46 pages 1 hour read

Samuel Shem

The House of God

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1978

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Chapter 23-Afterword

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 23 Summary

It’s May, and Roy has just started his last rotation for the internship year, which ends in two months. He’s working with a medical student who overlooks the fact that a patient whose chart mistakenly says she has lost a leg in fact has two legs. The interns have to decide what to do next, and whether to perform another internship year, as they are unofficially expected to do by the higher-ups. Chuck gets another unsolicited postcard with an offer for a practice in San Francisco. 

Roy goes to the Fat Man’s house to apologize for the last time they met, when Berry came to the hospital and the Fat Man chided him for not treating her better. Roy discovers that the Fat Man has been running a private clinic in his house for the past year—supposedly out of a desire to help his neighbors—and the two reconcile. The Fat Man’s desired fellowship, dealing with gastrointestinal issues for Hollywood stars, is all but assured. Roy thanks the Fat Man for all he had done for him in the past year. 

Despite his more positive feelings after his emotional breakthrough, Roy isn’t sure that he wants to continue in medicine.