Fundamentals of Surgical Practice (2nd edn)

Abstract

The prospect of reviewing a text aimed at addressing the MRCS syllabus and examination has brought back many nightmares of the time I spent preparing to sit the examination myself. However, I have recently been asked by F2 and junior SHOs to recommend a text that they can use to prepare for the MRCS but have struggled to find one that addresses all of the issues in a relevant manner while providing enough depth. There are many texts available in the marketplace that are aimed at being study aids or texts to provide in-depth information of surgical practice, pathology, or anatomy. Few of these, though, truly focus on providing enough detailed information on all of the relevant topics for examination success. This book represents the new and expanded edition of a text addressing the first stages of the intercollegiate MRCS examination. It aims to mirror the examination syllabus and present trainees with a clear understanding of the core information required for success. It is edited by Professor Andrew Kingsnorth and Professor Aljafri A Majid, who are representatives of the Court of Examiners of The Royal College of Surgeons of England and panel of examiners of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, respectively. Together they bring a wealth of publishing and examining experience in order to co-ordinate the contributions from many well-respected and extremely experienced chapter authors in a formal manner. The structure of the book takes the trainee through a variety of chapters covering all of the core issues required for the intercollegiate MRCS examination, with the emphasis being on addressing issues on a system-by-system basis with clearly defined goals for each chapter. Each chapter contains a wealth of information relating to relevant anatomy and individual clinical conditions. The information presented on clinical conditions covers essential epidemiology, clinical pathology, and clinical management. The delivery of the information is in the vast majority of chapters through large swathes of text. While it is appreciated that in certain circumstances this is unavoidable, the lack of use of tables or schematics makes the information difficult to digest. Certain chapters such as that on hernia management and vascular surgery make good use of illustrations, images and bulleted text to accentuate the written information. However, this is balanced by many chapters that are difficult to read due to the volume of text within them. The information presented in the chapters is detailed and accurate, covering a huge amount of ground but the style in which the information is presented often makes it difficult to extract. The provision of further and online reading resources at the end of each chapter is a useful pointer as to where to search for further information when more depth is required. The aim of this book to cover the core topics for the MRCS is achieved; however, I feel that the information could be aided in its delivery by reducing the amount of text within the chapters. Furthermore, we must also decide whether this is a book to aid in the preparation for the MCQ components of the examination or the viva and clinical components. The detail in the chapters may not provide enough information for this book to be used as a sole text for the MCQ components of the MRCS but I feel it is a valuable addition to the available texts as it provides a substantial proportion of the information required and acts as an accurate guide to the topics to be covered in exam preparation. I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to trainees at an early stage of their training in order to guide them effectively to the core syllabus topics and since it provides a substantial portion of the detail required for the MRCS. I would, however, advise that the trainee may require further detailed reading prior to sitting the MCQ components.