Amritha Ajith, University of Durham, Queens Campus, Stockton, Phase I Medicine

I've actually only used 3 of the 14 chapters in this book so far- Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Gastrointestinal but they all seem to follow the same layout. The book starts with an introduction which explains the OSCE (how it's scored, how to prepare) and also gives you some useful tips and mnemonics that are quite simple and easy to remember. Each section starts with a little anatomy which I didn't really use but if you have the time, I guess you can read it to consolidate your anatomy revision. Then there is a very detailed section on the actual physical clinical examination- a lot more detailed than McLeod's but I would still recommend that you use both books together. Following this is the section on taking a history. And finally, there's the checklist so you can do mock clinical examinations. The book also tells you how to use examination skills correctly, which is something I found a little lacking in McLeod's. There is also a glossary to define signs and symptoms, which I found myself using sometimes but most of the terms will be familiar to you already. The only thing missing from this book is videos of the examinations but you can use McLeod's for that, or just use the internet. I haven't read any other specific OSCE handbook so I found this book quite useful used alongside McLeod's Clinical Examination. If you don't want to buy this book, I suggest you find it at your university library (or get it ordered if you can't find either this or a similar book) and photocopy the checklist pages. They are definitely the most useful. Just take a copy with you and practice examining your friends and you should have enough practice to pass your OSCE stations with high marks.

Posted 12th Oct 2011

G, University of Bristol

The book provides very good examination routines for the cardiovascular, respiratory, abdominal and other major systems; thereby allowing you to easily memorise the routine and be adequately prepared for your OSCE. The textbook contains in-depth information on all the basic clinical examinations (history taking, respiratory, cardio, neuro etc.). Points are presented in a clear easy-to-read bullet list format. The chapters are organised by body system and each chapter contains an anatomy review, a glossary of signs and symptoms, essential and advanced skills (with sample scenarios) and sample checklists. Useful mnemonics can be found throughout the text.This is a good practical study guide which covers important history and physical examination skills which form the basis of your clinical training. References and evidence-based examination skills can also be found within the chapters. All in all, an excellent book for medical students. The only downside is that this title is not available online (via student consult).

Posted 19th Sep 2011

George Collins, University College London

This book is one of a kind. It is written for those students who find the OSCE a daunting prospect (pretty much every student!), and this book should definitely be used as their preparation for it. I say this because it delves a little deeper than most texts, which means that the student is a little more settled and confident as the approach the OSCE, safe in the knowledge that in relation to entire content of this text, the OSCE is a piece of cake! Don’t you think a qualified clinician would find OSCEs pretty easy? The book provides a system by system structure (that includes detailed case histories) to work through pretty much all the possible history and examination stations that could come up in the OSCE, alongside fantastic assessment checklists to test yourself or your friends. Not only that, there are useful clinical skills (such as X-ray interpretation) and a seriously useful run down of the clinical physiology of the system of that chapter. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to ace the OSCE, not just pass it.

Posted 4th Jun 2011

Bernard Ho, St George's, University of London

Overall, this book didn't really come out as SPECTACULAR for me. The book was very basic - black text and occasional use of green in the layout. The content was also nothing out of the extraordinary compared to the other clinical skills books out in the market. However, this book does a really good job of summarizing OSCE stations and OSCE topics in a format that's really exam-orientated. There are loads of mnemonics to help with memorizing things to look for in any particular station (both clinical and history-taking). I also particularly liked the checklists written in each section. If you like learning or revising clinical skills for a 'tick-the-box' method of getting OSCE marks, this book is amazing for helping you remember ques for the exam. Otherwise, I would prefer learning from other clinical skills books, and use this as a revision guide or if i want to revise examinations for specific diseases/signs/symptoms.

Posted 31st May 2011