"Great for understanding and learning about how patients will have different needs and how even if a treatment doesn’t make the most medical sense to a physician that it can actually be the best option based on what is important to the patient. " - Ben on Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Atul Gawande's books, including Being Mortal (2014), The Checklist Manifesto (2009), Better (2007), and Complications (2002), offer valuable insights into various aspects of medical practice, helping premed students better prepare as future physicians. These books discuss challenges, limitations, and improvement areas in medicine, offering readers a deeper understanding of patient care, medical ethics, and healthcare systems.

Being Mortal focuses on the end-of-life care and the importance of maintaining patients' dignity, autonomy, and quality of life. This book can help premed students appreciate the significance of compassionate and person-centered care, enabling them to consider patients' individual needs and preferences when making medical decisions.

The Checklist Manifesto emphasizes the value of using checklists in healthcare to reduce errors, improve patient outcomes, and streamline complex processes. This book highlights the importance of organization, teamwork, and communication in medical practice, preparing premed students for the collaborative nature of their future careers.

Better discusses the pursuit of excellence in medicine, offering insights into the habits and practices of highly effective physicians. Through this book, premed students can develop a better understanding of medical professionalism and learn strategies to enhance their own performance.

Complications explores the uncertainties and complexities inherent in medical practice, examining how physicians make decisions, handle errors, and deal with unexpected outcomes. This book encourages premed students to acknowledge and confront these challenges, fostering a more resilient and adaptable mindset.

In summary, Atul Gawande's books provide premed students with valuable perspectives on various aspects of medicine, helping them develop a well-rounded understanding of the profession and preparing them to become empathetic, effective, and ethical physicians.

The MMI (Multiple Mini-Interview) Manual 2017/2018 by McMaster University is a guide prepared for interviewers and assessors participating in the MMI process for the university's undergraduate medical program. This manual helps premed students prepare as future physicians by familiarizing them with the unique educational approach at McMaster, which emphasizes self-directed learning, small group learning, and problem-based learning.

McMaster's medical program aims to graduate physicians with the capacity and flexibility to select any area within the broad field of medicine. To achieve this, the program encourages students to define their learning goals, select appropriate experiences to achieve these goals, and be responsible for assessing their progress. This approach helps students develop essential skills for lifelong learning.

The MMI is an important part of the admissions process, as it assesses applicants not only on their academic qualifications but also on personal characteristics and aptitudes such as problem-solving ability, self-appraisal, communication skills, and motivation to study medicine. This helps ensure that selected students are a good fit for McMaster's unique educational environment.

By participating in the MMI, premed students gain exposure to the types of qualities and skills expected from a McMaster medical student, such as the ability to work well in a flexible learning environment, communicate effectively with others, and demonstrate critical thinking. Understanding the MMI process and the qualities it aims to assess can help premed students prepare for their future medical careers and succeed in McMaster's distinctive educational program.

"Great book on ethical behaviour and compassionate medicine" - Ben