5 Books Every Medical Researcher Should Read

Reading is an essential ingredient in continuing education, sparking the imagination, and encountering new and interesting ideas. At Lifecycle Biotechnologies, it’s our view that we could all benefit from taking some time out of our week to set aside for reading. Easier said than done, we know. It’s really all about finding the right book, so check out this list of 5 books we think every medical researcher should read.

1. Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions by Richard Harris

Rigor Mortis takes a look at some of the problems that plague biomedical research and many of the studies that are performed in the field. It’s an eye-opening look at what most taxpayers, on the hook for $30 billion a year, think of as a nearly infallible industry. From the pressures of publishing in academia to the studies that can’t be replicated, the book takes a hard look at the biomedical research industry. It’s a must read for any medical researchers out there.

2. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks

In this classic book from 1985, Oliver Sacks recounts the stories of his patients’ bizarre neurological disorders. The patients run the gamut from those who seem mentally challenged, but have amazing talents, to others who can no longer recognize familiar objects or people. It’s still one of the most interesting and humanizing books on the neurologically impaired.

3. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Winner of several prestigious awards, Thinking, Fast and Slow is an insightful look into the two processes that determine how we think. As you may have guessed, one is fast, the other relatively slow. These two patterns of thinking influence our daily lives and the decisions we make in them. Kahneman engages the reader and shows them how the two interact and what can be done to use them to make better decisions in various scenarios.

4. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Henrietta Lacks was a poor, black tobacco farmer whose cells were taken from her in 1951 without her knowledge. Known only to scientists as HeLa, her cells went on to be crucial to the development of the polio vaccine, gene mapping, and more. Billions of her cells have been bought and sold, but her family still lives without enough money to afford health insurance. The book brings to life what until recently was the hidden story behind some of our medical breakthroughs.

5. America’s Bitter Pill: Money, Politics, Backroom Deals, and the Fight to Fix Our Broken Healthcare System by Steven Brill

Any medical researchers who want to learn more about what happens to their work as it moves further down the line towards patients should pick up this book. Brill began the book as an inside look at the abuses in the healthcare industry and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Yet it turned into something more, because while writing the book, Brill had to undergo urgent open-heart surgery. After surgery he was able to add his policy knowledge to what he learned as a patient and combines it all in this fascinating look at our healthcare system.

Have any other books you think medical researchers should read? Then help out your fellow readers and leave them in the comments!