I bought this book a week ago and my confidence in diagnosis has increased ten fold. Not only can you pick the symptom you think is most relavent and look up what could be causing it, you also get a list of conditions with associated features, and how the condition is confirmed.
In real terms when on for example A&E, you get a patient with difuse hair loss (I had no idea where to start on this one) and you get given options of cytotoxic drugs , iron deficiency, sever illness, hypogonadism and recent pregnancy. You would then see what the symptoms of each are, and how you would confirm each.
It made the situation of coming away from a patient totally confused much easier. I am also better at coming up with differentials now.
As a medical student, this book has been of great use to me, both for learning and revising. It provides an invaluable starting point for anyone trying to work out what’s wrong with a patient. This is something that students don’t find easy. Additionally, it contains the differential diagnoses for uncommon signs or symptoms – something medical school doesn’t give a lot of guidance on.
The layout is the real reason that this book’s so useful. Each page is headed by a clinical sign or symptom, with possible causes listed below. Additionally, there is advice about how to investigate each sign/ symptom and how other signs/symptoms and the results of investigations can be used to rule out possible causes and form a logical, reasoned diagnosis. Furthermore, the introductory chapters titled ‘The diagnostic process’ and ‘Interpreting the history and examination’ provide useful hints and tips about forming a diagnosis.
This book is one of the most comprehensive I have read on clinical diagnosis and provides a checklist of discriminating criteria for many of the symptoms and signs encountered in clinical practice. My only criticism of this book, from the point of view of a finals student, is that it doesn’t specifically list investigations that would be required when a patient has a list of 2 or 3 possible differentials after the history/examination, which are often asked in examinations. In this regard, “Differential Diagnosis” is a useful book to read alongside this one
In real terms when on for example A&E, you get a patient with difuse hair loss (I had no idea where to start on this one) and you get given options of cytotoxic drugs , iron deficiency, sever illness, hypogonadism and recent pregnancy. You would then see what the symptoms of each are, and how you would confirm each.
It made the situation of coming away from a patient totally confused much easier. I am also better at coming up with differentials now.
As a medical student, this book has been of great use to me, both for learning and revising. It provides an invaluable starting point for anyone trying to work out what’s wrong with a patient. This is something that students don’t find easy. Additionally, it contains the differential diagnoses for uncommon signs or symptoms – something medical school doesn’t give a lot of guidance on.
The layout is the real reason that this book’s so useful. Each page is headed by a clinical sign or symptom, with possible causes listed below. Additionally, there is advice about how to investigate each sign/ symptom and how other signs/symptoms and the results of investigations can be used to rule out possible causes and form a logical, reasoned diagnosis. Furthermore, the introductory chapters titled ‘The diagnostic process’ and ‘Interpreting the history and examination’ provide useful hints and tips about forming a diagnosis.
This book is one of the most comprehensive I have read on clinical diagnosis and provides a checklist of discriminating criteria for many of the symptoms and signs encountered in clinical practice. My only criticism of this book, from the point of view of a finals student, is that it doesn’t specifically list investigations that would be required when a patient has a list of 2 or 3 possible differentials after the history/examination, which are often asked in examinations. In this regard, “Differential Diagnosis” is a useful book to read alongside this one
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