Tara Berger, University of Newcastle

This book is rather unusual, but once you get used to using it, you realise how incredibly useful it is. As medical students we're constantly being asked to generate a differential diagnosis, and I often find that I miss one or two. This book really helped me to get into the habit of thinking through my differential diagnoses, and it is especially useful with symptoms that are a bit unsual, or that manifest with a wide range of conditions. Sometimes I am left wanting a little bit more information, but this is a pocket-book: it acts more as a framework and stimulus for further learning, than as a textbook.

Posted 18th Nov 2010

Tim Jackson, Brighton and Sussex Medical School

This book is a must buy for every medical student entering their clinical years. Differential Diagnosis gently introduces the medical student to the world of the ‘differentials’ and teaches you how to think more laterally. The book is a perfect companion for any medical student being examined by a ‘case based discussion’ or a ‘mini cex’ and will be invaluable when the consultant wants that list of differentials for a 78 year old patient’s constipation. The book also guides your history and investigations to pin point the diagnosis. The clear layout and colour coding makes this book very accessible and perfect to carry around hospital for quick reference. Its layout also makes it a wonderful revision tool that allows you to test your friends. It never gets put down when it’s on our coffee table. After two or three years of pre clinical medicine, this book is ideal for introducing you into the clinical way of thinking and will allow you to produce comprehensive differentials. Clerking in a patient in never a daunting task if you have this book in your back pocket!

Posted 11th Nov 2010

Alan J. Watson, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry

I must admit this book took a bit of getting used to! It is not written in the style I am familiar with and I must confess I didn't find it that useful. It is a good book to use for a quick reference but I would not recommend it for revision purposes. I'm a very visual learner and do not find that I retain a great deal of information when faced with endless lists - the addition of diagrams may improve this book.

Posted 19th Apr 2010

Sherif Khalifa, Cardiff University

A great little book which contains differentials of nearly every symptom and sign. I was first sceptical when I first saw this but it is of great use when faced with an unexpected symptom or sign, especially good when revising. I think it will also be of use when preparing for OSCEs or doing PBL, allowing you to increase your range of differentials whilst still focussing on the more common (labelled green) whilst still appreciating the rarer causes (labelled red).

Posted 18th Mar 2010

Zoe Tristram, University of Dundee

This isn’t a pocket book I would carry round with me but none the less it’s a good book to refer to. It has lots of concise information, it highlights red flags, it is made easy to use by putting the diagnosis in alphabetical order and by using a good colour coding system for the probability of the diagnosis. It also has a section on common clinical presentations which I found very useful. The more I use this book the more I like it.

Posted 9th Mar 2010