I would like to welcome Dr. Richard Sheff to Books R Us. Richard is the author of Doctor Confidential: Secrets Behind the Veil
Thanks for stopping by. A Budding Writer’s Journey
As recounted in the prologue of Doctor Confidential: Secrets Behind the Veil, I knew from the time I finished medical school and residency training as a family physician that I had a book inside me that had to get out. My journey through medical training taught me there is so much wrong with how we train physicians and take care of patients. With all the passion of youth I wanted to change the world. So the year I finished residency, I outlined the book and began writing. That year was 1984. The book is now complete, with a release date of May 1, 2011. In between I have co-authored 18 trade books in the fields of healthcare leadership and management. But the book I knew I had to write remained unfinished…until now.
Back in 1984 I got 70 pages into the writing and stopped in frustration. It felt sophomoric, and I couldn’t find my writer’s voice. Several times over the years I picked it up and tried writing again, but each time with the same result. Then, in a chance encounter, I sat next to a woman on an airplane. When she found out I was a physician, she paused, and then said, “I’ve been told I have only six months to live.” Needless to say, this changed the tenor of our conversation. Near the end of our flight together she turned to me and asked, “What would you do if you knew you had only six months to live.” In a flash, my answer came. I’d write my book, the book that still lived within me. I knew if I died without writing it, some important part of my life would feel at best incomplete, and at worst a failure.
Suddenly I had an entirely new and compelling motivation to write “my book.” In spite of an exceptionally busy career, each weekend (at least each weekend I was home and not on the road for my work), I would tiptoe down to the basement as soon as I awoke and begin writing. Three or four hours later, I would emerge. Sometimes I had produced three to five pages of new prose. Sometimes I’d spent the entire time honing a single paragraph. I developed a deep appreciation for the writer’s craft, for what it takes to produce truly impactful writing. And slowly, painfully slowly over more then three years, the book that had lived within me emerged. This week that book—the book I have always known I needed to write—is finally available to the world. Early reviews are coming out that Doctor Confidential is touching the hearts of its readers. The journey has been worthwhile, ever so worthwhile.
About the Author-
Richard Sheff, MD is a family physician with over 30 years of experience in medicine. He chose the specialty of family medicine because he wanted to see and treat patients as whole people whose illness and wellness are a result of the complex interplay of their biological, psychological, social, and cultural circumstances. The years have taught him that to this must be added recognition of each patient's spiritual circumstances if they are truly to be seen as a whole person, including understanding their illness and wellness. You can read my mom's review of this fascinating book here.
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