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Language:Publisher:
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EnglishHarperCollins Canada
Canadian Hardcover Edition
About Unlike the Rest:
In this personal story of becoming, belonging and being seen, a psychiatry resident pulls back the curtain on the journey to becoming a doctor.
From childhood, Chika Oriuwa dreamed of being a doctor. She knew that she was destined to wear the white coat one day, no matter what it took. The high of being accepted to the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine in 2016 came crashing down when Oriuwa discovered she was the only Black student in her incoming class of 259 students. Oriuwa soon learned that medical school and a medical career are not immune to the systemic discrimination that permeates the fabric of our world.
Interwoven with descriptions of on-the-ground medical training, personal moments of doubt and success, and reflections on mental health and family expectations, Unlike the Rest is the moving and inspiring story of a young doctor’s journey through medical school and residency, where she found her calling in the science and in the patients, but also felt alone and lonely, and compelled to advocate for change, not only for those in training but for those in care. And while the risks in speaking up seemed great, to simply endure was unacceptable.
If you’ve ever doubted that you belong or struggled to find your voice, Unlike the Rest will inspire you to stay true to yourself and fight for what you believe in.
Awards, Nominations, and Distinctions:
Finalist – Toronto Book Awards
Critical Praise:
"Searing...Unlike any book I've read by any other physician."
"With a poetic flair and stories that will make you laugh and cry, Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa has written a powerful and compelling book with Unlike the Rest: A Doctor’s Story. Sharing her arduous journey to hurdle systemic racial barriers at medical school, while also infusing her story with poignant musings on motherhood, friendships and spoken word poetry, she reveals nuances of health care and the education system that many of us don’t see."
"While we can never walk in another person’s shoes, Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa’s recounting of becoming a physician is a vivid, inspiring invitation to walk that road with her."
"With vulnerability and poetic charge, Oriuwa brings forth her most empowered voice. Unlike the Rest beckons readers to consider, without compromise, the realities and dreams of someone who is Black, woman, and doctor. A must-read."
"A vivid and touching memoir. Dr. Oriuwa's telling of her journey to becoming a doctor, accomplished poet, a mother, and an advocate in the face of such familiar isolation and anti-Black racism is a sincere account of what it means to be "twice as good." At once painful and inspirational, Dr. Oriuwa's tenacity and generosity in the face of the unrelenting pressure...offers a tale of triumph that lingers."