Just Trying to be a Doctor

About the Book

“Just Trying To Be A Doctor,” is a personal, honest, and humorous look into the life of the author, Dr. Stephen Griffith, as he worked diligently through the struggles of medical school to become a physician, balancing the rigors of the academic experience against the personal pressures that he faced daily. Funny and engaging, this book will cause readers to ponder the vulnerabilities that we all face when trying to succeed at a great endeavor, while smiling at the many mishaps and blunders that can occur during the journey. This book reveals the struggle of gaining entry into medical school. Each year at any given medical school, there can be over 20,000 initial applicants competing for only 150 positions. The vast majority of students starting out on this journey never make it to medical school. For a young student in this position, it is a very nerve-wracking, at times embarrassing, yet also rewarding process. Dr. Stephen Griffith writes about some of his unique first experiences in medical school, and shares what he has learned along the way. Many students have difficulties adjusting to life in a new city with the increased expectations and the heavy coursework, yet resist opening up and talking to others about their struggles. These issues are openly visited through short humorous stories. Dr. Griffith also shares touching unforgettable medical-school encounters with patients, as well as experiences that have left an indelible impression on him and have helped shape the person and physician that he has become. Furthermore, each chapter ends with an anecdote – a word of advice and encouragement to the readers and aspiring physicians who are also struggling to achieve their goals. This is a true as it gets – an honest window into the life of someone pursuing a degree in medicine. This book is for the 100,000 young people who aspire to a career in medicine and apply to medical school each year. It is also insightful reading for anyone with an interest in the real lives of medical students and physicians in hospitals across America.

About the Author

Stephen Griffith, M.D. first decided on a career in medicine at the tender age of 5, after accompanying his father, a physician in obstetrics and gynecology, to the hospital for weekend rounds. The son of a Barbados-born physician father and a Trinidad-born mathematician mother, he was home-schooled until the completion of high school. Never losing site of his goal, he graduated cum laude from Oklahoma City University in 1997 and from Saint Louis University School of Medicine in 2004. Dr. Stephen Griffith is currently a neurosurgery resident at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas.