本书以生命为主线，在对以“行医”为主题的经典油画的解析中，引导读者面对生命、认识生命、干预生命、敬畏生命。观之、品之、悟之，体悟医学之美，感悟医者仁心，憧憬医之大道，充实精神世界。
本书的读者对象为医学及医学相关类专业学生，每一幅画就是一堂医学人文课，通过医学和名画艺术融合学习，帮助医学生在英语阅读中感悟艺术魅力，享受医学，奉献医学，从而实现通识、专业和语言学习的完美结合。

CHAPTER 1 Facing Life
UNIT ONE Henry Norman Bethune
UNIT TWO Florence Nightingale
UNIT THREE The Four Doctors
CHAPTER 2 Bringing Life
UNIT ONE The Start of Life--Childbirth
UNIT TWO Cesarean Section
CHAPTER 3 Intervening Life
UNIT ONE Conquerors of Yellow Fever
UNIT TWO The Art in Surgery
CHAPTER 4 Exploring Life
UNIT ONE The Science of Anatomy
UNIT TWO The Science of Bacteriology
UNIT THREE Diagnosis
CHAPTER 5 Revering Life
UNIT ONE The Fine Art of Patient-doctor Relationship
UNIT TWO Putting the Patient First
UNIT THREE William Harvey and Circulation of Blood
CHAPTER 6 Comprehending Life
UNIT ONE Spring
UNIT TWO Care for an End
UNIT THREE Hospital