Latifa Patel, University of Liverpool

I award this book a BUYER RATING of 4/5. As some might have gathered I am a big fan of the Kumar and Clark Family. For me they are like the Osmonds and the Jacksons of today… except, they don’t sing or dance and they’re not actually a family. You get the drift though. However, Baby Clinical Surgery seems to have UHT filtered Mummy Clinical Surgery in other words unlike its medical twin it won’t always carry you through. Particularly once you’ve glanced at the Mummy versions and other surgery books. Nevertheless, I do own it and I like to start with an easier book before I stick my head into a book that’s heavier than me. And that’s what this book is great for. Its layout is perfect for easy learning and though I feel that it doesn’t go into enough detail it does touch most things that you’re likely to be asked in hospital. So although it’s not the perfect book for exams it is ideal for carrying around with you. Enjoy, Latifa (“,)

Posted 9th Mar 2009

David Miller, University of Glasgow

I always like to have a quick reference medical handbook in my back pocket when on the wards. In Medicine I use either Ballinger’s essentials of medicine or the oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Its pretty handy when you see something that you want to look up as you can do it there and then.Otherwise you forget about it and will never bother to go back and check. I used the oxford handbook of clinical surgery but was very disappointed and so picked up a copy of the pocket essentials of clinical surgery. I have found it very comprehensive covering all the aspects of surgery you’d been expected to know about at undergraduate and foundation doctor level. Modelled on the Kumar and Clark style Henrys surgery which it complements well. I’d recommend it for your surgical blocks

Posted 22nd Dec 2008

Aniek de Coninck, Maastricht University

This truly is a great little book. It covers all the aspects of surgery in a way that is very easy to understand for students. It’s a very compact book that you can easily slip into your pocket and use as a quick reference book without having to run out and find your huge surgery textbook, making this very handy for your clinical rotations. The diagrams and tables are very good making the content even easier to understand and you can even test your knowledge with a question section. With clear concise information on most of what you're likely to see on the O.R. it is definitely worth a purchase! Another bonus is that it is also available for the PDA so what more could we want!

Posted 3rd Dec 2008

Faye Sharpley, University of Cambridge

Being an F1 in a general surgical firm can be utter hell: newly qualified with no theory yet put into practice and with all those more knowledgeable than you up to their elbows in theatre. Kumar and Clark are, as ever, on the ball and have provided us medical students with this pocket guide to clinical surgery. All the essentials are covered, in colour, with pictures, enabling the surgical management of any condition to be quickly accessed. And quick access is just what you need to dodge a consultant’s quick-fire question round! I can easily see myself whipping out this portable guide and scurrying into the nearest side-room to reference a condition/ procedure. The highlight for me is the ‘important steps in common operations section’ that fantastically summarises the main steps in a dozen bullet points- what more can I say? Oh, and it’s even available for PDA. Perfect.

Posted 1st Jul 2008

Sarah Edwards, Peninsula Medical School

Positives — Clear and colourful and easy on the easy to read
- Concise and easy to follow and good for using on wards
- Good use of diagrams and tables which are easy to follow, especially management boxes.
- Good practical section at the end which is useful when having to describe practical procedures to tutors
- The use of questions to test knowledge at the end of work
- PDA is very good and easy to use!
Negatives —
Could be some clinical examples.

Posted 1st Jul 2008