Step by step guide to clinical med, 31 Jan 2008
This book is a must have for all medical students entering their clinical years. Read it early! I only discovered the gems contained within this book when my OSCE's were approaching as it had been collecting dust on the shelf and I was kicking myself that I hadn't read it earlier. Plenty of pictures and illustrations to clarify the procedures.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

beautifully presented, detailed but not laborious, 07 Nov 2005
I used this title for many years and have recently acquired the latest edition.
I find it useful for developing a sound base in examining patients through its cocktail of physiologica, anatomical and practical information. Its very well presented and mostly comprehensive. The new edition is actually much better; with new chapters on examining ears and children, essential stuff nowadays.

The examination routines are not particlarly practical in the way they are presented and necessitate either a good teacher or another small more focused book.

The authors have also tried to make it more OSCE and MRCP freindly by including various abbreviated examination routines for partuclar instructions.
Having sat finals, and now approaching the MRCP i have to say its not a useful book for learning short cases or long cases. Its useful as a foundation but you need other books for cases. I still consult it when i forget exactly how the JVP is measured etc.

Step by step guide to clinical med, 31 Jan 2008
This book is a must have for all medical students entering their clinical years. Read it early! I only discovered the gems contained within this book when my OSCE's were approaching as it had been collecting dust on the shelf and I was kicking myself that I hadn't read it earlier. Plenty of pictures and illustrations to clarify the procedures.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

beautifully presented, detailed but not laborious, 07 Nov 2005
I used this title for many years and have recently acquired the latest edition.
I find it useful for developing a sound base in examining patients through its cocktail of physiologica, anatomical and practical information. Its very well presented and mostly comprehensive. The new edition is actually much better; with new chapters on examining ears and children, essential stuff nowadays.

The examination routines are not particlarly practical in the way they are presented and necessitate either a good teacher or another small more focused book.

The authors have also tried to make it more OSCE and MRCP freindly by including various abbreviated examination routines for partuclar instructions.
Having sat finals, and now approaching the MRCP i have to say its not a useful book for learning short cases or long cases. Its useful as a foundation but you need other books for cases. I still consult it when i forget exactly how the JVP is measured etc.

Concise, thorough and quirky, 12 Nov 2007
This book is an excellent addition to the ever-popular Oxford Handbook series. It has all the usual stuff that you'd expect in a clinical examination book, but it also includes detailed coverage of many essential practical procedures (e.g. ABG) and has good sections on psychiatry and paeds. Medical ethics even make a brief appearance. In addition, there is a large data interpretation chapter which covers all the essentials such as interpretation of the ECG and chest X-ray. The style is crisp and to the point with a distinctive, sometimes quirky but erudite tone that I find enjoyable to read - and the text is peppered with interesting facts and historical curiosities. For instance, did you know that cat allergy is caused by one of the proteins in feline saliva (their fur is covered in it through licking) or that Abraham Lincoln may have had Marfan's syndrome (his slightly blurred face in photographs is probably a reflection of head nodding due to aortic regurgitation - De Musset's sign!). Best of all, despite being the only handbook in full colour, it only costs about twenty quid and it just about fits in your pocket. Five stars!

I wish I'd had this for finals!, 15 Aug 2007
This is a great addition to the Handbooks range, with plenty of useful, detailed descriptions of the sorts of things seniors just assume you know. While revising for my own medical finals I clearly remember becoming obsessive about finding out exactly how to do things like demonstrate Kernig's sign - I could only find very brief explanations which did nothing to allay my anxieties. This book not only describes such things in detail, it also provides photos to show you how to do them. The book covers the history and examination of the systems (including, again, explicit details where other books simply tell you to (eg) "examine the lymph nodes") and includes the lot - paeds, obstetrics and psychiatry as well as the usual stuff. There is a big section with instructions on how to do everything from taking a BP to placing a central line and a section on data interpretation including the basics of ECGs and CXRs. A really useful book for medical students and recent (or not so recent!) graduates.

Step by step guide to clinical med, 31 Jan 2008
This book is a must have for all medical students entering their clinical years. Read it early! I only discovered the gems contained within this book when my OSCE's were approaching as it had been collecting dust on the shelf and I was kicking myself that I hadn't read it earlier. Plenty of pictures and illustrations to clarify the procedures.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

beautifully presented, detailed but not laborious, 07 Nov 2005
I used this title for many years and have recently acquired the latest edition.
I find it useful for developing a sound base in examining patients through its cocktail of physiologica, anatomical and practical information. Its very well presented and mostly comprehensive. The new edition is actually much better; with new chapters on examining ears and children, essential stuff nowadays.

The examination routines are not particlarly practical in the way they are presented and necessitate either a good teacher or another small more focused book.

The authors have also tried to make it more OSCE and MRCP freindly by including various abbreviated examination routines for partuclar instructions.
Having sat finals, and now approaching the MRCP i have to say its not a useful book for learning short cases or long cases. Its useful as a foundation but you need other books for cases. I still consult it when i forget exactly how the JVP is measured etc.

Concise, thorough and quirky, 12 Nov 2007
This book is an excellent addition to the ever-popular Oxford Handbook series. It has all the usual stuff that you'd expect in a clinical examination book, but it also includes detailed coverage of many essential practical procedures (e.g. ABG) and has good sections on psychiatry and paeds. Medical ethics even make a brief appearance. In addition, there is a large data interpretation chapter which covers all the essentials such as interpretation of the ECG and chest X-ray. The style is crisp and to the point with a distinctive, sometimes quirky but erudite tone that I find enjoyable to read - and the text is peppered with interesting facts and historical curiosities. For instance, did you know that cat allergy is caused by one of the proteins in feline saliva (their fur is covered in it through licking) or that Abraham Lincoln may have had Marfan's syndrome (his slightly blurred face in photographs is probably a reflection of head nodding due to aortic regurgitation - De Musset's sign!). Best of all, despite being the only handbook in full colour, it only costs about twenty quid and it just about fits in your pocket. Five stars!

I wish I'd had this for finals!, 15 Aug 2007
This is a great addition to the Handbooks range, with plenty of useful, detailed descriptions of the sorts of things seniors just assume you know. While revising for my own medical finals I clearly remember becoming obsessive about finding out exactly how to do things like demonstrate Kernig's sign - I could only find very brief explanations which did nothing to allay my anxieties. This book not only describes such things in detail, it also provides photos to show you how to do them. The book covers the history and examination of the systems (including, again, explicit details where other books simply tell you to (eg) "examine the lymph nodes") and includes the lot - paeds, obstetrics and psychiatry as well as the usual stuff. There is a big section with instructions on how to do everything from taking a BP to placing a central line and a section on data interpretation including the basics of ECGs and CXRs. A really useful book for medical students and recent (or not so recent!) graduates.

Perfect!, 10 May 2008
I used this book for finals.It's a fantastic introduction to surgery (as it assumes very little knowledge), and a great revision guide for finals (since it's orientated to exams right from the start) there's also a strong focus on what you need to know (including those rarities that are commonly asked about) and how to present information in a clinical exam. And yes there is sometimes a little waffle, since it takes a wordy "actually being talked through things by a friendly surgeon" approach, but this makes it more accessible in my opinion.

I used this in conjunction with Master Medicine: surgery 1 & 2 although this book does stand on it's own, I preferred to use a few books together to round off my understanding.

I'd also like to point out that even though it lacks as many pictures as other surgical books it makes up for it by far in text explanation.




A must have!, 14 Mar 2008
This book is one of those must have books for your collection. Perfect for students starting out on surgical attachments. The first few chapters are SO helpful. They provide you with a means of answering almost any medical question that can be thrown at you on wards and in exams.

Yes there are typos, but they are obvious. I am revising for finals just now and I am using this book and Rapid Surgery by Obi for surgical revision. Both great books.

Surgical talk has wider uses in that the infor in the early chapters will hold you in good stead for medical attachments as well. Cannot recommend this book highly enough. The authors have done a great job.

Excellent - but all those typing errors!, 08 Jan 2008
This is a great book, very readable and full of good content. If only the publishers had bothered to proof read it - just so many typos (at one point they even write former instead of latter!).

Having said this, the book is excellent and I'd still give it 5 stars.

Brilliant Book, 23 Dec 2007
You might find it difficult to believe that this book is so good but having used it extensively, along with "Browse's Introduction to the Symptoms and Signs of Surgical Diseases", on surgical attachments it has been instrumental in achieving exam success.

Its a great book to learn from as it is designed specifically for both written and clinical Finals, containing almost everything you need to know and presents it in such a concise format that it can be re-revised rapidly with exams looming (over 2 days). It doesnt matter that there are few diagrams as almost every word in the text is important. This book will arm you with the answers for any surgical question you come across.

I would recommend this whole-heartedly as a revision book and its emphasis on practical aspects will stand anyone in good stead for work.

Awesome!!!, 10 Dec 2007
I'm glad I believed the hype on amazon and bought this book. It ushered in a sea change in my confidence on ward rounds...suddenly I was the guy with the answers!

Worth your last penny.

PS Downside? a few typos but, hey! surgeons are always in a rush.

Step by step guide to clinical med, 31 Jan 2008
This book is a must have for all medical students entering their clinical years. Read it early! I only discovered the gems contained within this book when my OSCE's were approaching as it had been collecting dust on the shelf and I was kicking myself that I hadn't read it earlier. Plenty of pictures and illustrations to clarify the procedures.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

beautifully presented, detailed but not laborious, 07 Nov 2005
I used this title for many years and have recently acquired the latest edition.
I find it useful for developing a sound base in examining patients through its cocktail of physiologica, anatomical and practical information. Its very well presented and mostly comprehensive. The new edition is actually much better; with new chapters on examining ears and children, essential stuff nowadays.

The examination routines are not particlarly practical in the way they are presented and necessitate either a good teacher or another small more focused book.

The authors have also tried to make it more OSCE and MRCP freindly by including various abbreviated examination routines for partuclar instructions.
Having sat finals, and now approaching the MRCP i have to say its not a useful book for learning short cases or long cases. Its useful as a foundation but you need other books for cases. I still consult it when i forget exactly how the JVP is measured etc.

Concise, thorough and quirky, 12 Nov 2007
This book is an excellent addition to the ever-popular Oxford Handbook series. It has all the usual stuff that you'd expect in a clinical examination book, but it also includes detailed coverage of many essential practical procedures (e.g. ABG) and has good sections on psychiatry and paeds. Medical ethics even make a brief appearance. In addition, there is a large data interpretation chapter which covers all the essentials such as interpretation of the ECG and chest X-ray. The style is crisp and to the point with a distinctive, sometimes quirky but erudite tone that I find enjoyable to read - and the text is peppered with interesting facts and historical curiosities. For instance, did you know that cat allergy is caused by one of the proteins in feline saliva (their fur is covered in it through licking) or that Abraham Lincoln may have had Marfan's syndrome (his slightly blurred face in photographs is probably a reflection of head nodding due to aortic regurgitation - De Musset's sign!). Best of all, despite being the only handbook in full colour, it only costs about twenty quid and it just about fits in your pocket. Five stars!

I wish I'd had this for finals!, 15 Aug 2007
This is a great addition to the Handbooks range, with plenty of useful, detailed descriptions of the sorts of things seniors just assume you know. While revising for my own medical finals I clearly remember becoming obsessive about finding out exactly how to do things like demonstrate Kernig's sign - I could only find very brief explanations which did nothing to allay my anxieties. This book not only describes such things in detail, it also provides photos to show you how to do them. The book covers the history and examination of the systems (including, again, explicit details where other books simply tell you to (eg) "examine the lymph nodes") and includes the lot - paeds, obstetrics and psychiatry as well as the usual stuff. There is a big section with instructions on how to do everything from taking a BP to placing a central line and a section on data interpretation including the basics of ECGs and CXRs. A really useful book for medical students and recent (or not so recent!) graduates.

Perfect!, 10 May 2008
I used this book for finals.It's a fantastic introduction to surgery (as it assumes very little knowledge), and a great revision guide for finals (since it's orientated to exams right from the start) there's also a strong focus on what you need to know (including those rarities that are commonly asked about) and how to present information in a clinical exam. And yes there is sometimes a little waffle, since it takes a wordy "actually being talked through things by a friendly surgeon" approach, but this makes it more accessible in my opinion.

I used this in conjunction with Master Medicine: surgery 1 & 2 although this book does stand on it's own, I preferred to use a few books together to round off my understanding.

I'd also like to point out that even though it lacks as many pictures as other surgical books it makes up for it by far in text explanation.




A must have!, 14 Mar 2008
This book is one of those must have books for your collection. Perfect for students starting out on surgical attachments. The first few chapters are SO helpful. They provide you with a means of answering almost any medical question that can be thrown at you on wards and in exams.

Yes there are typos, but they are obvious. I am revising for finals just now and I am using this book and Rapid Surgery by Obi for surgical revision. Both great books.

Surgical talk has wider uses in that the infor in the early chapters will hold you in good stead for medical attachments as well. Cannot recommend this book highly enough. The authors have done a great job.

Excellent - but all those typing errors!, 08 Jan 2008
This is a great book, very readable and full of good content. If only the publishers had bothered to proof read it - just so many typos (at one point they even write former instead of latter!).

Having said this, the book is excellent and I'd still give it 5 stars.

Brilliant Book, 23 Dec 2007
You might find it difficult to believe that this book is so good but having used it extensively, along with "Browse's Introduction to the Symptoms and Signs of Surgical Diseases", on surgical attachments it has been instrumental in achieving exam success.

Its a great book to learn from as it is designed specifically for both written and clinical Finals, containing almost everything you need to know and presents it in such a concise format that it can be re-revised rapidly with exams looming (over 2 days). It doesnt matter that there are few diagrams as almost every word in the text is important. This book will arm you with the answers for any surgical question you come across.

I would recommend this whole-heartedly as a revision book and its emphasis on practical aspects will stand anyone in good stead for work.

Awesome!!!, 10 Dec 2007
I'm glad I believed the hype on amazon and bought this book. It ushered in a sea change in my confidence on ward rounds...suddenly I was the guy with the answers!

Worth your last penny.

PS Downside? a few typos but, hey! surgeons are always in a rush.

A perfect revision tool, 27 Mar 2007
I am a history teacher, and i use this book as teaching notes for my lessons. I have used other's but they do not compare to this one. The book is bright and colourful which makes the text seem more interesting. It has some "humerous" captions to it but i don't find them funny, more cheesy, but this makes revsion seem not as dull. The notes in the book are detailed and accurate, as well as them being written in simple language so any learning ability can make good use of it's valuble notes.
In conclusion if you need a revision book for your History GCSE exam, i stongly advise you purchase this one and if you revise correctly you can get a strong grade at GCSE!
I wish all of you the best of luck!
(^-^)


Enough to give you a headache, 12 May 2002
Although the CGP revision guides were a great help at Key Stage 3, by GCSE they're pretty appalling. The SHP book is particularly awkward to learn from. There's little overall thread, and the book tends to jump a bit. It is quite comprehensive, however almost impossible to revise from. All the highlighting, underlining, distracting pictures and colours make it really awkward to follow, and difficult to condense into your own notes. You're probably better off buying a textbook.

This book is really clear colourful and easy to learn from, 06 Dec 2000
When i bought this book it helped me a great deal with my pre-mocks. It is very clear like all the books and the colourful wirting and pictures makes it easy to learn from. it has all the important factual information summerised, and the fact that it's cheap makes these books even better.

Step by step guide to clinical med, 31 Jan 2008
This book is a must have for all medical students entering their clinical years. Read it early! I only discovered the gems contained within this book when my OSCE's were approaching as it had been collecting dust on the shelf and I was kicking myself that I hadn't read it earlier. Plenty of pictures and illustrations to clarify the procedures.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

beautifully presented, detailed but not laborious, 07 Nov 2005
I used this title for many years and have recently acquired the latest edition.
I find it useful for developing a sound base in examining patients through its cocktail of physiologica, anatomical and practical information. Its very well presented and mostly comprehensive. The new edition is actually much better; with new chapters on examining ears and children, essential stuff nowadays.

The examination routines are not particlarly practical in the way they are presented and necessitate either a good teacher or another small more focused book.

The authors have also tried to make it more OSCE and MRCP freindly by including various abbreviated examination routines for partuclar instructions.
Having sat finals, and now approaching the MRCP i have to say its not a useful book for learning short cases or long cases. Its useful as a foundation but you need other books for cases. I still consult it when i forget exactly how the JVP is measured etc.

Concise, thorough and quirky, 12 Nov 2007
This book is an excellent addition to the ever-popular Oxford Handbook series. It has all the usual stuff that you'd expect in a clinical examination book, but it also includes detailed coverage of many essential practical procedures (e.g. ABG) and has good sections on psychiatry and paeds. Medical ethics even make a brief appearance. In addition, there is a large data interpretation chapter which covers all the essentials such as interpretation of the ECG and chest X-ray. The style is crisp and to the point with a distinctive, sometimes quirky but erudite tone that I find enjoyable to read - and the text is peppered with interesting facts and historical curiosities. For instance, did you know that cat allergy is caused by one of the proteins in feline saliva (their fur is covered in it through licking) or that Abraham Lincoln may have had Marfan's syndrome (his slightly blurred face in photographs is probably a reflection of head nodding due to aortic regurgitation - De Musset's sign!). Best of all, despite being the only handbook in full colour, it only costs about twenty quid and it just about fits in your pocket. Five stars!

I wish I'd had this for finals!, 15 Aug 2007
This is a great addition to the Handbooks range, with plenty of useful, detailed descriptions of the sorts of things seniors just assume you know. While revising for my own medical finals I clearly remember becoming obsessive about finding out exactly how to do things like demonstrate Kernig's sign - I could only find very brief explanations which did nothing to allay my anxieties. This book not only describes such things in detail, it also provides photos to show you how to do them. The book covers the history and examination of the systems (including, again, explicit details where other books simply tell you to (eg) "examine the lymph nodes") and includes the lot - paeds, obstetrics and psychiatry as well as the usual stuff. There is a big section with instructions on how to do everything from taking a BP to placing a central line and a section on data interpretation including the basics of ECGs and CXRs. A really useful book for medical students and recent (or not so recent!) graduates.

Perfect!, 10 May 2008
I used this book for finals.It's a fantastic introduction to surgery (as it assumes very little knowledge), and a great revision guide for finals (since it's orientated to exams right from the start) there's also a strong focus on what you need to know (including those rarities that are commonly asked about) and how to present information in a clinical exam. And yes there is sometimes a little waffle, since it takes a wordy "actually being talked through things by a friendly surgeon" approach, but this makes it more accessible in my opinion.

I used this in conjunction with Master Medicine: surgery 1 & 2 although this book does stand on it's own, I preferred to use a few books together to round off my understanding.

I'd also like to point out that even though it lacks as many pictures as other surgical books it makes up for it by far in text explanation.




A must have!, 14 Mar 2008
This book is one of those must have books for your collection. Perfect for students starting out on surgical attachments. The first few chapters are SO helpful. They provide you with a means of answering almost any medical question that can be thrown at you on wards and in exams.

Yes there are typos, but they are obvious. I am revising for finals just now and I am using this book and Rapid Surgery by Obi for surgical revision. Both great books.

Surgical talk has wider uses in that the infor in the early chapters will hold you in good stead for medical attachments as well. Cannot recommend this book highly enough. The authors have done a great job.

Excellent - but all those typing errors!, 08 Jan 2008
This is a great book, very readable and full of good content. If only the publishers had bothered to proof read it - just so many typos (at one point they even write former instead of latter!).

Having said this, the book is excellent and I'd still give it 5 stars.

Brilliant Book, 23 Dec 2007
You might find it difficult to believe that this book is so good but having used it extensively, along with "Browse's Introduction to the Symptoms and Signs of Surgical Diseases", on surgical attachments it has been instrumental in achieving exam success.

Its a great book to learn from as it is designed specifically for both written and clinical Finals, containing almost everything you need to know and presents it in such a concise format that it can be re-revised rapidly with exams looming (over 2 days). It doesnt matter that there are few diagrams as almost every word in the text is important. This book will arm you with the answers for any surgical question you come across.

I would recommend this whole-heartedly as a revision book and its emphasis on practical aspects will stand anyone in good stead for work.

Awesome!!!, 10 Dec 2007
I'm glad I believed the hype on amazon and bought this book. It ushered in a sea change in my confidence on ward rounds...suddenly I was the guy with the answers!

Worth your last penny.

PS Downside? a few typos but, hey! surgeons are always in a rush.

A perfect revision tool, 27 Mar 2007
I am a history teacher, and i use this book as teaching notes for my lessons. I have used other's but they do not compare to this one. The book is bright and colourful which makes the text seem more interesting. It has some "humerous" captions to it but i don't find them funny, more cheesy, but this makes revsion seem not as dull. The notes in the book are detailed and accurate, as well as them being written in simple language so any learning ability can make good use of it's valuble notes.
In conclusion if you need a revision book for your History GCSE exam, i stongly advise you purchase this one and if you revise correctly you can get a strong grade at GCSE!
I wish all of you the best of luck!
(^-^)


Enough to give you a headache, 12 May 2002
Although the CGP revision guides were a great help at Key Stage 3, by GCSE they're pretty appalling. The SHP book is particularly awkward to learn from. There's little overall thread, and the book tends to jump a bit. It is quite comprehensive, however almost impossible to revise from. All the highlighting, underlining, distracting pictures and colours make it really awkward to follow, and difficult to condense into your own notes. You're probably better off buying a textbook.

This book is really clear colourful and easy to learn from, 06 Dec 2000
When i bought this book it helped me a great deal with my pre-mocks. It is very clear like all the books and the colourful wirting and pictures makes it easy to learn from. it has all the important factual information summerised, and the fact that it's cheap makes these books even better.

Nothing new, 23 Oct 2008
Could be useful if you'd never seen a patient before and were just starting on a clinical placement. Otherwise provides nothing new and very little information.

This book is extremely brief with only a couple of sentences per page, which is taken up with a large picture of the surface anatomy of the muscle being examined.

This book will not teach you a structured peripheral NS examination needed to pass exams or competently examine patients. It will teach you which movements specific muscles perform, which can be obtained from any anatomy book.

a 'must buy', 01 May 2007
I bought my first copy of this when a neurology SHO, and carried it around with me till after 25 years it fell to pieces. I now have a new copy, and it is the only neurological text that I always carry around in my case with me. It is useful for teaching medical students, or junior doctors, and an all round indispensible resource.
Dr Stephen Wilson
Consultant Neurologist

the bible, 08 Jan 2005
you need to have a really good reason not to own this book, if you pretend to be able to examine neurology properly. I don't know a neurologist who doesn't have a copy to hand!

The only neurology book I keep in my bag, 04 Dec 2003
This is the only neurology book I keep in my case at work, and have done since I was a medical student. This is an essential (and very cheap) buy for any medical student, or indeed anyone who teaches neurology.

Dr David Nicholl
Consultant Neurologist

Step by step guide to clinical med, 31 Jan 2008
This book is a must have for all medical students entering their clinical years. Read it early! I only discovered the gems contained within this book when my OSCE's were approaching as it had been collecting dust on the shelf and I was kicking myself that I hadn't read it earlier. Plenty of pictures and illustrations to clarify the procedures.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

beautifully presented, detailed but not laborious, 07 Nov 2005
I used this title for many years and have recently acquired the latest edition.
I find it useful for developing a sound base in examining patients through its cocktail of physiologica, anatomical and practical information. Its very well presented and mostly comprehensive. The new edition is actually much better; with new chapters on examining ears and children, essential stuff nowadays.

The examination routines are not particlarly practical in the way they are presented and necessitate either a good teacher or another small more focused book.

The authors have also tried to make it more OSCE and MRCP freindly by including various abbreviated examination routines for partuclar instructions.
Having sat finals, and now approaching the MRCP i have to say its not a useful book for learning short cases or long cases. Its useful as a foundation but you need other books for cases. I still consult it when i forget exactly how the JVP is measured etc.

Concise, thorough and quirky, 12 Nov 2007
This book is an excellent addition to the ever-popular Oxford Handbook series. It has all the usual stuff that you'd expect in a clinical examination book, but it also includes detailed coverage of many essential practical procedures (e.g. ABG) and has good sections on psychiatry and paeds. Medical ethics even make a brief appearance. In addition, there is a large data interpretation chapter which covers all the essentials such as interpretation of the ECG and chest X-ray. The style is crisp and to the point with a distinctive, sometimes quirky but erudite tone that I find enjoyable to read - and the text is peppered with interesting facts and historical curiosities. For instance, did you know that cat allergy is caused by one of the proteins in feline saliva (their fur is covered in it through licking) or that Abraham Lincoln may have had Marfan's syndrome (his slightly blurred face in photographs is probably a reflection of head nodding due to aortic regurgitation - De Musset's sign!). Best of all, despite being the only handbook in full colour, it only costs about twenty quid and it just about fits in your pocket. Five stars!

I wish I'd had this for finals!, 15 Aug 2007
This is a great addition to the Handbooks range, with plenty of useful, detailed descriptions of the sorts of things seniors just assume you know. While revising for my own medical finals I clearly remember becoming obsessive about finding out exactly how to do things like demonstrate Kernig's sign - I could only find very brief explanations which did nothing to allay my anxieties. This book not only describes such things in detail, it also provides photos to show you how to do them. The book covers the history and examination of the systems (including, again, explicit details where other books simply tell you to (eg) "examine the lymph nodes") and includes the lot - paeds, obstetrics and psychiatry as well as the usual stuff. There is a big section with instructions on how to do everything from taking a BP to placing a central line and a section on data interpretation including the basics of ECGs and CXRs. A really useful book for medical students and recent (or not so recent!) graduates.

Perfect!, 10 May 2008
I used this book for finals.It's a fantastic introduction to surgery (as it assumes very little knowledge), and a great revision guide for finals (since it's orientated to exams right from the start) there's also a strong focus on what you need to know (including those rarities that are commonly asked about) and how to present information in a clinical exam. And yes there is sometimes a little waffle, since it takes a wordy "actually being talked through things by a friendly surgeon" approach, but this makes it more accessible in my opinion.

I used this in conjunction with Master Medicine: surgery 1 & 2 although this book does stand on it's own, I preferred to use a few books together to round off my understanding.

I'd also like to point out that even though it lacks as many pictures as other surgical books it makes up for it by far in text explanation.




A must have!, 14 Mar 2008
This book is one of those must have books for your collection. Perfect for students starting out on surgical attachments. The first few chapters are SO helpful. They provide you with a means of answering almost any medical question that can be thrown at you on wards and in exams.

Yes there are typos, but they are obvious. I am revising for finals just now and I am using this book and Rapid Surgery by Obi for surgical revision. Both great books.

Surgical talk has wider uses in that the infor in the early chapters will hold you in good stead for medical attachments as well. Cannot recommend this book highly enough. The authors have done a great job.

Excellent - but all those typing errors!, 08 Jan 2008
This is a great book, very readable and full of good content. If only the publishers had bothered to proof read it - just so many typos (at one point they even write former instead of latter!).

Having said this, the book is excellent and I'd still give it 5 stars.

Brilliant Book, 23 Dec 2007
You might find it difficult to believe that this book is so good but having used it extensively, along with "Browse's Introduction to the Symptoms and Signs of Surgical Diseases", on surgical attachments it has been instrumental in achieving exam success.

Its a great book to learn from as it is designed specifically for both written and clinical Finals, containing almost everything you need to know and presents it in such a concise format that it can be re-revised rapidly with exams looming (over 2 days). It doesnt matter that there are few diagrams as almost every word in the text is important. This book will arm you with the answers for any surgical question you come across.

I would recommend this whole-heartedly as a revision book and its emphasis on practical aspects will stand anyone in good stead for work.

Awesome!!!, 10 Dec 2007
I'm glad I believed the hype on amazon and bought this book. It ushered in a sea change in my confidence on ward rounds...suddenly I was the guy with the answers!

Worth your last penny.

PS Downside? a few typos but, hey! surgeons are always in a rush.

A perfect revision tool, 27 Mar 2007
I am a history teacher, and i use this book as teaching notes for my lessons. I have used other's but they do not compare to this one. The book is bright and colourful which makes the text seem more interesting. It has some "humerous" captions to it but i don't find them funny, more cheesy, but this makes revsion seem not as dull. The notes in the book are detailed and accurate, as well as them being written in simple language so any learning ability can make good use of it's valuble notes.
In conclusion if you need a revision book for your History GCSE exam, i stongly advise you purchase this one and if you revise correctly you can get a strong grade at GCSE!
I wish all of you the best of luck!
(^-^)


Enough to give you a headache, 12 May 2002
Although the CGP revision guides were a great help at Key Stage 3, by GCSE they're pretty appalling. The SHP book is particularly awkward to learn from. There's little overall thread, and the book tends to jump a bit. It is quite comprehensive, however almost impossible to revise from. All the highlighting, underlining, distracting pictures and colours make it really awkward to follow, and difficult to condense into your own notes. You're probably better off buying a textbook.

This book is really clear colourful and easy to learn from, 06 Dec 2000
When i bought this book it helped me a great deal with my pre-mocks. It is very clear like all the books and the colourful wirting and pictures makes it easy to learn from. it has all the important factual information summerised, and the fact that it's cheap makes these books even better.

Nothing new, 23 Oct 2008
Could be useful if you'd never seen a patient before and were just starting on a clinical placement. Otherwise provides nothing new and very little information.

This book is extremely brief with only a couple of sentences per page, which is taken up with a large picture of the surface anatomy of the muscle being examined.

This book will not teach you a structured peripheral NS examination needed to pass exams or competently examine patients. It will teach you which movements specific muscles perform, which can be obtained from any anatomy book.

a 'must buy', 01 May 2007
I bought my first copy of this when a neurology SHO, and carried it around with me till after 25 years it fell to pieces. I now have a new copy, and it is the only neurological text that I always carry around in my case with me. It is useful for teaching medical students, or junior doctors, and an all round indispensible resource.
Dr Stephen Wilson
Consultant Neurologist

the bible, 08 Jan 2005
you need to have a really good reason not to own this book, if you pretend to be able to examine neurology properly. I don't know a neurologist who doesn't have a copy to hand!

The only neurology book I keep in my bag, 04 Dec 2003
This is the only neurology book I keep in my case at work, and have done since I was a medical student. This is an essential (and very cheap) buy for any medical student, or indeed anyone who teaches neurology.

Dr David Nicholl
Consultant Neurologist

Needed for long and short case examinations, More pictures would be good, 02 Nov 2006
This book is so great clinical book, most questions that needs answers in clinical skills( you lookin for) you will find it in this book. The book is a must during the period that the young doctor or student is on the wards, It covers important areas of clinical medicine in a question based format and highlights classical scenarios. The questions raised are classical of examiners in the long and short case examinations. The only minus about the book is a general lack of pictures but the deatiled info more or less makes up for it.
You must get it as you are undergraduate medical student

Average, 06 Jul 2006
The title of the book can be slightly misleading. I bought it with the impression that it had actual real-life scenarios, but it doesn't - the so called "cases" are topics/diseases with their main features listed and followed by a few questions. The information can be found in any medical textbook and I dont see how this arrangement makes it any more useful. The best feature I found was the questions as you can use them to test yourself on the particular topic. The book is overpriced in my opinion, given that it is plain black and white text throughout except in the dermatology and opthalmology sections which contain colour pictures. If you're looking for a book with real-life cases that guides you through the process of taking a history and making a diagnosis with appropriate investigations and findings then look elsewhere - I recommend "Clinical Problems in General Medicine and Surgery" by Peter Devitt. Its much more illustrated and interactive.

The Baliga Book, 18 Sep 2004
excellent preparation for finals as well the MRCP.Finally I can whip out those 4-5 common causes of most examined cases without that initial ..ahem..the causes are.....The only minus about the book is a general lack of pictures but the deatiled info more or less makes up for it.MUST HAVE befor MRCP PACES.

Highly detailed, more pictures would be good, 18 Dec 2003
Each case is presented in the form of 'salient' feautures in the history, and the examination findings, followed by a question and answer discussion around the topic. The salient history is useful because it is often skipped by most of these case-based books like Ryder. The examination is presented in a kind of instructive way and not as a case record like with Ryder. The discussion questions are split into standard and advanced level questions. Many of the answers are extremely detailed and at quite a high level. They also include references to important literature. This is essential reading for MRCP candidates, and complements a standard medical text very nicely. But it won't specifically tell you what to say like Ryder does. It will however give you a more comprehensive review of each case compared to Ryder. The danger for undergraduate students is that they might become bogged down in the detail of this book and I would certianly recommend getting used to 'Medical Finals - Passing the clinical' as this is a highly useful and efficient means of revising for medical finals.
For the most part the book does lack pictures but uses them to good effect for the ophthalmology and dermatology sections. The pictures are fairly small but of a high print quality.

Essential For MBChB long and short case examinations, 12 Dec 2003
This book is the most useful guide that money can buy for the final exams in the current MBChB undergraduate course. It covers important areas of clinical medicine in a question based format and highlights classical scenarios. The questions raised are classical of examiners in the long and short case examinations.
This is a must buy for any undergraduate medical student!!!

Step by step guide to clinical med, 31 Jan 2008
This book is a must have for all medical students entering their clinical years. Read it early! I only discovered the gems contained within this book when my OSCE's were approaching as it had been collecting dust on the shelf and I was kicking myself that I hadn't read it earlier. Plenty of pictures and illustrations to clarify the procedures.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

beautifully presented, detailed but not laborious, 07 Nov 2005
I used this title for many years and have recently acquired the latest edition.
I find it useful for developing a sound base in examining patients through its cocktail of physiologica, anatomical and practical information. Its very well presented and mostly comprehensive. The new edition is actually much better; with new chapters on examining ears and children, essential stuff nowadays.

The examination routines are not particlarly practical in the way they are presented and necessitate either a good teacher or another small more focused book.

The authors have also tried to make it more OSCE and MRCP freindly by including various abbreviated examination routines for partuclar instructions.
Having sat finals, and now approaching the MRCP i have to say its not a useful book for learning short cases or long cases. Its useful as a foundation but you need other books for cases. I still consult it when i forget exactly how the JVP is measured etc.

Concise, thorough and quirky, 12 Nov 2007
This book is an excellent addition to the ever-popular Oxford Handbook series. It has all the usual stuff that you'd expect in a clinical examination book, but it also includes detailed coverage of many essential practical procedures (e.g. ABG) and has good sections on psychiatry and paeds. Medical ethics even make a brief appearance. In addition, there is a large data interpretation chapter which covers all the essentials such as interpretation of the ECG and chest X-ray. The style is crisp and to the point with a distinctive, sometimes quirky but erudite tone that I find enjoyable to read - and the text is peppered with interesting facts and historical curiosities. For instance, did you know that cat allergy is caused by one of the proteins in feline saliva (their fur is covered in it through licking) or that Abraham Lincoln may have had Marfan's syndrome (his slightly blurred face in photographs is probably a reflection of head nodding due to aortic regurgitation - De Musset's sign!). Best of all, despite being the only handbook in full colour, it only costs about twenty quid and it just about fits in your pocket. Five stars!

I wish I'd had this for finals!, 15 Aug 2007
This is a great addition to the Handbooks range, with plenty of useful, detailed descriptions of the sorts of things seniors just assume you know. While revising for my own medical finals I clearly remember becoming obsessive about finding out exactly how to do things like demonstrate Kernig's sign - I could only find very brief explanations which did nothing to allay my anxieties. This book not only describes such things in detail, it also provides photos to show you how to do them. The book covers the history and examination of the systems (including, again, explicit details where other books simply tell you to (eg) "examine the lymph nodes") and includes the lot - paeds, obstetrics and psychiatry as well as the usual stuff. There is a big section with instructions on how to do everything from taking a BP to placing a central line and a section on data interpretation including the basics of ECGs and CXRs. A really useful book for medical students and recent (or not so recent!) graduates.

Perfect!, 10 May 2008
I used this book for finals.It's a fantastic introduction to surgery (as it assumes very little knowledge), and a great revision guide for finals (since it's orientated to exams right from the start) there's also a strong focus on what you need to know (including those rarities that are commonly asked about) and how to present information in a clinical exam. And yes there is sometimes a little waffle, since it takes a wordy "actually being talked through things by a friendly surgeon" approach, but this makes it more accessible in my opinion.

I used this in conjunction with Master Medicine: surgery 1 & 2 although this book does stand on it's own, I preferred to use a few books together to round off my understanding.

I'd also like to point out that even though it lacks as many pictures as other surgical books it makes up for it by far in text explanation.




A must have!, 14 Mar 2008
This book is one of those must have books for your collection. Perfect for students starting out on surgical attachments. The first few chapters are SO helpful. They provide you with a means of answering almost any medical question that can be thrown at you on wards and in exams.

Yes there are typos, but they are obvious. I am revising for finals just now and I am using this book and Rapid Surgery by Obi for surgical revision. Both great books.

Surgical talk has wider uses in that the infor in the early chapters will hold you in good stead for medical attachments as well. Cannot recommend this book highly enough. The authors have done a great job.

Excellent - but all those typing errors!, 08 Jan 2008
This is a great book, very readable and full of good content. If only the publishers had bothered to proof read it - just so many typos (at one point they even write former instead of latter!).

Having said this, the book is excellent and I'd still give it 5 stars.

Brilliant Book, 23 Dec 2007
You might find it difficult to believe that this book is so good but having used it extensively, along with "Browse's Introduction to the Symptoms and Signs of Surgical Diseases", on surgical attachments it has been instrumental in achieving exam success.

Its a great book to learn from as it is designed specifically for both written and clinical Finals, containing almost everything you need to know and presents it in such a concise format that it can be re-revised rapidly with exams looming (over 2 days). It doesnt matter that there are few diagrams as almost every word in the text is important. This book will arm you with the answers for any surgical question you come across.

I would recommend this whole-heartedly as a revision book and its emphasis on practical aspects will stand anyone in good stead for work.

Awesome!!!, 10 Dec 2007
I'm glad I believed the hype on amazon and bought this book. It ushered in a sea change in my confidence on ward rounds...suddenly I was the guy with the answers!

Worth your last penny.

PS Downside? a few typos but, hey! surgeons are always in a rush.

A perfect revision tool, 27 Mar 2007
I am a history teacher, and i use this book as teaching notes for my lessons. I have used other's but they do not compare to this one. The book is bright and colourful which makes the text seem more interesting. It has some "humerous" captions to it but i don't find them funny, more cheesy, but this makes revsion seem not as dull. The notes in the book are detailed and accurate, as well as them being written in simple language so any learning ability can make good use of it's valuble notes.
In conclusion if you need a revision book for your History GCSE exam, i stongly advise you purchase this one and if you revise correctly you can get a strong grade at GCSE!
I wish all of you the best of luck!
(^-^)


Enough to give you a headache, 12 May 2002
Although the CGP revision guides were a great help at Key Stage 3, by GCSE they're pretty appalling. The SHP book is particularly awkward to learn from. There's little overall thread, and the book tends to jump a bit. It is quite comprehensive, however almost impossible to revise from. All the highlighting, underlining, distracting pictures and colours make it really awkward to follow, and difficult to condense into your own notes. You're probably better off buying a textbook.

This book is really clear colourful and easy to learn from, 06 Dec 2000
When i bought this book it helped me a great deal with my pre-mocks. It is very clear like all the books and the colourful wirting and pictures makes it easy to learn from. it has all the important factual information summerised, and the fact that it's cheap makes these books even better.

Nothing new, 23 Oct 2008
Could be useful if you'd never seen a patient before and were just starting on a clinical placement. Otherwise provides nothing new and very little information.

This book is extremely brief with only a couple of sentences per page, which is taken up with a large picture of the surface anatomy of the muscle being examined.

This book will not teach you a structured peripheral NS examination needed to pass exams or competently examine patients. It will teach you which movements specific muscles perform, which can be obtained from any anatomy book.

a 'must buy', 01 May 2007
I bought my first copy of this when a neurology SHO, and carried it around with me till after 25 years it fell to pieces. I now have a new copy, and it is the only neurological text that I always carry around in my case with me. It is useful for teaching medical students, or junior doctors, and an all round indispensible resource.
Dr Stephen Wilson
Consultant Neurologist

the bible, 08 Jan 2005
you need to have a really good reason not to own this book, if you pretend to be able to examine neurology properly. I don't know a neurologist who doesn't have a copy to hand!

The only neurology book I keep in my bag, 04 Dec 2003
This is the only neurology book I keep in my case at work, and have done since I was a medical student. This is an essential (and very cheap) buy for any medical student, or indeed anyone who teaches neurology.

Dr David Nicholl
Consultant Neurologist

Needed for long and short case examinations, More pictures would be good, 02 Nov 2006
This book is so great clinical book, most questions that needs answers in clinical skills( you lookin for) you will find it in this book. The book is a must during the period that the young doctor or student is on the wards, It covers important areas of clinical medicine in a question based format and highlights classical scenarios. The questions raised are classical of examiners in the long and short case examinations. The only minus about the book is a general lack of pictures but the deatiled info more or less makes up for it.
You must get it as you are undergraduate medical student

Average, 06 Jul 2006
The title of the book can be slightly misleading. I bought it with the impression that it had actual real-life scenarios, but it doesn't - the so called "cases" are topics/diseases with their main features listed and followed by a few questions. The information can be found in any medical textbook and I dont see how this arrangement makes it any more useful. The best feature I found was the questions as you can use them to test yourself on the particular topic. The book is overpriced in my opinion, given that it is plain black and white text throughout except in the dermatology and opthalmology sections which contain colour pictures. If you're looking for a book with real-life cases that guides you through the process of taking a history and making a diagnosis with appropriate investigations and findings then look elsewhere - I recommend "Clinical Problems in General Medicine and Surgery" by Peter Devitt. Its much more illustrated and interactive.

The Baliga Book, 18 Sep 2004
excellent preparation for finals as well the MRCP.Finally I can whip out those 4-5 common causes of most examined cases without that initial ..ahem..the causes are.....The only minus about the book is a general lack of pictures but the deatiled info more or less makes up for it.MUST HAVE befor MRCP PACES.

Highly detailed, more pictures would be good, 18 Dec 2003
Each case is presented in the form of 'salient' feautures in the history, and the examination findings, followed by a question and answer discussion around the topic. The salient history is useful because it is often skipped by most of these case-based books like Ryder. The examination is presented in a kind of instructive way and not as a case record like with Ryder. The discussion questions are split into standard and advanced level questions. Many of the answers are extremely detailed and at quite a high level. They also include references to important literature. This is essential reading for MRCP candidates, and complements a standard medical text very nicely. But it won't specifically tell you what to say like Ryder does. It will however give you a more comprehensive review of each case compared to Ryder. The danger for undergraduate students is that they might become bogged down in the detail of this book and I would certianly recommend getting used to 'Medical Finals - Passing the clinical' as this is a highly useful and efficient means of revising for medical finals.
For the most part the book does lack pictures but uses them to good effect for the ophthalmology and dermatology sections. The pictures are fairly small but of a high print quality.

Essential For MBChB long and short case examinations, 12 Dec 2003
This book is the most useful guide that money can buy for the final exams in the current MBChB undergraduate course. It covers important areas of clinical medicine in a question based format and highlights classical scenarios. The questions raised are classical of examiners in the long and short case examinations.
This is a must buy for any undergraduate medical student!!!

Great book for any physician, 26 Dec 2002
I bought this book as I felt that my neurological examination needed polishing up. The book is clearly laid out and tells you exactly how to elicit the signs, what they mean and how to interpret your findings. I work as a Internal Medicine specialist 600km from the nearest neurologist and this will prove invaluable to me ensuring that I do the best by my patients.
In short clear, concise and money well spent.

neurology made understandable and fun!, 16 Jul 2001
I am a final year medical student and one of my favourite subjects is neurology. There are many books on neurology and none cater for the needs of a medical student more than this one. It guides you through simple examination steps and tells us what each sign actually means. It organises the way we think and if you follow the sequence laid out in the book, you'll not only find diagnosing neurological symptoms is possible even at the level of students, but also great fun. This book is highly recommendable and it will prove useful, I am sure, at all stages of the medical training. I have seen a senior doctor using this book in clinic!!

Step by step guide to clinical med, 31 Jan 2008
This book is a must have for all medical students entering their clinical years. Read it early! I only discovered the gems contained within this book when my OSCE's were approaching as it had been collecting dust on the shelf and I was kicking myself that I hadn't read it earlier. Plenty of pictures and illustrations to clarify the procedures.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

Stuck for christmas presents?!! = ), 11 Nov 2005
Macleod's 11th edition is an exceptionally helpful learning tool for using both throughout the year for reference and more importantly when the OSCE time starts to draw closer! Admittedly, I often struggle to keep up with all the coursework and it is so easy to feel like your 6 foot under! However, I find this type of study aid a blessing!

Macleod's is extremely well organised, clear and concise which makes it very easy to refer to the exact area you want to consolidate. Each chapter introduces the particular system followed by how to take a through history and examination. The examination sequence has been constructed in a stepwise form with displaying colourful sketches of the correct technique to adapt. There is also boxed information which covers key points for differential diagnosis and what signs you should expect to find. The pictures are particularly useful when trying to learn about rare clinical conditions that you are very unlikely to be presented with on your ward teaching sessions as a medical student!

This book is especially great at helping medical students to become competent in clinical examination and history taking because it comprehensive explanations enable you to grasp a basic understanding.

beautifully presented, detailed but not laborious, 07 Nov 2005
I used this title for many years and have recently acquired the latest edition.
I find it useful for developing a sound base in examining patients through its cocktail of physiologica, anatomical and practical information. Its very well presented and mostly comprehensive. The new edition is actually much better; with new chapters on examining ears and children, essential stuff nowaday