This Won't Hurt a Bit

By Michelle Au, MD,

Book cover of This Won't Hurt a Bit: (And Other White Lies): My Education in Medicine and Motherhood

Book description

Michelle Au started medical school armed only with a surfeit of idealism, a handful of old 'ER' episodes to reference, and some vague notion about 'helping people'. This is the story of how she grew up and became a real doctor.
Through her years in medical training, she also attempts…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

2 authors picked This Won't Hurt a Bit as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Dr. Au adapts her popular, quirky blog into a candid memoir that explores her journey to become a doctor, employing both humor and a weary fortitude.

In the second half of her book, she balances pregnancy and early motherhood with the protracted hours and perpetual stress endemic to medical training. I found these later vignettes exploring the competing demands and her mounting insecurities particularly compelling.

There are plenty of books out there about the experience of going through a medical education and training but I found Michelle Au’s account to be particularly funny and insightful. It also focuses on a most important angle: becoming not only a physician but also a parent. Dr. Au had her first child early on during her residency in anesthesiology at Columbia. I have followed Dr. Au’s career with interest as she recently became a state senator in Georgia while her family has grown to three children. She is proof that a medical background combined with an ability to communicate…

From Katrina's list on medicine in the trenches.

Want books like This Won't Hurt a Bit?

Our community of 11,000+ authors has personally recommended 33 books like This Won't Hurt a Bit.

Browse books like This Won't Hurt a Bit

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in female doctors, medical examiners, and romantic love?

11,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about female doctors, medical examiners, and romantic love.

Female Doctors Explore 23 books about female doctors
Medical Examiners Explore 11 books about medical examiners
Romantic Love Explore 883 books about romantic love