This is Going to Hurt audiobook cover - Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor

This is Going to Hurt

Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor

Adam Kay

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ScienceBiography & Memoir

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This is Going to Hurt
The Reality of NHS Doctors+
Career Progression & Trial by Fire+
Bizarre Medical Encounters+
Systemic NHS Failures+
The Breaking Point+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6
According to the text, what is a primary reality of working as a junior doctor in the NHS?
  • A. A leisurely schedule supplemented by pharmaceutical industry kickbacks.
  • B. Enduring grueling workweeks with low pay and immense life-or-death responsibilities.
  • C. Extensive, closely monitored on-the-job training with a dedicated consultant.
  • D. Focusing primarily on academic research rather than direct patient care.
Question 2 of 6
Why did Adam Kay choose to specialize in obstetrics and gynaecology?
  • A. It offered the highest starting salary for senior house officers.
  • B. He wanted to avoid the high-stress environment of the Accident and Emergency department.
  • C. It was the subject of his school thesis and he liked the idea of helping bring new life into the world.
  • D. He was assigned the specialty due to an administrative error in the NHS system.
Question 3 of 6
How does the text describe the impact of a junior doctor's schedule on their personal relationships?
  • A. It makes sustaining long-term relationships incredibly difficult due to severe exhaustion and frequently canceled plans.
  • B. It allows for generous vacation time to reconnect with family despite the long daily shifts.
  • C. It forces doctors to socialize exclusively with other medical professionals who understand the schedule.
  • D. It provides a healthy work-life balance once the doctor reaches the rank of senior house officer.
Question 4 of 6
Throughout his career, Adam encountered numerous bizarre patient situations. Which of the following was a misconception he had to address with a patient?
  • A. A patient who believed a ventouse procedure involved using an actual household vacuum cleaner.
  • B. A patient refusing antibiotics due to a conspiracy theory that the doctor was in cahoots with the pharmaceutical industry.
  • C. A young man who thought sliding down a lamp post would safely cure a skin condition on his hands.
  • D. A mother who insisted on delivering her baby in the hospital parking lot to avoid medical equipment.
Question 5 of 6
How did the 2006 NHS technology 'upgrade' affect Adam's day-to-day work in the hospital?
  • A. It severely slowed down simple tasks, such as prescribing treatments, due to poorly designed drop-down menus.
  • B. It successfully modernized the labor ward by providing every doctor with a personal, high-speed tablet.
  • C. It automatically diagnosed complex conditions, significantly reducing the rate of human error.
  • D. It accidentally erased all patient records, forcing the doctors to rely entirely on paper files.
Question 6 of 6
What was the primary catalyst that ultimately led Adam Kay to leave the medical profession?
  • A. A lucrative offer to become a television comedy writer.
  • B. The 2016 salary cuts implemented by the Secretary of State for Health.
  • C. A tragic incident involving an undiagnosed condition that resulted in a baby's death and severe danger to the mother.
  • D. The physical exhaustion of performing routine caesarean sections during the day shift.

This is Going to Hurt — Full Chapter Overview

This is Going to Hurt Summary & Overview

This is Going to Hurt (2017) is a revealing look at the daily reality of working as a doctor in the UK today, as experienced by one man who rose through the ranks of the country’s National Healthcare System (NHS). At times painfully funny, and in others disturbingly grim, author Adam Kay’s personal recollections and diary entries offer a warts-and-all look at the life of a doctor in the NHS.

Who Should Listen to This is Going to Hurt?

  • Medical students and aspiring doctors
  • People curious about healthcare in the UK
  • Anyone interested in some medical horror stories

About the Author: Adam Kay

A former doctor, Adam Kay is currently a British comedian and a writer for television shows such as Mitchell and Webb, Up the Women and Very British Problems. He also performs regularly sold-out shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and his book, This is Going to Hurt, was named Non-Fiction Book of the Year by the UK’s National Book Awards.

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