Pauline Law, University of Dundee

Embryology is a subject that brings fear to the eyes of many medical students. Including myself. This book is a comprehensive analysis of how each system develops. From pre-conception right through to just before birth with some useful information on assessing foetal abnormalities in utero. The chapters look at systems in detail and there are plenty of photographs, diagrams and scans. So it provides everything you need to know. And it has the benefit of Student Consult access. But… it’s a bit too detailed for an undergraduate and I found myself struggling to find time to read and absorb all the information. Also it has a floppy cover which is not going to last well. If you really find embryology fascinating or confusing and you have time to read round the topic then this is the book for you.

Posted 20th Aug 2008

Stephan Sanders, The University of Nottingham

This review refers to a previous edition of this book

This is the same Moore who wrote the anatomy book and this book follows a similar style. It is packed with excellent and colourful pictures explaining how the various structures develop and change with time. It is often possible to understand the concepts using just the labelled diagrams. The text then gives us more detail, of which there is surplus. On the good side it appears to cover almost every conceivable question, although the important points can sometimes seem a bit swamped. Some of the best aspects of this book are the blue clinical boxes; these appear frequently and are very well written. Basically this is a good choice for someone who likes embryology and wants to get a good mark, not just a pass.

Posted 1st Jul 2008