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A reviewer |
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April 28, 2006 |
| In the Foothills of Medicine delves into several intriguing areas surrounding the world of medicine. Among these are an enlightening insight into the inner workings of the medical school and residency hierarchy, an examination of the lack of affordable healthcare for all Americans, an expression of concern about the dwindling numbers of family care physicians, a rare glimpse of the personal and emotional struggles that both physicians and their patients go through, and a call for more to be done to relieve the suffering of the underserved among us. McKersie, a former teacher, stresses that one of the chief purposes of the book is to educate, and he reveals that educating others and teaching them to help themselves was one of his primary reasons for becoming a doctor. Foothills provides several examples of patients' absence of health insurance and avoidance of physician consultations leading to many illnesses becoming life-threatening. McKersie drives home many of the above messages through his compelling and personal encounters with a wide range of patients. In addition to illustrating many of the problems with the healthcare situation in this country, these accounts present the author's deeply personal, emotional responses and reflections and remind the reader of the importance for doctors of treating the person, not just his or her body. Throughout the book, McKersie presents information and events in a style suitable for both medical professionals and the general public. He provides enough technical information to maintain the interest of other doctors, but he also gives sufficient explanations to clarify things for the layperson. The inclusion of a glossary and extensive endnotes provides the reader with more in-depth clarification and an invitation to read further on some of the book's fascinating topics. The book's prologue and epilogue take the reader to Nepal, where McKersie has traveled several times as a volunteer physician for the nonprofit organization Himalayan HealthCare. Through vivid accounts of two of his grueling treks to several villages in the foothills of the Himalayas, the reader will be captivated by the stark beauty of the landscape and by the strength, warmth, and grace of the Nepalese people, who face poverty, political unrest, and dangerous complications of their medical conditions, compounded by the remoteness of their mountain villages and by the only sporadic availability of adequate medical care. The text is appropriately supplemented by excellent photographs, several of which were taken by the author himself. Dr. McKersie's book will entertain and enlighten readers through its examination of the world of medicine and through its sobering descriptions of the frustrating, expensive, and dangerous reality that affordable, accessible healthcare is not available to everyone. The book would make a welcome addition to any library through its compelling content and well-balanced style that make it accessible and enjoyable to both medical professionals and the general public alike. |
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