Which medical books will help me get into University? It’s a common question and one that doesn’t have a definitive answer.
Reading is an essential part of preparing for medical school interviews. You will read the news to keep up to date with current medical affairs and you will read your Personal Statement to ensure you know every detail like the back of your hand. Most importantly, though, you will need to be reading books relating to the subject you’re applying for – in this case, medicine!
There are a lot of books available covering the field of medicine, so it can feel overwhelming trying to decide what to read, so this guide is here to help. We’ll explain how you should approach your book selection and offer a few recommendations for excellent starter books to help you impress your interviewers at your chosen medical schools.
Why Is Reading Important For Medical School?
It may seem obvious, but engaging in wider reading for your subject is greatly beneficial for your application prospects, subject learning and personal development. There are no downsides to learning more about the field you’re interested in, but there are plenty of benefits:
- You learn more about the subject you're interested in.
- You hear from a variety of different perspectives, broadening your view of medicine.
- You have the chance to discover new interests and specialities within medicine.
- You have the chance to form your own opinions and think critically about what you've read.
- You have more to discuss with interviewers, mentors and peers.
So with all of this in mind, the next question to answer is “What Should You Read”?
UniAdmissions is the world’s first Oxbridge preparatory school, getting students into Oxbridge for over ten years.
The most effective way to prepare and practice for your Oxbridge medicine application is to engage with our expertly designed Oxbridge Programmes. You’ll have access to expert tutors, live intensive courses, a large library of resources and much more – everything you’ll need to become the perfect Oxbridge applicant.
Discover our Oxbridge Medicine Programmes below and find out how you can enrol and triple your chances of success.
What Books Should I Read For Medical School?
We’ve established that reading is a good habit to build for your career and general life, but what kind of books are the most beneficial? Since we’re talking about medical school here, books relating to healthcare would be an obvious pick. However, there’s an important distinction to make:
Fiction or Non-Fiction?
While it’s clear that non-fiction books will be far more educational and relevant to your goals, is there any benefit to reading fictional books for your application?
In terms of reading to gain practical knowledge, fictional books aren’t going to help you. Even if a novel is written by someone with a lot of real-world knowledge and experience, the content of a book shouldn’t be seen as educational unless it’s based on real-world events or research. The events of a fictional book will always prioritise engaging storytelling over accuracy, so don’t go into a novel with that kind of expectation.
However, fictional books aren’t without their worth. There are plenty of novels based in the world of medicine that are praised for offering unique/relatable insights, making difficult topics easier to digest and offering interesting parallels with real-world events
Fictional books certainly shouldn’t take priority over non-fiction, but they can be good to read when you’re not working if you want to remain somewhat immersed in the field of medicine. They offer plenty of talking points too, whether you’re critically analysing a depiction of healthcare or discussing the real-world implications featured in the book.
Books Outside Of Medicine
There are plenty of books outside of medicine, but are these of any value to you? When looking at this question, we would mostly be thinking out non-fictional books that focus on personal and professional development (although books surrounding science will be helpful for anyone looking to go into medical research).
Often referred to as “Self-Help Books”, this kind of literature can be really useful for improving general skills in your life, such as organisation, time management, leadership and more. These are all important skills for medical students to have, so it would be worth finding some titles that appeal to you.
However, these types of books may not be the best to emphasise during your medical school interviews. If you’ve been asked to talk about something you’ve read, it’s best to stick to books about medicine, especially if you have any favourite books or books covering specialities that you’re interested in.
Recommended Books For Medicine Applicants
Of course, there are thousands of publsihed books to choose from covering all possible areas of medicine, so the list we’ve provided here is far from definitive. However, these are several books we would say every medical-student-to-be should read.
Not only will they give you ideas for things to discuss as ‘extra-reading’ in the interview, but they will also give you a far greater insight into the medical professional (and its flaws). They will broaden your view of medicine and hopefully provoke thought about how you will try to be the best doctor possible.
Do No Harm – Henry Marsh
This book is perfect for any wannabe surgeons out there (neuro or otherwise). It gives a great detailed description of being a medical professional and particularly the pitfalls surgeons and doctors face. It provides a realistic view of training as a surgeon, treating patients in the NHS and of the emotional impact of being a doctor.
When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi
Being Mortal - Atual Gawande
We grouped these two books together as they are often mentioned in the same sentence. They are frequently described as ‘life-changing’ and are often said to change your viewpoint on treating patients. They deal with death, dying and patient’s journeys at the end of life. These are beautifully written and incredibly moving. To anybody who cries easy – be warned.
Bad Science – Ben Goldacre
This book discusses the flawed nature of the scientific community. It’s a good place to start to learn how to analyse data given and teaches you to be more sceptical about the research you read! This would give you plenty to talk about in the science-focused parts of the interview. Bed Goldacre’s Bad Pharma is also worth a read, but Bad Science is a better starting point.
Medical Ethics: A Very Short Introduction – Tony Hope
This book is an incredible intro to anyone lacking in medical ethics knowledge, or for those who want a quick recap summary. It is definitely worth reading in the build-up to your interview to help prepare for any ethics questions that arise. It covers all the essentials and all the common topics at medical school interviews ask about.
The House of God – Samuel Shem
This book is less serious than those above, but no less essential. This satirical view of medicine is still relevant nearly 40 years later. Some things in medicine never change and this book highlights them all perfectly in an over the top manner. Maybe not one to mention in your interview directly, but is incredibly thought provoking about the flaws in modern medicine.
The above books are just a start and are by no means an exhaustive list of the best medical books to read. These are just the six that we would recommend (and have recommended) to anyone interested in medicine. If you can’t find time to read them all, then pick the ones that appeal to you the most. If you’re interested in finding books from adjacent subjects, our guide to Wider Reading features plenty more reading lists for all the major subjects.
These books will help you to stand out from the crowd when discussing interests during interviews and applications, although it’s important to ensure your grades and UCAT performance are still strong. UniAdmissions is here to help you with that!
There are plenty of other ways to boost your application, and if you want to take yours to the next level, enrol on a UniAdmissions Medicine Programme to access the most effective and comprehensive support available. If you’re applying to Oxford or Cambridge Medicine, we even have a dedicated programme for you. Check out the programme outline here for more information. Good luck with your wider reading!
Get into medical school with comprehensive support from UniAdmissions
UniAdmissions has supported Oxbridge applicants for over 10 years, and it all started with medicine. We’ve developed a comprehensive curriculum that covers everything from the UCAT to the interviews. Our guidance will give you the best chance of getting your offer!
Discover our Oxbridge Medicine Programmes below and find out how you can enrol and triple your chances of success.
