Reviews and praise for ‘Love, Sanity, or Medical School’
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“Nothing prepares you for the third year” is somewhat discretely written across the front cover of Love, Sanity, or Medical School: A Memoir by Stephanie Benjamin, MD. This raw and honest account of the third year of medical school captures the curiosities and revelations of the author entering a unique realm of training. As she enters the hospital setting and the steep learning curve of the clinical education hierarchy, she quickly realizes that no amount of preparation could have fully readied her for the lessons she encounters.
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Annals of Emergency Medicine
Book & Media Review
Judge
27th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards
Books are evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning “needs improvement” and 5 meaning “outstanding”.
Structure, Organization, and Pacing: Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: 5
Production Quality and Cover Design: 5
Plot and Story Appeal: 5
Character Appeal and Development: 5
Voice and Writing Style: 5
“The tagline ‘nothing prepares you for third year’ on the cover grabs the reader well. We want to know what it is about the third year of medical school that’s so much more challenging. We’re drawn into the story before we even get to page one. Well done.
Strong opening, as author explains how the first several years of medical school are arranged, and as such what the medical student’s life may be like. Author includes fascinating FYIs about medical procedures, such as the percentage of successful CPR applications. It’s eye-opening to the reader, who remains affected by the description of ‘the erosion of empathy’ in the third year. Gulp. We’re in for a clear focus on the challenges of medical education and experience.
I like that the author creates resonant descriptions. We can see the pre-3rd year student with her head in a book, then being thrown into practical experience (and people’s interactions!) Author demonstrates excellent narrative instinct in alternating between dramatic and emotional patient experience and stellar sense of place, sensory details and especially conversations between characters.
I enjoyed her voice, including sarcasm when needed. The quiet, warm air and music of the cruise created the perfect multi-faceted character placement so that we can get depth of her character in calmer, beautiful times – to contrast with the pulse-pounding drama of med school, third year. Very effective.
Page 301, at which her thought process trails off to nothingness in her journal, is so vivid. We understand that type of fatigue, whether it’s from parenting, schooling, caretaking, etc. We have no idea where our thoughts have gone. Excellent realism. Very relatable.
As her relationship skills have evolved throughout the book, from early assumptions and need for closure revealing a still-living sense of optimism, to her love story with Ash and its levels of hope, we have taken a walk through the hallways of the hospital and through her paths of her personal growth. It’s been a revelatory walk, and one that stays with the reader. Author has handled her personal experience with the injured, sick and dying with a profound sense of empathy – some of which she claims for herself – in this nicely-structured, naturally flowing, resonant collection of very real moments. Well done.”
Academic Emergency Medicine
Media review
Vol. 26, No. 8
Summary paragraph:
"An easy-to-read and fascinating book, Love, Sanity,or Medical School: A Memoir is highly recommended reading to a wide demographic of readers. There is much to be learned in these pages, and each reader can take away something different. This book provides the means of having a perspective on an important time during the training to become a physician, which will be an enjoyable read for anyone interested".
“Fantastic book!”
5-star Amazon review
"Dr. Benjamin’s memoir of her third year of medical school is essential (and entertaining!) reading for current or aspiring medical students and for single women who are trying to balance careers and personal lives. Her book reads like “Grey’s Anatomy” meets “Sex and the City.” With a good dose of humor and heartbreak, she shares what it’s like to deal with challenging coursework, the medical hierarchy (senior residents, attending physicians, etc.) and sometimes challenging patients—all while maintaining her sanity. Part of her secret in doing so is to rely on her friends, mentors, and family (who live far away). Many women will relate to her dating stories after her breakup with the man she expected to marry. The book is not G-rated, but it is realistic and comes off authentic and relatable. The message is resiliency and empowerment. Oh, she also begins each chapter with different types of wine, many which I would like to try!”
“Great Book!”
5-star Amazon review
“I highly recommend this book to any aspiring physicians or anyone interested in getting a realistic look into the daily lives of those undergoing medical training. Using a unique writing style all her own and a journal-like format, the author does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of what her daily life as a medical student looked like.
Although geared towards those interested in the medical field there is something in this book for everyone. Dr. Benjamin limits the medical jargon used and explains the few terms that she does use so it is an easy read for those who don’t have a connection to the healthcare field. The book gives the audience an unfiltered and holistic look into her personal journey as a student. Most importantly it serves as a good reminder that doctors are humans too and outside their profession face many of the same obstacles as their patients.”
“Fun Read”
5-star Amazon review
“What a fun read.
It's like chick-lit with a serious side.
I don't do blood and guts, the author kept them to a minimum.
What I love is the look in to interpersonal relationships, and feelings.
I will never experience med school, and know it takes a special person to survive and thrive.
The author gets you close enough to feel, and sense what her third year was like - and all that goes in to becoming a doctor. It's impressive she was able to write down her thoughts and feelings and still complete her work.”
“Hospital Life Revealed.”
5-star Amazon review
“If you ever wondered what is really going on in the hospital, this book will tell you what you need to know. The way that medical students are trained seems to be a combination of luck and grit. Beyond the hospital and clinic settings, this book reminds us that the doctors we trust with our lives are frail humans like the rest of us. Dr. Benjamin reveals not only the medical but the personal side of learning to become a doctor. How easy it is for patients to forget that doctors are people too. This book reminds us of both the struggles and the triumphs of medical training. Enjoy the ride.”
“Highly Recommend!”
5-star Amazon review
“This is a well written and fun memoir about the third year of medical school. The book, written as a journal in real time, uniquely captures the hardships, joys, and oddities of medical school clinical training. Stephanie bravely and honestly documents her journey, all while juggling a sometimes drama-filled but very real personal life. I highly recommend this book!”