The House Of God – Samuel Shem

Description

The House of God by Samuel Shem is a darkly satirical novel that explores the gruelling and often dehumanising experience of medical residency. Set in a fictional version of Beth Israel Hospital in the early 1970s, the story follows Dr. Roy Basch, a bright but naïve medical intern as he navigates the challenges of the demanding and psychologically taxing world of medicine.

Under the guidance of “The Fat Man,” an unconventional and iconoclastic senior resident, Basch learns that in order to survive both psychologically and professionally, it is sometimes necessary to break the rules. The Fat Man teaches his interns that many medical procedures and treatments, rather than helping patients, actually harm them, and they should focus on doing as little as possible to avoid further damage. As Basch adopts this approach, he becomes one of the top interns in the hospital, even though he does little to treat his patients.