The White Coat Diaries

August 1, 2020
A young resident at a Philadelphia hospital learns what it takes to be a medical professional in this debut novel by Sinha, who's a physician herself. When the story begins, Norah Kapadia is a newly minted doctor from New Jersey who is just beginning as an intern at Philadelphia General Hospital. It's a prestigious residency placement, and as she starts her three-year stint she must scramble to transform her stellar academic credentials into real-world medical skills. Her father, a pediatrician, died when she was 10, and her longing to better understand him has driven her hyperfocus on academics and becoming a doctor ever since. Thus, Norah unexpectedly finds herself a woman in her mid-20s who has been kissed precisely once; she's spread too thin as she tries to take care of herself and her career, defend her choices against her aging mother's cultural expectations about Indian womanhood, and help her brother with their family obligations. The story follows Norah and the ins- and outs of the personal and professional lives of the doctors she works with. As in the TV shows ER and Scrubs, the hospital is a soap opera of life, death, friendships, casual sex, love, mistakes, and humor. However, in this thoughtful, well-written story, those elements are simply the backdrop to Norah's self-exploration as she works to turn herself into a confident woman and an ethical doctor. An absorbing novel that follows the maturation of a strong, determined woman who--despite missteps--becomes who she wants to be.

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August 1, 2020
Norah Kapadia is hoping to follow in her father's footsteps by becoming a great doctor, but her outlook isn't promising?especially after she accidentally sticks herself with a needle. Plus, being on call is far from glamorous, with the sleep deprivation (she's learned to sleep sitting up) and having to take on the least-appealing jobs. However, when her attending doctor, Ethan Cantor, comes on the scene, he's both a potential mentor for Norah, as well as easy on the eyes. Ethan and Norah's work relationship quickly becomes more, until a medical mistake puts both of their careers on the line. Sinha's debut is a culturally diverse novel full of medical jargon interspersed with a love interest, an affair, and more. Norah's relationship with her Indian family is examined closely, especially as her mother is concerned that Norah hasn't found a nice Indian man to settle down with. Norah and her chaotic hospital work keep the story moving at a fast clip. The combination of women's fiction and soapy relationships in a hospital setting make this a good match for fans of Grey's Anatomy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

September 14, 2020
Physician Sinha sparkles in her enjoyable and realistic debut about an ambitious 26-year-old Indian American medical resident going through training. Norah Kapadia is facing a lot of pressure to be the perfect Indian daughter and a standout student. On top of that, she feels awkward around men in social situations and painfully aware of still feeling like a shy teenager. After she lands her prestigious internal medicine residency spot at Philadelphia General Hospital, she’s excited to get started—even more so once she meets the chief resident, Ethan Cantor, who starts out as Norah’s mentor and soon becomes the funny, smart, and charming man of her dreams. But as Norah learns, looks can be deceiving. After a member of their team makes a major mistake resulting in a patient’s death, Norah is forced to choose between covering up for her colleague and telling the truth—which may get her fired. The author writes with the expertise of a physician who has slogged through her own residency and training, realistically depicting the insane hours, the need to make life-changing decisions in moments, and the camaraderie among classmates. All dutiful daughters and hard workers will see themselves in Norah. Sinha’s tale is one to savor.