Article 9: 18 Books for Your Summer 2025 Reading List
Expand your perspective on healthcare this summer with the ultimate pre-med media list featuring must-read medical memoirs, ethical deep-dives, and top-rated science podcasts.
Do you want to learn even more about medicine during the summer?
The HSAFP Executive Team has gathered the following books and podcasts to give aspiring healthcare leaders a head start on the science, ethics, and human drama they will soon encounter in real life. Whether you dive into a memoir from the operating room or a podcast about medical mysteries, every text on this list is worth your time. But you might be wondering, how were these texts chosen?
Each selection was chosen because it does at least one of three things:
Shows the human side of medicine, reminding us that every chart belongs to a person.
Unpacks complex science in plain language, proving that rigorous ideas are accessible.
Confronts the social forces that shape health outcomes so tomorrow’s professionals can deliver care that is both cutting‑edge and just.
Non-Fiction / Memoirs
The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
- A biography of cancer that blends science, history, and human resilience.
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
- A neurosurgeon reflects on life and mortality after a terminal diagnosis.
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
- An honest look at aging and how doctors can support dignity in care.
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks
- Fascinating case studies about the mysteries of the human brain.
Do No Harm by Henry Marsh
- A brain surgeon opens up about the struggles, triumphs, and humanity of the OR.
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman
- A powerful story of cultural conflict and the need for empathy in medicine.
Science and Medicine for Everyone
Stiff by Mary Roach
- A surprisingly funny and respectful exploration of what happens to the body after death.
The Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee
- The history and power of genetics, told like a story.
An Elegant Defense by Matt Richtel
- The immune system explained through personal stories and science.
The Body by Bill Bryson
- A fascinating and accessible tour of the human body that blends science, history, and surprising facts in Bryson’s signature storytelling style. Ethics, Justice, and Society
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
- How one woman’s cells transformed science without her consent.
Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington
- A vital history of medical abuse in Black communities.
What the Eyes Don’t See by Mona Hanna-Attisha
- The Flint Water Crisis, exposed by a determined pediatrician.
Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink
- A gripping nonfiction narrative that reads like a novel, chronicling the ethical chaos inside a New Orleans hospital after Hurricane Katrina — when doctors had to make life-ordeath decisions.
Fiction with Medical Themes
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
- Twin brothers grow up in an Ethiopian hospital in this unforgettable epic.
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
- A teen romance shaped by the realities of cystic fibrosis.
Intern by Sandeep Jauhar
- A young doctor’s raw and real experience through medical training.
Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens by Marieke Nijkamp
- A series of different stories that explore the lives of teens who have different disabilities.
Podcasts Worth Subscribing To:
Bedside Rounds Short, story‑driven episodes spotlighting strange and fascinating moments in medical history.
This Podcast Will Kill You Engaging deep dives into diseases that blend science, history, and gripping storytelling.
Sawbones A hilarious tour through the weird and wild past of medical treatment, hosted by a doctor‑comedian duo.
Choose Two (or more!)
This summer, we suggest you choose two texts that spark your curiosity, share what you learn with friends, and keep exploring. Your future patients—and the medical community—will benefit from the insight you start building today.