Throughout my medical residency, I summarized and presented several scientific articles during Journal Clubs. I really enjoy this activity because we have the chance to share a summary and a quick review of new relevant articles. I think we could also benefit from the same kind of meetings but related to medical books. Medical libraries are full of interesting books, but unfortunately we don’t take time to research and read these resources. If we had access to a bank of medical books summaries and reviews, I’m sure medical students and residents would read more!
I really enjoyed writing my book reviews and even more, reading those of my colleagues. This activity allowed me to learn new theories and to make connections with real life and work. I also developed my writing and synthesis skills. These are essential qualities for writing book reviews and helping colleagues to identify the books they want to read. The document prepared by Kucher (2001) helped me to structure and write my texts. Moreover, since book reviews are all online, they are easily accessible. Quickly, we can find interesting resources related to medical education and know the strengths and weaknesses of each. This tool also allows exchanges between students and teachers, which pushes our reflections further.
For my first book review, I chose a book about the diagnosis and management of challenging learning situation in medical education (Lacasse, 2009). This is a book I wanted to read for several months. As a resident, I experienced some difficult situations when supervising medical students. Unfortunately, I didn’t have resources to help me identify problems and find solutions. This book offers an excellent literature review on this subject and suggests original and interesting tools to deal with challenging learning situations.
My second book review is about the theory of adult learning (Merriam, 2014). I explored the main concepts of this theory and saw how it could be applied in my daily work. This book is accessible and pleasant to read. In addition, it offers several resources for readers who wishes to deepen certain subjects. I recommend it as a first reading to all my colleagues who teach adults and want to learn more about this subject.
Finally, for my third book review, I chose a book about doctors and their role as teachers (Whitman, 1997). I really enjoyed this reading which addresses this important role for doctors and residents. Very early in our training, we become teachers for youngest medical students but nobody prepares! This book, first published in 1987, offers tips and strategies that are still relevant today. However, certain elements of our reality are not taken into account (e.g. technology and education).
You will find files below to access the full version of my three book reviews. Good reading!
In light of my colleagues’ book reviews, here are three other books I would like to read soon:
1. Thomas, P., Kern, D., Hughes, M., & Chen, B. (2015). Curriculum development for medical education.
2. Stone, D., & Heen, S. (2014). Thanks for the feedback. Penguin Books.
3. Tiberius, R. (2013). Small Group Teaching. Taylor & Francis.
References
Kucher, M. (2001). How to Write a Critical Book Review. Retrieved 12 January 2020, from http://courses.washington.edu/tande/book_reviews.htm
Lacasse, M. (2009). Educational diagnosis and management of challenging learning situations in medical education. Québec: Université Laval, Faculté de médecine.
Merriam, S., & Bierema, L. (2014). Adult learning: linking theory and practice (1st ed., p. 302). USA: Jossey-Bass.
Whitman, N., Schwenk, T., & Schwenk, T. (1997). The physician as teacher. Salt Lake City, UT: Whitman Associates.
ePortfolio 