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What is a great book for further reading?

I'm looking for a book that I could reference in my personal statement to Medicine, the more books the better!

Thanks! :biggrin:

Reply 1

Helenia

This should get you started.

Reply 2

Freyr

Personally I wouldn't mention any books in a personal statement. Afterall, it doesn't tell them much about you, and you run the risk of the interviewer quizzing you on the book and expecting you to know everything about it

Reply 3

DiabeticPanda

The Rise & Fall of Modern Medicine by James Le Fanu is a bit hefty, but a great read

Reply 4

Jenn.

"The man who mistook his wife for a hat" by Oliver Sack is a great book! :smile:

Reply 5

KA125

Don't mention any books in your statement, why would you?

Reply 6

Jargonium

Original post by KA125

Don't mention any books in your statement, why would you?

I was watching a guy from Oxford go through how to write a personal statement and part of the tutorial was on further reading..

Is it a bad idea?

Reply 7

em.d_4

I read trust me im a junior doctor which isn't the type of thing youd put in a personal statement but it is funny and insightful!

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Reply 8

KA125

I wouldn't specifically read a book just to put it into a personal statement, if you were reading one already and wanted to reference it then great. I wouldn't say it gives any advantage to your application or that this guy you've seen has the perfect recipe for personal statements.

If you've genuinely read a book and enjoyed it and can talk about it then feel free to mention it but IMO it's not really necessary, I have friends at Oxford who didn't mention books on further reading. Furthermore, I have friends who DID and got questioned about it quite a bit.

I wrote my personal statement how I wanted to, including what was important to me and conveyed things about me, I mentioned an article that interested me regarding the use of xenon gas in treatment of cerebral hypoxia of the newborn - making it clear that this interested me, HOWEVER, not implying I fully understood all the pharmacological and physiological mechanisms occurring.