Katrina Firlik is a neurosurgeon, one of only two hundred or so women among the alpha males who dominate this high-pressure, high-prestige medical specialty. She is also a superbly gifted writer-witty, insightful, at once deeply humane and refreshingly wry. In Another Day in the Frontal Lobe, Dr. Firlik draws on this rare combination to create a neurosurgeon's Kitchen Confidential-a unique insider's memoir of a fascinating profession.
Neurosurgeons are renowned for their big egos and aggressive self-confidence, and Dr. Firlik confirms that timidity is indeed rare in the field. "They're the kids who never lost at musical chairs," she writes. A brain surgeon is not only a highly trained scientist and clinician but also a mechanic who of necessity develops an intimate, hands-on familiarity with the gray matter inside our skulls. It's the balance between cutting-edge medical technology and manual dexterity, between instinct and expertise, that Firlik finds so appealing-and so difficult to master.
Firlik recounts how her background as a surgeon's daughter with a strong stomach and a keen interest in the brain led her to this rarefied specialty, and she describes her challenging, atypical trek from medical student to fully qualified surgeon. Among Firlik's more memorable cases: a young roofer who walked into the hospital with a three-inch-long barbed nail driven into his forehead, the result of an accident with his partner's nail gun, and a sweet little seven-year-old boy whose untreated earache had become a raging, potentially fatal infection of the brain lining.
From OR theatrics to thorny ethical questions, from the surprisingly primitive tools in a neurosurgeon's kit to glimpses of future techniques like the "brain lift," Firlik cracks open medicine's most prestigious and secretive specialty. Candid, smart, clear-eyed, and unfailingly engaging, Another Day in the Frontal Lobe is a mesmerizing behind-the-scenes glimpse into a world of incredible competition and incalculable rewards.
From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

Great look into a little-known career:

(Crossposted from LibraryThing)
Phenomenal book! The author covers a fascinating career that a very small percentage of us are privileged to peek into. She discusses it with humor, great anecdotes, and gravity (when necessary). Highly recommended!

Not all doctors are like this:

As a reader in a similar field to the author, I was hoping to read this book and be able to relate to the stories presented. Unfortunately this was not the case. I found the anecdotes and personal opinions rather embarrassing and narcissistic. The author expressed thoughts that some doctors may have fleetingly, but are able to self censor.
There are many other good biographies and collections by medical practitioners full of humanity, humility and far more information. Try Oliver Sacks as recommended... more info

eh. Nothing special:

I really wanted to like this book but it was mostly an account of how great the author thinks she is.

Uneven account of life as a neurosurgeon:

In general, this is the type of book I love - a first-hand account of someone's life and experiences. My favorite books in this genre offer both an account and a thoughtful exploration of the experiences. In the medical field, two of my favorite books are Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande and The Measure of Our Days: A Spiritual Exploration of Illness by Jerome Groopman.
In my opinion, Another Day in the Frontal Lobe: A Brain Surgeon Exposes Life on the Inside by... more info

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