In 2017， Dr。 Suzanne Koven published an essay describing the challenges faced by female physicians， including her own personal struggle with "imposter syndrome"—a long-held secret belief that she was not smart enough or good enough to be a “real” doctor。 Accessed by thousands of readers around the world， Koven’s “Letter to a Young Female Physician” has evolved into a deeply felt reflection on her career in medicine。


Koven tells candid and illuminating stories about her pregnancy during a grueling residency in the AIDS era; the illnesses of her child and aging parents during which her roles as a doctor， mother， and daughter converged， and sometimes collided; the sexism， pay inequity， and harassment that women in medicine encounter; and the twilight of her career during the COVID-19 pandemic。 As she traces the arc of her life， Koven finds inspiration in literature and faces the near-universal challenges of burnout， body image， and balancing work with marriage and parenthood。


Shining with warmth， clarity， and wisdom， Letter to a Young Female Physician reveals a woman forging her authentic identity in a modern landscape that is as overwhelming and confusing as it is exhilarating in its possibilities。 Koven offers an indelible account， by turns humorous and profound， from a doctor， mother， wife， daughter， teacher， and writer who sheds light on our desire to find meaning， and on a way to be our own imperfect selves in the world。