Koven concludes, "There is no act more therapeutic than asking someone to share their story" (p272).

Primary Source

Letter to a Young Female Physician: Notes from a Medical Life

Publisher

W.W. Norton & Company

Place Published

New York

Edition

2021

Page Count

320