COMMITTED

The highs and lows of a grueling four-year psychiatry residency.

As Stern notes in this dynamic debut memoir, though he was armed with the empathetic drive to “become an expert in the human condition,” he was unprepared for the difficult work he would face. After graduating from SUNY Syracuse, he matched with the residency program at Harvard Medical School in 2010. The author writes about how he was intimidated after being paired with classmates from more prestigious medical schools, but as the son of a cardiologist, high expectations were established early, which only added to the pressure to outperform the 14 other residency scholars in his class. After several shaky introductory shifts, Stern found his footing in a work environment characterized by elaborate clinical processes, murky treatment ethics, nagging self-doubt, and sheer physical exhaustion. Eventually, the author got worn down by weeks of consecutive overnight shifts handling the “firestorm” of a full patient caseload in the psych ward and rotation schedules in the emergency department. Nonetheless, Stern remained committed, and he was also able to find romantic fulfillment with a fellow resident, Rachel, who later became his wife. As the author vividly captures the urgency, chaos, and eerie fascination involved with the treatment of mental illness, he also candidly shares numerous patient portraits, which provide some of the most moving and disturbing moments in the book. Stern capably handled patients plagued with severe anorexia, manic depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, but he was still blindsided by some of the unique, situational “stuff we never covered in med school.” The combination of patient case studies and medical trainee journal creates an intense reading experience and an eye-opening appreciation for medical professionals charged with psychiatric care. Residents and those contemplating a career in mental health will find much to glean from this spirited memoir of dedication and dogged determination.

Engrossing, indelible, and brimming with genuine humanity.