Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

March 2024: The House of God

November 13, 2024 • TCOM Book Club

House Of God Book ImageThis classic novel of life and death in an American hospital has been hailed as one of the most important medical novels ever written. The Lancet named the House of God by Stephen Bergman, MD (aka, Samuel Shem, MD) as one of the two most important American medical novels of the 20th century, and the New York Times described it as “a raunchy, troubling, and hilarious novel that turned into a cult phenomenon.” However, others have characterized it as an infamous illustration of the hidden curriculum of medical school, including heart-breaking examples of depersonalization in the delivery of medical care.