I have reviewed this textbook from a preclinical viewpoint., 22 Jun 2001

The concise version of the Oxford Textbook of Medicine (OTM) is designed to fulfil the requirements of medical students and young doctors, looking for a textbook for reference throughout their training. The concise OTM provides a reliable account of the essentials of clinical medicine and has been updated and rewritten to give a more practical focus to the topics covered. References have been included from recently published journals and textbooks, making it feasible to research a topic in greater depth. These reference lists, given at the end of each section, are not too long to be daunting.

The contents section is extremely detailed, listing the main chapters and then also the main headings and subdivisions (with authors) within these chapters. It might have been more manageable to list the chapters and main headings (with the page numbers) in the contents section, and give the subdivisions and authors at the beginning of each chapter.

The plate section contains a number of clear, well-displayed photographs, showing the presentation of various diseases and disorders. The section on the eye and disease is well-labelled, but it is unclear whether these plates relate to a chapter further on, or whether they are a section in their own right. There is no specific chapter on ophthalmology and the key pathologies and principles of the eye are dealt with in other chapters - for example ophthalmic myiasis is dealt with in the chapter on infectious diseases. This should be made apparent earlier on. The other plates are well-labelled and the relevant chapters referenced. It would be helpful to indicate page number or section number with the plate.

The index is thorough, with over 18 000 entries. It is well laid-out, ensuring that the reader will find information quickly and easily. My only criticism is that it does not include the chapter subdivision headings in the index: for instance chapter 12.30 'renal bone disease' is in the index as 'osteodystrophy renal'.

The general layout is clear and accessible. The use of tables to summarise key points is clear and informative. The beginning of the majority of sections contain a paragraph on definitions, which makes it easier to tackle a new topic. It would be helpful if there was a comprehensive list of abbreviations at the beginning of each section - for example in the haematology chapter where there are several abbreviations for cell types. The general cross-referencing between topics is frequent and helpful, but not excessive.

The book contains many forms of illustrations and diagrams. Tables are used throughout for quick summaries of key points. These are excellent, making it easy to identify and learn the essentials, before exploring the topic in more depth. The graphs used are well-labelled and necessary explanation is given below them. Flow diagrams are simple and easy to follow - for example when trying to establish the possible ways of managing non-pregnant women with bacterial cystitis (Nephrology). X-rays and ultrasounds are labelled with sufficient explanation to enable even the untrained eye to identify gallstones in the abdomen (Gastroenterology). Echocardiograms and radiographs are used effectively the chapter on cardiology to help teach the overall the clinical picture. The diagrams are well referenced in the text, making it easy to follow.

Whilst there is no chapter on pharmacology, this is compensated for by each section detailing the specific pharmacological treatments for the particular disease or disorder being discussed. In my opinion, this is a more practical method of teaching clinical medicine. The recommended doses are stated, but it is made clear at the beginning that the reader should not rely on these values alone.

The content is divided into relevant topics and presented in a logical way. From a pre-clinical base, I have found that the book covers the topics in an interesting and readily accessible format. Whilst the text remains easy to read, it is still sufficiently detailed. The cross-referencing allows the reader to find other relevant areas of the book. Providing a short list of references to accompany most sections makes it simple to research a topic in further detail.

In general the book does not cover normal anatomy and physiology in much detail, but this can be found from other sources if necessary. The chapter on endocrinology does, however, cover normal physiology before discussing the disorders and diseases of endocrine systems.

The book has little reference to examination skills or techniques. It places more emphasis on the theoretical rather than the practical management of patients and is therefore more useful as a reference source for learning about the disorders or diseases and their management. Overall I found the book accessible and easy to read. The layout was clear and the content was sufficiently detailed, without being too difficult to approach from pre-clinical base.

Rhiannon Wade Third year medical student University College London rhiannonwade@hotmail.com

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Not up to the standard I would have expected, 12 May 2001

Overall a disappointing, but still impressive, piece of work, a worthy addition to any bookshelf (if only for the attractive blue and orange cover), and better than most of its competition.

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Ouch! on the bundget, but definately a 'must- have' book., 4 April 2001

Weaknesses: The major downside is the £75 pricetag.I would also like to see summary boxes at the end of each chapter/topic plus a few more pictures or diagrams. Final tip, if you are looking for something go straight to the index. The contents page is far to busy.

To summarize: This is the only book of Medicine that any student or junior doctor will need. Although £75 is alot to pay you will soon realise it was money well spent. This will eventually be like Gray's - A book everyone wants, except this one will get used!!!!

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