Dr Yumiko Kadota has written a phenomenal memoir about how she navigated through racism, sexism and tiresome working conditions to go from medical student to Plastic Surgeon.
Raw, unapologetic, impactful and dare I say, emotional! And it was these traits which made Emotional Female worth reading!
Kadota's book is separated into moments of her journey of becoming experienced in her surgical field as a Student, Intern, Registrar and Teacher. Each section brings to light discrimination, racism and sexism that Kadota was subject to throughout her path to expertise. I enjoyed that the chapters read as little short stories, delivering challenges faced and the manner in which our brave author overcame them. I loved this format as it allowed readers to focus and process the unfathomable events and interactions Kadota endured causing damage to her love and passion for surgery.
I have always had the utmost respect for the physicians who are tending to our wounds and treating our illnesses and as someone who has had quite a few interactions with medical practitioners in the past, I was left gobsmacked of the extent of the political and toxic behaviour which goes on behind the scenes. We are only given a small glimpse into the bullying and harassment which young doctors are subject to along with sexism that female doctors endure too. As a patient we aren't privvy to the conversations between junior doctors and their seniors and it was so saddening to read the stories that young doctors such as Dr Kadota lived through.
I have always he utmost respect for the physicians who are tending to our wounds, yet I m gobsmacked of the political and toxic behaviour which goes on behind the scenes which only a glimpse has been brought to light in this book. As a patient we aren't privvy to the conversations between junior doctors and their seniors and it was so saddening to read the stories that young doctors such as Dr Kadota lived through.
I really like how the teaching of medicine now focuses on empathy and interpersonal skills but it is so unfortunate that there are many veteran doctors in the industry who don't see the value in it nor have an interest in practicing it in their work. Empathy is so vital in a patient's mental health when delivering a diagnosis and supporting a patient and their family through trauma and illness. There are multiple studies which discuss the importance of empathy in healthcare, but I won't bore you with the details here and continue on my book review. If you are interested in reading more about empathy and medicine, I'll add some links at the end.
I love how we see this young doctor overcoming discrimination and adversity in her studies and workplace as she strives towards making her dreams come true. I admire how she has given little nuggets of gold advice that we can take away and apply in our day to day lives to make our own workplace better for not just ourselves but those around us, regardless of our industry.
Kadota bravely focuses on times where she experienced extreme mental and psychological darkness due to the ongoing working conditions and behaviour she was subject to; I commend her for boldly and openly speaking about her turmoil not just in this book but also on her blog Mind Body Miko.
I was left in awe reading some of the lower rated reviews of this book. Kadota is determined and driven and is sharing her story to allow for others to learn and grow from her experiences and provide a sense of solidarity for others who may have had a similar experience. There is nothing wrong with what she has aimed to do with her story and I find it difficult to understand why she should be negatively criticised for speaking her truth.
Thank you Dr Yumiko Kadota for so courageously sharing your story.
Empathy and Medicine:
https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/role-empathy-medicine-medical-students-perspective/2007-06
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/186692
Dr Yumiko Kadota's Blog: Mind Body Miko
https://mindbodymiko.com/tag/yumiko-kadota/
Completed On: 26th April 2021
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