Consented

“A rare and vulnerable confession and call to action, Consented offers a firsthand account of how the medical system propels clinicians to disregard patients’ humanity—and ultimately, their own. Dr. Zha offers a deeply personal, political, and urgent model of self-reflection for her colleagues.”—Jennifer Block, author of Everything Below the Waist“In a system where medical authorities routinely override individual agency, Consented exposes how clinical norms and medical culture dictate the experiences of the body and healthcare.”—Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD, author of What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear“[A]n unflinching review … examining everything from consent forms to pain management under the harshest fluorescent lights, highlighting the many ways we fail ourselves and our patients, despite our best efforts. Not even Dr. Zha herself is safe from her own criticism, as she vulnerably shares the lessons she learned from times she did not live up to her own standards. Where others might stop at describing the problem, Dr. Zha shares a vision of a different future, one in which both patients and physicians are far better served.”—Arghavan Salles, MD, PhD, bariatric surgeon, Special Advisor for DEI Programs in Stanford’s Department of Medicine, and national leader in gender equity“Dr Zha’s unique blend of humour, knowledge and compassion shine through in this book. She has the ability to speak to doctors, patients and their families in a way that helps to break down the barriers that we experience when seeking healthcare. Consented should be required reading for all medical students and aspiring healthcare workers so they can begin to better understand how to best serve their most vulnerable patients.”—Disabled Ginger, a leading Substack voice on disability advocacy and chronic illness justice“Through deep reflection and piercing storytelling, Consented shows readers how physicians can hold on to our humanity while doing the superhuman work of caring for others. Dr. Zha calls out the dehumanizing and violent traditions of modern medicine and calls us into a healthcare revolution that begins with believing patients.”—Alyssa Burgart, MD, MA, Stanford pediatric anesthesiologist and bioethicist, author of the Substack Poppies & Propofol, and op-ed voice in The Washington Post, USA Today, Slate, JAMA, and more“This book is many things—honest, raw, compelling, and courageous. Dr. Zed Zha delivers a heavy message with lighthearted clarity, weaving together historical context, vivid personal stories, and well-documented evidence.”—James Withers, MD, founder of Operation Safety Net and The Street Medicine Institute and internationally recognized pioneer of street medicine“As physicians we learn to ignore fear, deny flaws, and push forward. This book challenges this, showing how unchecked behaviors harm both us and our patients.”—Zeest Khan, MD, Stanford-trained anesthesiologist turned Long COVID advocate, host of the Long Covid, MD podcast“This book demonstrates how modern medical care has deteriorated into toxicity and harm, far from its roots in patient advocacy and caring. Dr. Zha shows us how an approach to healthcare can be human-forward, remind[ing] us that empathy has an essential role in healthcare.”—Robin Taylor, writer and community-builder, trans and queer activist, and founder of SmallStack and GenderWild Press“In Consented, Dr. Zha takes a laser focus on consent, autonomy, and medical trauma … [and] points us to the possibilities for a future of equitable, collaborative, and safe health care. A validating guide for patients and essential reading for every health professional, this book charts a clear path toward fair and just medicine.”—Christine Gibson, MD, family physician, trauma therapist, speaker, and author of The Modern Trauma Toolkit

Zed Zha, MD is a board-certified family physician, author, and medical historian. A graduate of the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, she trained at the Mayo Clinic and completed a fellowship in Underserved Dermatology. A first generation immigrant from China, Dr. Zha is dedicated to migrant and immigrant health.

Dr. Zha is a fellow and faculty member of the AAFP and a frequent speaker at national conferences. Her research has been published widely, and her award-winning medical justice writings, including viral essays, have appeared in several major outlets.