The House of God
My thoughts on, “The classic novel of life and death in an American hospital.”
Recently, I’ve made a change in my career and life path, and with it, I’ve come into some time that I didn’t normally have. This has allowed me to catch up on all of the reading that has been stacking up on my bookshelf since I graduated from veterinary school.
This book was recommended to me by a peer in a group forum discussing burnout in the veterinary profession. I hadn't been heavily invested in reading this thread, but for some reason, the post about this book had caught my eye. So, when I did my last round of book acquisition I added it to the list. For less than $5 on Amazon, I was now the second (or perhaps third) owner of this book, but I had essentially no idea what it was about.
The story, it turns out, is about a medical doctor, Dr. Basch, going through his internship at the House of God Hospital — a fictional hospital based in Boston and associated with the Best Medical School — a fictional rendering of Harvard medical school. The book was published in 1978 and takes place around the time of the Watergate scandal and trials.
What I expected from the House of God was a story about American heroism taking place in a palace of medical experts and pageantry. A story that brings tears to your eyes in…
