Career Library

Career Library

Using books to help you with your career

  • Don’t rush out and buy them all
  • Think about what issues you want the book to address
  • Do you need a book specifically targeting medical careers or would a more generic book be more useful at this stage
  • Choose a book aimed at your issues and your current situation
  • Try to access sample chapters (often available from publishers websites or sites such as Amazon) or borrow the book from a library to see if it suits your preferred style
  • Dip in and out of it until you have answered all your questions. Most career books are not designed to be read like a novel but like a reference book. Read a bit then give yourself time to digest it and reflect on how the information may affect you before proceeding.
  • Use the books interactively – they will not give you the answers but will help you to reach them if you reflect on the information provided or the exercises contained within them
  • Discuss what you have read, and any resources you have completed, with your tutors, supervisors, friends or parents. Have your questions been answered?
  • Do you need further help? Perhaps a mentor, coach or counsellor my be of use?

Potential Medical Students

Blundell A, Benjamin T. The essential guide to becoming a doctor. 2nd ed. London: BMJ Books; 2007.

Burgess J, Girgis S, Hebert K. The insiders’ guide to UK medical schools 2005/2006. 8th ed. Oxford: Blackwell BMJ Books; 2005.

Hopson B, Scally M. Build your own Rainbow: workbook for career and life management. 2nd ed. London: Kogan Page; 2000.

Preparing for the BMAT: the official guide to the biomedical admissions test. Oxford: Heinemann; 2005.

Shakur R. A Career in Medicine: do you have what it takes?  2nd ed. London: Royal Society of Medicine; 2006. Information available here and purchase information available here. 

Medical Students

Agha R. Making sense of your medical career. London: Hodder Arnold; 2005.

Blundell A, Benjamin T. The essential guide to becoming a doctor. 2nd ed. London: BMJ Books; 2007.

Cottrell E, Rebora C, Williams M. The medical student career handbook. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing; 2006.

Medical Careers Society and Careers Advisory Group. Nottingham Medical School Career Handbook. 5th ed. Nottingham: The University of Nottingham and Easy Midlands Healthcare Worforce Deanery; 2008. Available at http://www.eastmidlandsdeanery.nhs.uk/career_handbook_2008/

Shakur R. A Career in Medicine: do you have what it takes?  2nd ed. London: Royal Society of Medicine; 2006. Information available here and purchase information available here.  

Ward C, Eccles S. So you want to be a brain surgeon? A medical careers guide. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford Medical Publications; 2001.

Doctors

Attwood M, Curtis A, Pitts J, While R. Professional development: A guide for primary care. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing; 2005.

Chambers R. Career planning for everyone in the NHS: the toolkit. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing; 2005.

Chambers R. Survival Skills for GPs. Oxford: Radcliffe Medical Press; 1999.

Chambers R, Mohanna K, Field S. Opportunities and options in medical careers. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing; 2000.

Chambers R, Mohanna K, Thornett A, Field S. Guiding doctors in managing their careers: a toolkit for tutors, trainers, mentors and appraisers. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing; 2006.

Elton C, Reid J. The ROADS to success: A Practical Approach to Career Planning for Medical Students, Foundation Trainees (and Their Supervisors) . 2nd ed. Postgraduate Deanery for Kent, Surrey and Sussex; 2008.

Houghton A. Know yourself – the individual’s guide to career development in healthcare. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing; 2005.

Kersley SE. ABC of change for doctors. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing; 2006.

Kersley SE. Prescription for change. 2nd ed. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing; 2006.

Johnson C, Forrest F, Hall C. Getting ahead in medicine. A guide to personal skills for doctors. Oxford: Bios Publishers; 1998.

MacDonald R, Hadridge P. My beautiful career. London: BMJ Publishing Group; 2003.

Maity CK. Medical interviews and professional development. 2nd ed.
Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing; 2006. Review of this book can be found at: Hooke R. Medical interviews and professional development: an essential handbook for the junior doctor. BMJ Careers. 2007; 334: 156.

Mumford C. The medical job interview: secrets for success. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing; 2005.

Royal College of Physicians of  London. Careers information handbook for trainees. London: Royal College of Physicians; 2002.

Stainsby K. Develop your interpersonal and self-management skills: a practical resource for healthcare administrative and clerical staff. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing; 2007.