Since we are all living with a chronic illness, doctors are a necessary part of our lives. Some of the doctors are nice, some are snotty and some are just plain awful I’ll admit, but have you ever wondered exactly why they are the way they are?… or how they even got to the place where they have your health in their hands? If you have, you should read The Intern Blues. It will give you sympathy and appreciation for what your doctors had to go through to get where they are today.

The book, The Intern Blues, was written about 10 or so years ago and it follows the life of three interns for one year. Andy – a young man from Boston is totally out of his element in the poor environment of the Bronx, far away from the love of his life and totally confused. Mark – is a young man who can’t seem to juggle everything and is very unsure of himself; and finally there’s Amy, a young mother and wife who must leave her newborn daughter to pursue her career.
This book follows their ups and downs, their good times and bad, and finally the satisfaction of knowing they survived the year and came out unscathed — for the most part. The medical details and cases are interesting and so is the personal and emotional impact. We are so accustomed to being on the patient side of the ropes, we never stop to think about what the doctor is going through. This book helps us get a feel for their side of the story. It’s also helpful that there is a dictionary in the back, to explain some of the doctor “lingo” used in the book. Maybe it will help you understand your doctor better – all the way around!
All in all, this book is a very interesting read and it makes you understand interns and doctors much better. Their life isn’t as perfect as everyone would like to think. So I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. The edition I read has an updated preface and afterword, so at the end of the book you get to peek into the life of the same interns, years afterward. It’s interesting to see what decisions they finally made.
So next time you are up for a read, pop over to your local bookstore and pick up The Intern Blues. You’ll never forget it!
Title: The Intern Blues
Author: Dr. Robert Marion
ISBN: 0-06-093709-2
Publisher: Perennial (HarperCollins)
Review Written By: Elisabeth Adkins