Ever wondered how your doctor made a diagnosis? Or why he or she recommended certain tests? Well, Dr. Jerome Groopman explains such inquiries in his book How Doctors Think.

Groopman describes the way doctors thought processes work in order to aid patients in receiving the best care possible. He discusses the causes of several types of clinical errors, for example pre-conceived notions, a reluctance to abandon an earlier teaching style and an inability to take into consideration contradictory evidence.

He uses many examples and speaks to numerous doctors in order to reveal common mistakes and thinking patterns. For example, someone with a history of binge drinking may be easily classified as suffering from withdrawal or cirrhosis of the liver without contemplating other possible problems. Or a patient may follow the advice of one doctor without getting a second opinion, sometimes missing out on a perhaps better treatment plan.

While How Doctors Think is an interesting peek into the mind of doctors, Groopman's writing style is rather dry and at times the book may become too technical for most lay people, such as when Groopman discusses the mechanics of the heart. Additionally, Groopman does give some advice to patients when dealing with their doctor, but there are really not enough recommendations on how to address a doctor engaging in one of the thinking patterns described. What exactly should a patient do when he or she feels the doctor has pre-conceived notions about him or her or the problem, without engaging in a full check-up? Or what about when a patient feels a diagnosis is wrong or incomplete? I guess readers will just have to wait for another book from Groopman to address these scenarios.

- Ashley