The pathway to a career isn’t always straightforward. Not everyone dreams of becoming a doctor, let alone a surgeon, since childhood. Author Dennis Pitt certainly didn’t. Like his grandfather and parents, Dennis had his sights set on a career in the Canadian Armed Forces. But after a few pivotal events, he applied to medical school. And once there, the path wasn’t any clearer: What area to specialize in? What internships and specialist residencies to apply for? How do you balance a personal life with a demanding education and career?

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Inspired by his mother’s own memoir to document family history, Dennis wrote A Journey in Surgery: The Memoir of a Canadian Surgeon. From the influences of his childhood and adolescence to the ups and downs of medical school, Dennis navigated sometimes rocky terrain to become an “average” (his words) general surgeon. This memoir combines personal anecdotes and family history with elements of medical memoirs to offer a glimpse into the life of a surgeon—and life beyond surgery. Direct and self-aware, this memoir offers valuable commentary on the history of medicine as well as its future. 

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More than anything, A Journey in Surgery is about finding your path in life and maintaining the right balance once you’re on it. Because once you can appreciate all the wonderful people and experiences life has to offer, it’ll make all the challenges worth it.

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