This is a poignant and incisive memoir of a woman doctor whose message is for all women with careers, families and other obligations. She is authentic and so can we all be, in our own ways, in this imperfect world. Humor helps too!

The Letter to a Young Female Physician portrays the real life experiences of a female physician. Being a woman physician is not an easy task as the sheer number of male doctors far outweighs its female counterparts. Not only is there a difference in the way that female vs male doctors may be treated, but also, there is a substantial difference in salary. In this book, Dr. Koven shares many stories of her time as a female doctor. She shares vignettes from her experiences as a doctor across her life span. Not only does she share her experiences and stories about medical procedures, but she also shares her observations and insights on the doctor and patient relationship which has evolved throughout the years. She shares how she manages to connect with some difficult patients and how important skills such as: attentiveness, empathy, humor and the ability to instill hope are so vitally important to the doctor-patient relationship. Patients who feel cared for and liked by their doctor experience better feelings about their doctor, take medications as prescribed, and possess more satisfaction about the care provided by the doctor. Another theme in the book centers around the family responsibilities that most female physicians have to handle. Female physicians must not only handle their work lives, but also, bear the burden of responsibilities as a mother and daughter within their family unit. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. I highly recommend it to any woman considering a position as a physician.