Medicine at a glance for preclinical and clinical students

James Dawson reviews three new titles in the popular series

Neuroscience at a Glance
Roger A Barker, Stephen Barasi, and M J Neal
Oxford: Blackwell Science, 1999; £11.95
ISBN 0 86542 869 7

The Cardiovascular System at a Glance
Philip I Aaronson, Jeremy P T Ward, Charles M Wiener, Steven P Schulman, and Jaswinder S Gill
Oxford: Blackwell Science, 1999; £12.95
ISBN 0 632 04971 5

Surgery at a Glance
Pierce A Grace and Neil R Borley
Oxford: Blackwell Science, 1999; £12.95
ISBN 0 632 04958 8

Do you ever wonder why we learn about ion channels, Starling's law, and at what level fibres of the spinothalamic tract decussate? I know I did, and I am sure if you have not heard of these yet, you soon will do, and you'll probably feel like the rest of us.

Linking the preclinical with the clinical has always been problematic, and textbooks used to be aimed at either one group of readers or the other, with little or no overlap. The first two titles in this review are aimed primarily at preclinical readers, indicating the importance of learning basic facts and principles, and offering a taste of their clinical relevance.

Neuroscience at a Glance describes with ease the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system in a fashion tailored for undergraduate learning. The user friendly layout allows the reader to identify the key information "at a glance" and draw upon the simple yet effective diagrams. Chapters in this book appear in a logical order, first introducing the organisation and function of the nervous system, then sensory, motor, and limbic systems, and finally chapters on common neurological disease. This book is more than adequate for preclinical students, and although it introduces flavours of neurology, clinical students are unlikely to be so satisfied, given its lack of clinical detail.

The Cardiovascular System at a Glance is also aimed primarily at preclinical students, and chapters on topics such as the electrocardiogram and risk factors for cardiovascular disease truly capture the reader's interest, delivering punchy sections of information which are both easy to follow and obviously relevant. The text does not allege to cater for those students on attachment with the professor of cardiology, although it does offer clinical students a thorough revision of really important topics essential for understanding the heart and circulation. The union of the basic facts with a clinical picture is maintained, and the book oozes suitability for students in the early years of the new undergraduate medical curriculum.

Surgery at a Glance sounds like an overambitious venture, and one wonders how such a huge subject can be condensed into just 160 pages. From "the diabetic foot" to the "head injury" and most of what's in between, however, this book offers clinical students a valuable resource and revision aid for general surgery and other surgical areas that are likely to be seen in finals. Each of the 76 chapters consist of definitions, common causes, clinical features, investigations, and management; a useful strategy that can be applied to most clinical problems. Although there is little discussion of the practical skills used in the operating theatre, or of the surgical anatomy, this book clearly outlines the most salient aspects of surgery and is a very cost effective accompaniment to any surgical attachment.

These three texts are not overly burdened with detail yet do not lack in substance; they are concise and to the point. Whether you have just entered medicine or are getting towards your finals, you should definitely visit the bookshop and leaf through these three titles.

James S Dawson, fourth year medical student, Leicester University


studentBMJ 2000;08:45-88 March ISSN 0966-6494