Here’s hoping that you’ll find something on this list and take some time to relax and enjoy some summer reading! A true potpourri of recommendations from your CAFP Committee on Continuing Professional Development (CCPD) and your CAFP Staff.
NASEM report on Implementing High Quality Primary Care – Laura Murphy, MD
National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, (NASEM) examined the current state of primary care in the United States and developed an implementation plan to build upon the recommendations from the 1996 IOM report, "Primary Care: America's Health in a New Era", to strengthen primary care services in the United States, especially for underserved populations, and to inform primary care systems around the world. A free pdf version of the report is available HERE.
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Pérez – Laura Murphy, MD
This is a book about unconscious bias. This is essentially a collection of statistics which entail how systems made by men and for men are minimizing and marginalizing the other 50% of the population.
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski – Shayne Poulin, MD
This groundbreaking book explains why women experience burnout differently than men—and provides a simple, science-based plan to help women minimize stress, manage emotions, and live a more joyful life.
The Gift of Imperfection by Brene Brown – Shayne Poulin, MD
In the preface of her book, she says: “How much we know and understand ourselves is critically important, but there is something that is even more essential to living a “Wholehearted life”: loving ourselves.”
Educated by Tara Westover – Catrina Reyes, Esq.
I thought I was pretty good at teaching myself—until I read Tara Westover’s memoir Educated. Her ability to learn on her own blows mine right out of the water. ~ Bill Gates
So You Want to Talk About Race – Sarah McNeil, MD
Because the differences are systemic and ingrained and cultural in every facet of our lives; race looms large over almost all the problems that exist today. This book is one tool for the tool bag when engaging on the subject – and a quick read.
Nice Racism by Robin DiAngelo – Carol Havens, MD
Following her first popular book ‘White Fragility’, this details many circumstances in which a white person can look at their behavior and make change, i.e. making sure that in being 'nice', we are not accidentally using that as an excuse for doing nothing, or enacting racial harm in another way, like not speaking up, not recognizing power dynamics, hiding behind politeness, or talking about how we are 'one of the good ones' and thereby excusing ourselves from any racism we may have enacted.
Education of An Idealist by Samantha Powers – Morgan Cleveland
An engaging and highly reflective book. Extremely well written and has a great POV on the way activism and government and getting actual changes made can intersect as well as work against each other.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee – Catrina Reyes, Esq.
What a marvelous, deeply engrossing novel about four generations of a Korean family in Japan. There was a lot of story here and a lot of history and it is all rendered in impeccable prose with a touch of steeliness.
Better : A Surgeon's Notes on Performance by Atul Gawande – Pamela Mann, MPH
"Better" collects surgeon Atul Gawande's recent essays on medicine in three categories--Diligence, Doing Right, and Ingenuity.
The Art of Gathering : How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker – Morgan Cleveland
Priya understands the magic that happens when people get together for a purpose, and she also understands how miserable it can be without proper planning. Her examples are vast and eye-opening, and she presents her theories with humor and grace.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr – Jerri Davis, CHCP
So captivating - from the beautiful writing to the strong, caring characters to the loving relationships and the way people touched each other's lives during the trying times of WW II.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman – Jerri Davis, CHCP
Ok, I read this two summers ago, but I still remember the journey with quirky Eleanor through the past and present. It was thought-provoking and bizarre at times but very engaging. And, while it is mainly about Eleanor, there are a few other interesting characters met along the way as well.
