"Johnston makes a convincing case that people can’t fully heal while working inside systems that require disconnection for survival. Her book is both provocative and heartfelt, an effective combination that will appeal to those both inside and outside the medical profession. A stirring argument for institutional change."
—Kirkus Reviews

"A persuasive memoir and healthcare treatise, Disconnected argues that the medical field should progress beyond the broken status quo and place more focus on the humanity of patients and medical practitioners."
—Foreword Clarion Reviews

“Disconnected is a courageous and necessary book about what happens when excellence comes at the cost of self. With honesty and clarity, vascular surgeon Dr. Johnston exposes the culture of medicine that quietly rewards disconnection from our bodies, our relationships, and our deeper sense of purpose. This is not simply a story of burnout; it is a story of identity, of what we sacrifice to belong, and of the quiet reckoning that follows achievement. Every surgeon and high performer will recognize themselves in these pages. This book is not an indictment of medicine. It is an invitation to remember why we entered it—and how to come home again.”
—DR. PAUL W. M. FEDAK, professor of cardiac surgery and director of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute at the University of Calgary

“In Disconnected, Dr. Lily Johnston gives voice to something many physicians feel but rarely articulate. With courage and clarity, she exposes how modern medical training and healthcare culture normalize disconnection from ourselves, from our patients, and from the deeper purpose that drew us to medicine in the first place. This book is both a personal journey and a systems-level critique, written with insight that will resonate with current clinicians and the next generation of physicians. It’s an essential read for anyone who cares about the future of medicine, not just as a profession, but as a human calling.”
—DR. DOMINIC P. D’AGOSTINO, associate professor, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, USF Morsani College of Medicine

“Disconnected is a fearless and necessary look inside a system that is failing both doctors and patients. Dr. Johnston tells the truth many clinicians are afraid to say out loud—and in doing so, she opens the door to the kind of healing medicine desperately needs.”
—BRENDA SNOW, author of Diagnosed: The Essential Guide to Navigating the Patient Journey and founder/ CEO of Snow Companies

“Dr. Lily Johnston’s story resonates deeply—a physician who stepped away from the intensity of surgery to embrace true healing at its roots. Her book beautifully captures the power of food, movement, and mindset in restoring health and joy. It’s heartfelt, wise, and a reminder to all of us that medicine is at its best when it helps people thrive, not just survive.”
—DR. MARK CUCUZZELLA, FAAFP, MHP, and author of Run for Your Life

“In clear-eyed, urgent prose culled from years of working inside the medical profession as a surgeon, Dr. Lily Johnston shares flaws in our health systems with an astounding level of empathy. Sounding the alarm without descending into despair, Disconnected implores us to resist apathy and outlines how we can enact joy and build true connection, even in the darkest of moments.”
—ADAM DORSAY, PsyD, psychologist, and author of Super Psyched