Undergraduate Surgery Simplified A Directed Self-Learning Course For Undergraduate Surgical Students by Peter Lee, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers

This book is designed to simplify and enhance the learning process of the students by involving the students in acquiring their own surgical knowledge through the use of directed or modified problem-based learning. Undergraduate Surgery Simplified is a series of case-based tutorials in a question and answer format. The book covers the most common problems, which the students will meet during their general surgical clinical training. Each tutorial is centered on a presenting clinical symptom or sign—exactly as the student will encounter them in hospital or general practice. Using the question and answer format, the tutorials encourage the student to search out and source further surgical knowledge; thus, promoting deeper and longer-lasting learning. This is in contrast to most standard surgical textbooks where the surgical curriculum is artificially divided into ‘disease’ categories and centered on the less efficient model of didactic or ‘rote’ learning. The book is arranged into three modules. The first module is centered on history taking and physical examination, the second deals with differential diagnosis and investigation and the final module with patient management and house officer/intern tasks. Many of the same case scenarios (or patients) spiral into all three modules so that the student gradually builds up knowledge of their overall presentation and management. The content of the book is designed to allow the students to use the tutorials from the first day of their clinical course, when their clinical knowledge and experience is minimal, to their last; hopefully making their transition from final year student to house officer, a seamless and non-traumatic experience. With this in mind, emphasis is placed on basic science, ethics, communication skills and on the practical tasks they will be expected to perform in their house officer/intern years. Although primarily intended for the undergraduate surgical students, the book may also appeal to surgical house officers and interns, Foundation year 1 and 2 doctors in the United Kingdom and Surgical Course Curriculum Directors looking to update and standardize their surgical undergraduate curriculum. The question and answer format of this book is similar to the Modified Essay Question (MEQ) widely used in modern day undergraduate and postgraduate examinations. This allows the readers to use the content as an important revision tool before summative examinations, regardless of whether or not they have previously used the book. Undergraduate Surgery Simplified is a directed self-learning course based on modern day teaching methods. Whether used as a stand-alone course carried out at the student’s individual rate, as an adjunct to their own medical school curriculum or as a revision tool, the book will enable the student to acquire the surgical knowledge and skills in a graded and enjoyable manner—promoting deeper and longer-lasting knowledge.

• A problem-based self-learning course covering the essentials of the clinical surgical undergraduate curriculum

• Presents in three progressive case-based modules and comprehensively illustrated with nearly 300 clinical pictures, X-rays, scans and drawings

• Designed to promote deeper rather than didactic learning, and it can be used either as a stand-along course or as an adjunct to an established medical school curriculum

• Because of the question and answer format, the book is ideal for revision and MEQ examination practice

• Tired, tested and modified by student feedback over many years, the content of the book has already proven universally popular with both students and tutors.