Summer Reading: Island Practice, About A Rare Physician on Nantucket

Summer seems the right time for reading Island Practice, a book about a surgeon who lives and works on Nantucket. This engaging work profiles a craggy, eccentric and trusted doctor who, by circumstance and availability, takes care of many people on the island with all kinds of ailments – physical, psychological, minor and life-threatening. The story, now available in paperback, offers a window into the year-round experience of living in a small offshore community. Island Practice

The book probes the relationships formed when a doctor is immersed in his community. There are few secrets. As reported by the detail-oriented Pam Belluck, a NYT journalist, Dr. Tim Lepore arrived on Nantucket in early 1983 with his wife and children. Over time, the people who live there got to know his politics, habits, pet interests and political views. As described, the Harvard-educated, Tufts-trained Lepore is a gun-collecting libertarian. He practices medicine with old-fashioned attention to each patient, variable billing and a conscience that makes it hard for him to leave the island. Lepore takes pride in his work, knows the limits of his knowledge and surgical skills, and cares. He treats famous Democrats with summer homes, businessmen stopping by on yachts, or hermits hiding out in well-furnished holes in the island’s woods.

It’s refreshing to read a story of a physician who practices on his own terms, who manages to set his viewpoints apart from his work. That’s how I was trained to practice medicine, and to what I aspired in my practice, years back – to treat each person the same and carefully, no matter what their background and opinions. So unlike the Florida doctor who, during the health care debate was reported to have posted a sign on his door that Obama supporters should seek care elsewhere. And so much like the Palestinian surgeon portrayed in a film I saw recently, the Attack, who worked to heal wounded Israeli trauma patients. Good medical care is apolitical.

I suspect many of my readers – patients and physicians – would enjoy this worthwhile book and perspective on an unusual doctor’s life.

And on that note, I will close out this blog for summer.

Safe travels and health, to all, ES

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2 Comments

  • Thanks for the book idea. Sounds great, I’ll definately try it out. I grew up in ME, spent every summer at a lake with less wealthy but similarly diverse neighors, we all looked out for each other and it was a wonderful childhood. Now as a FP in suburbia, I enjoy my summer visits back home. Enjoy your summer off from the blog.

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