Books (as of 2004)
Although I’ve put the books under headings such as GM and GS, I feel the need to emphasize the importance of an integrated approach to clinical learning. There’s no Surgery without Medicine and little Medicine without Surgical principles (personal opinion). For example, do not hesitate to pick up your Oxford handbook, Snell, Guyton etc when learning Surgery.
Also, in choosing a book, no book is good for you until you have looked through it.
Ø General Medicine (GM) books
o Clinical Exam (E-clinics)
§ Talley and O’conner – Clinical examination: a systematic guide to physical diagnosis
The most popular around, this Australian book explains most symptoms and signs you’ll need to know. Text not perfectly organized though. The tables are extremely useful, if you can mug them. At the back of every chapter there’s a sequence for physical examination, which you may want to reference when formulating your own.
§ McLeod
Simpler and more manageable than Talley and O’conner. Some people like it.
§ Look and Proceed, Derrick Aw
This new book by a local dermatologist is a logical and fun read. I didn’t manage to use it, regrettably. Will be a good supplementary read if not a main text for physical exam. Can zap, but if you like, buy to support him.
§ Bate’s
This US text that I personally used is a rather good and logical read, but it’s not popular and its use is rather limited.
o Textbooks (get one textbook +/- handbook)
§ Kumar & Clark
Very popular locally. Fair book for reference.
§ Davidson, 50/e
Similar to Kumar and Clark. A rather popular text overseas. Good diagrams.
§ Harrison’s textbook of internal medicine, recent 16th edition
This is THE Internal Medicine textbook, and I must say it is well-written. But face it. $135 dollars and 2 volumes is not easily digestable. Use for reference.
§ Oxford Clinical Handbook
Everyone should have this book for its great information and portability (fits into your lab-coat nicely). It’s THE Internal Medicine handbook.
o Supplementary
§ 250 cases in Clinical Medicine, Baliga
Great for short cases. Most people use it more intensively in M5 but if you can manage, you should use it in M3 too.
§ The ECG made easy
One of two books commonly used for ECG, this little book is a simple guide to reading of ECG, for starters. Can zap.
§ ECG, Prof Chia BL
Apparently, this book has more examples of ECGs and discusses them in greater detail. Quite popular, and I regret to say I have not used it (yet)
§ Chest X-rays made easy
During your posting it may be important to have a systematic approach to interpreting a Chest X-ray, which you will be expected to read quite often. This can come in quite handy, although I personally used a simple radiology text by David Lisle.
§ Past year GM MCQs
Great practice for the MCQ test – a must-do for the exam-oriented. For me, I prefer to see MCQs as a great way to understand and remember the otherwise indigestible information.
Ø General Surgery (GS) books
o Clinical Exam (E-clinics)
§ Norman Browse – An Introduction to the Signs and Symptoms of Surgical Disease
I’m afraid there aren’t many other options that I know of…
o Textbooks (get one textbook +/- handbook)
§ Essential Surgery, Burkitt
Text is not as well organized as I hope it can be, but this book has a good splash of useful diagrams and nice tables.
§ Scott’s (yellow book)
This is more like a set of notes. Lack of pictures but the layout and content are very clear and concise. Good for exams.
§ Bailey and Love 24/e
This is an internationally well-respected book for GS, much like your papa robbins in patho. Good splash of pictures and I find the summary boxes useful. Besides GS, it also has chapters briefly on paediatric and orthopaedic surgical conditions as well. Do not be hasty about getting this big book though – It seems to me more like a post-grad book and may be hard to read as your first text. For the truly interested, I feel it is not too late to get it after your GS posting.
§ Handbooks
Unfortunately, I have not come across a handbook as good for Surgery as Oxford is for Medicine. Two books you may want to check out:-
· Churchill Pocketbook of Clinical Surgery
Haven’t heard a fantastic comment about his book but it sure is one small book that fits nicely in pockets for the quick reference.
· Washington Manual of Surgery
Not a mainstream medical-student book. The MOs find it very useful. It IS a wonderful handbook, but I find that it does not prioritise the information. Therefore its good for quick reference only after you have a good general idea of surgery.
o Supplementary
§ Clinical cases and OSCEs in Surgery (by Ramachandran and Poole)
This is the surgery equivalent of Baliga in GM– discussing around a case. It also has an exam-oriented approach. Great book to get now or later in M5. Complements Norman Browse well too.
§ Lecture Notes in General Surgery (white book)
I’ve heard about this from seniors but never had the chance to use it. Not sure if it’s used as a text or supplementary book.
Index Overview of M3 Basics General Hospital Layout General pointers in clinical work
Main Objectives of the various postings Books Case Write-ups Presentations
On-line resources General Tips for Exams Ethics