By John Lofrese

Terrence Holt, MD, PhD‘s book, “Internal Medicine: A Doctor‘s Stories,” follows its author under the pseudonym Harper through his residency training in a series of nine vignettes that capture the gravity, intensity and absurdity of medical education‘s most formative years.

Neither sterile case review nor dramatic storytelling, each chapter seamlessly falls somewhere in between, demonstrating both the author‘s talent and the reality of daily life as a resident. Sharing the experience of a resident‘s nerve-wracking first night on call, the guilty pleasure of an exciting diagnosis, and misguided feelings of detached expertise, readers are brought to Holt's conclusion that the study of medicine is never truly over.

For busy medical professionals, this collection of short stories is the perfect way to relax and reflect.

Lofrese is a medical student at Upstate Medical University.