Takeaway
This novel reminded me that even in a complex healthcare system, individual clinicians can make a substantial contribution to the ethical treatment of their patients.
Lifelong Learning in Clinical Excellence | January 31, 2024 | 1 min read
By Joan Naidorf, DO
Dr. Jennifer Lycette has put readers on the edge of their seats again with her second novel, “The Committee Will Kill You Now.” This novel is another medical thriller with a dose of social commentary on the side.
After a co-intern dies by suicide, grieving protagonist Noah Meier makes a medical error. In a desperate move to save his patient’s life, he covertly seeks help from brash surgical resident, Marah Maddox. Their effort to help the critically ill patient ignites a complex bond between them.
When the hospital is suspiciously quick to sweep everything about the error and suicide under the rug, Noah turns for guidance to the journal of his late father, a respected surgeon. He makes a chilling discovery about the early days of life-prolonging renal dialysis in the Seattle area and how it was rationed. The repercussions of decisions made by an anonymous committee made decades earlier still resound.
As the hospital’s patriarchal power structure, the truth about his father’s past, and the consequences of his own error conflate, Noah has tough decisions to make. He will have to choose to shoulder his father’s devastating legacy or create his own authentic and transparent future.
The novel deftly ties in a historical angle with contemporary themes of sexual harassment and mental health crises among trainees. Residency directors perpetuate a dangerous and abusive system to preserve their reputations. Lycette brings a message of hope amidst the considerable obstacles she places in front of her characters.
Medical trainees, those affected by medical errors, and patients living without homes, can all be treated respectfully within the framework of a teaching hospital. Medical training and treatment can be both compassionate and ethical. By the end, Noah finally figures out, “how to be a physician for the body and the soul.”
This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.