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

Matthew Lee, The University of Edinburgh

Very well laid out. For each presenting complaint, it first summarises main differentials in a single table, then discusses each of these further in the following sections. Gives clear simple concise explanations for clinical findings supporting these. Great classification of differentials into very logical categories - anatomical, surgical sieve, congenital/acquired, acute/chronic, etc. which aids memory and recall. Can fit snugly in your pocket! Useful to consolidate your practical diagnostic skills!

Posted 20th Mar 2009

Iffat Ali, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry

What an amazing book, I only wish that I had discovered it earlier! It is the first book that I have come across that is ordered in a medical student friendly manner. That is it starts with the patients presenting complaint – the symptom! It provides you with a list if differentials, the salient features to elicit in the history and examination and even the appropriate investigations. I found it an invaluable tool during my GP placement (and am sure that it would be just as useful in the hospital setting) to refer to during a consultation, to ensure that I had considered all the differentials. I haven’t met a patient with a symptom that wasn’t covered in this book, it even includes hiccups! Small enough to fit in the pocket of your white coat, I would recommend every medical student to have one!

Posted 1st Jul 2008

Julia Ward, University of Dundee

I LOVE this book! I think it’s one of the best books I own and it will be one of the three books that I’ll squeeze into my luggage to take on my elective with me (along with cheese and onion and salt and vinegar of course!). It is broken down by significant signs or symptoms, such as dyspnoea and gives the differential diagnoses, divided into logical sections. It then explains how to take a history and investigate in order to narrow down the diagnosis.
If your course is based around core clinical problems as mine is, this book provides a fantastic basis for revision. Its also great for those moments when you get asked on ward rounds what obscure conditions a patient might be suffering from (if you can sneak a look at it!). It’s not incredibly detailed, but I think that’s the advantage of this book over other differential diagnosis titles. It provides the absolute basics, and information on how to get started in investigating causes without getting bogged down in irrelevant details.

Posted 1st Jul 2008