Read House Of God Samuel Shem Epub 11 Online - The Humorous and Insightful Story of an Intern's Year
House Of God Samuel Shem Epub 11: A Classic Satire of Medical Training and Practice
If you are looking for a book that will make you laugh, cry, and think about the realities of medicine, then you should read House Of God by Samuel Shem. This book is a classic satire of medical training and practice that exposes the absurdities, horrors, and joys of being a doctor. In this article, we will give you a brief overview of what House Of God is about, who Samuel Shem is, why it is a classic satire, and what you can learn from it.
House Of God Samuel Shem Epub 11
Introduction
House Of God is a novel written by Samuel Shem, a pseudonym of Stephen Bergman, a psychiatrist and professor at Harvard Medical School. It was first published in 1978 and has sold over two million copies worldwide. It is widely regarded as one of the best books ever written about medicine and one of the most influential books in medical culture.
What is House Of God?
House Of God is a fictional account of the experiences of Roy Basch, a young intern at a prestigious teaching hospital in Boston, known as the House Of God. The book follows Roy and his fellow interns as they struggle to survive their grueling year of training, dealing with demanding attendings, incompetent administrators, difficult patients, and personal problems. Along the way, they learn the unofficial rules of the House Of God, such as "The patient is the one with the disease", "The only good admission is a dead admission", and "At a cardiac arrest, the first procedure is to take your own pulse".
Who is Samuel Shem?
Samuel Shem is the pen name of Stephen Bergman, who was born in 1944 in New York City. He graduated from Harvard College in 1966 and Harvard Medical School in 1971. He did his internship at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, which served as the inspiration for House Of God. He later became a psychiatrist and a writer, publishing several novels, plays, essays, and memoirs. He is also an activist for human rights, social justice, and medical ethics. He currently lives in Massachusetts with his wife Janet Surrey, who is also a psychiatrist and a writer.
Why is it a classic satire?
House Of God is a classic satire because it uses humor, irony, exaggeration, and ridicule to expose and criticize the flaws and follies of medicine. It shows how doctors are often dehumanized by their training and practice, how patients are often mistreated by the system, how bureaucracy and hierarchy interfere with quality care, and how medicine can be both a blessing and a curse. It also challenges some of the sacred cows of medicine, such as the Hippocratic oath, the scientific method, and the doctor-patient relationship. It reveals the dark side of medicine that is rarely seen or talked about by outsiders.
Summary of the plot
House Of God tells the story of Roy Basch and his fellow interns at the House Of God during their internship year in 1973-1974. The book is divided into four parts: Orientation, Wards (I), Wards (II), and Disorientation.
The main characters and their fates
The book features a large cast of characters, but the main ones are:
Roy Basch: The protagonist and narrator of the book. He is a smart, idealistic, and ambitious intern who wants to become a cardiologist. He is assigned to the medical service, where he works under the supervision of the Fat Man, a legendary resident who teaches him the rules of the House Of God. He falls in love with Berry, a nurse who works in the gynecology ward. He suffers from stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia during his internship. He eventually decides to quit medicine and become a psychiatrist.
The Fat Man: The mentor and hero of Roy and his friends. He is a brilliant, charismatic, and unconventional resident who runs the medical service. He is known for his irreverent attitude, his witty remarks, his love of food, and his compassion for patients. He invents the rules of the House Of God, such as "Gomers don't die", "The delivery of good medical care is to do as much nothing as possible", and "Age + BUN = Lasix dose". He helps Roy and his friends cope with their internship and teaches them how to be good doctors.
Chuck: Roy's best friend and roommate. He is a black intern who wants to become a surgeon. He is assigned to the surgical service, where he works under the supervision of the Runt, a sadistic chief resident who abuses him. He is confident, cool, and charismatic. He has a sexual affair with Molly, a nurse who works in the intensive care unit. He suffers from racism, sexism, and violence during his internship. He eventually decides to quit surgery and become a gynecologist.
Eddie: Roy's friend and colleague. He is a Jewish intern who wants to become an endocrinologist. He is assigned to the medical service, where he works under the supervision of Leggo, the chief of medicine who hates him. He is neurotic, insecure, and obsessive. He has a sexual affair with Angel, a nurse who works in the emergency room. He suffers from guilt, shame, and self-doubt during his internship. He eventually decides to quit endocrinology and become a dermatologist.
Potts: Roy's friend and colleague. He is an intern who wants to become a neurologist. He is assigned to the neurology service, where he works under the supervision of Jo, a female resident who loves him. He is naive, innocent, and optimistic. He has a sexual affair with Jo, who becomes pregnant with his child. He suffers from isolation, loneliness, and despair during his internship. He eventually commits suicide by jumping off the roof of the hospital.
The twelve rules of the House Of God
The twelve rules of the House Of God are:
GOMERS don't die.
GOMERS go to ground.
At a cardiac arrest, the first procedure is to take your own pulse.
The patient is the one with the disease.
Placement comes first.
There is no body cavity that cannot be reached with a #14 needle and a good strong arm.
Age + BUN = Lasix dose.
They can always hurt you more.
The only good admission is a dead admission.
If you don't take a temperature, you can't find a fever.
Show me a BMS (Best Medical Student) who only triples my work and I will kiss his feet.
If the radiology resident and the BMS both see a lesion on the chest x-ray, there can be no lesion there.
The themes and messages of the book
House Of God explores various themes and messages related to medicine and life, such as:
The dehumanization of doctors and patients: The book shows how doctors are often reduced to machines that follow orders, protocols, and routines, without regard for their own feelings, needs, and values. It also shows how patients are often treated as objects, numbers, or diseases, without respect for their dignity, autonomy, and preferences.
The absurdity and futility of medicine: The book shows how medicine is often a chaotic, irrational, and unpredictable field, where things often go wrong, where mistakes are inevitable, where outcomes are uncertain, and where death is unavoidable. It also shows how medicine is often a futile endeavor, where doctors often do more harm than good, where interventions are often unnecessary or ineffective, and where suffering is often prolonged or increased.
The humor and coping of doctors: The book shows how doctors use humor as a way of coping with the stress, pain, and horror of their work. It also shows how humor can be a source of relief, joy, and connection for doctors and their colleagues. It also shows how humor can be a form of resistance, critique, and subversion of the system.
The humanity and compassion of doctors: The book shows how doctors are still human beings who have emotions, desires, and dreams. It also shows how doctors can still show compassion and empathy for their patients and their families. It also shows how doctors can still find meaning and purpose in their work.
Analysis of the book
House Of God is a remarkable book that combines literary elements with medical insights. It is a book that can be analyzed from different perspectives, such as:
The style and tone of the book
The style and tone of the book are characterized by:
The use of first-person narration: The book is narrated by Roy Basch, who gives his personal account of his internship year. This creates a sense of intimacy, authenticity, and immediacy for the reader. It also allows the reader to see the world through Roy's eyes and to understand his thoughts and feelings.
The use of colloquial language: The book uses informal language that reflects the slang, jargon, and acronyms of the medical profession. This creates a sense of realism, humor, and irony for the reader. It also allows the reader to learn some of the terms and expressions used by doctors.
The use of satire: The book uses satire as a literary device to expose and criticize the flaws and follies of medicine. Satire is a form of humor that uses exaggeration, irony, ridicule, and sarcasm to make a point. Satire can be used to entertain, educate, or persuade the reader.
The humor and irony of the book
The humor and irony of the book are evident in:
The rules of the House Of God: The rules of the House Of God are humorous and ironic statements that summarize some of the lessons learned by Roy and his friends during their internship. They are humorous because they are witty, clever, and funny. They are ironic because they often contradict or mock some of the official or conventional principles or practices of medicine.
The names of the characters: The names of the characters are humorous and ironic because they often reflect some aspect of their personality or role in the story. For example, Leggo is the chief of medicine who is rigid and inflexible; Pinkus is a cardiologist who has a pink complexion; Eat My Dust Eddie is an endocrinologist who is always behind; Hyper Hooper is a hypochondriac who thinks he has every disease; etc.
The situations and events: The situations and events in the book are humorous and ironic because they often involve some form of absurdity, contradiction, or reversal. For example, Roy saves a patient's life by doing nothing; Chuck delivers a baby by using a coat hanger; Eddie cures a patient's diabetes by giving him candy; Potts dies by jumping off the roof; etc.
The criticism and controversy of the book
The criticism and controversy of the book stem from:
The portrayal of medicine: The book portrays medicine in a negative light, showing its dark side rather than its bright side. It exposes some of the problems and challenges of medicine, such as the lack of quality care, the abuse of power, the violation of ethics, the loss of humanity, and the risk of burnout. It also challenges some of the myths and ideals of medicine, such as the nobility of the profession, the superiority of the science, and the sanctity of the oath.
The portrayal of doctors: The book portrays doctors in a realistic way, showing their strengths and weaknesses, their virtues and vices, their hopes and fears, and their joys and sorrows. It shows that doctors are not gods, but human beings who make mistakes, who have flaws, who have needs, and who have feelings. It also shows that doctors are not saints, but sinners who can be selfish, greedy, arrogant, dishonest, or cruel.
The portrayal of patients: The book portrays patients in a diverse way, showing their complexity and diversity, their individuality and uniqueness, their dignity and autonomy, and their preferences and values. It shows that patients are not objects, but subjects who have stories, who have rights, who have opinions, and who have emotions. It also shows that patients are not diseases, but people who have lives, who have relationships, who have goals, and who have dreams.
Conclusion
House Of God is a classic satire of medical training and practice that has influenced generations of doctors and readers. It is a book that is both entertaining and enlightening, both humorous and serious, both fictional and factual. It is a book that offers a unique perspective on medicine and life, that challenges some of the assumptions and expectations of medicine and society, and that inspires some of the changes and improvements in medicine and culture. It is a book that is worth reading and discussing.
The impact and legacy of the book
House Of God has had a significant impact and legacy on medicine and literature. Some of its impact and legacy are:
It has become a cult classic among doctors and medical students, who often quote or refer to it in their conversations or writings.
It has inspired many other books, films, TV shows, podcasts, blogs, etc. that deal with medicine or health care in a humorous or satirical way.
It has contributed to the development of medical humanities, which is an interdisciplinary field that explores the connections between medicine and arts.
It has sparked debates and discussions about various issues related to medicine and society, such as medical education, medical ethics, doctor-patient relationship, health care system, etc.
It has led to some reforms and innovations in medicine and health care, such as improving the working conditions of doctors and interns, enhancing the quality of care for patients and families, promoting the humanistic aspects of medicine, etc.
The relevance and importance of the book today
House Of God is still relevant and important today because it still reflects some of the realities and challenges of medicine and society. Some of its relevance and importance are:
It still resonates with many doctors and medical students who face similar pressures and dilemmas as Roy and his friends.
It still raises awareness about some of the problems and issues that affect medicine and health care today.
It still provides insight into some of the aspects and dimensions of medicine that are often overlooked or neglected by others.
It still offers hope and encouragement to those who work in or care about medicine.
It still reminds us that medicine is not only a science but also an art.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about House Of God:
Q: Is House Of God based on a true story?A: House Of God is based on Samuel Shem's own experience as an intern at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston in 1973-1974. However, he changed some details to protect the identity of the people involved or to enhance the effect of the story. He also added some fictional elements to create a more coherent narrative.
Q: What does GOMER stand for?A: GOMER stands for Get Out Of My Emergency Room or Get Out Of My ER. It is a derogatory term used by doctors to refer to elderly or chronically ill patients who are frequent visitors to the emergency room or hospital. They are often seen as hopeless cases who take up valuable resources without any benefit.
Q: What are some other books by Samuel Shem?A: Some other books by Samuel Shem are The Spirit Of The Place (2008), Mount Misery (1997), Fine (1994), The House Of God (1984), etc.
Q: Where can I find more information about House Of God?
A: You can find more information about House Of God on the official website of Samuel Shem, www.samuelshem.com. You can also find reviews, interviews, podcasts, videos, etc. on various online platforms. Q: How can I get a copy of House Of God?
A: You can get a copy of House Of God from various online or offline sources. You can buy it as a paperback, hardcover, ebook, or audiobook. You can also borrow it from a library or a friend. Q: How can I contact Samuel Shem?
A: You can contact Samuel Shem through his website, www.samuelshem.com. You can also follow him on social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and learned something from it. If you have any comments, questions, or feedback, please feel free to share them with me. I would love to hear from you.
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