Pocket Guide to Physical Examination

This pocket book of 108 pages, written in English language, addresses mediac students who wish to learn systematically both for the physical exam and differential diagnosis. The soft cover binding makes it light and easy to handle. The reviewed edition is the 2nd, published in 2007 by Normed Verlag. It was edited both in Germany (should be Ireland?) and USA. It is currently also translated to Portuguese. Its authors are known by many publications in international journals, mainly in gastroenterology. Asghar Qasim, Professor of Internal Medicine and Colm Ò Morain, Dean of Medicine and Professor of Trinity College and consultant of Adelaide and Mead Hospital in Tallaght, the 3rd city of Ireland. They are supported by a University such prestigious as Trinity College the university of Dublin, characterized by its emphasis both on classic bedside learning and medical pathology. The authors intend to improve the classic entry to medical semiology in times when expensive technology and invasive methods dominate. It is fundamental to facilitate the physicians skills to gain data and formulate a clinical history of the conditions and approach, primarily from a global view, in order to later go by systems of physical examination. The other basic factor for maximizing efficient medical treatment is an adequate doctor/patient relation. The book contains four separate sections, as well as a short introduction and an alphabetical index. The content is clearly presented. In the 1st section titled Examination Steps, reference is made to a general physical examination , as well as to systemic: gastrointestinasl, cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous and muscular system. The initial part functions like an index and lists anatomic abnormalities, vital signs and deformations which may alarm at first glance. Lengthwise the 3 pages emphasize, always before the next approach, in an adequate formulation with initial presentation and an adequate exposition of the patient. After this describes summarizing the classic signs of inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation, which in the era of images and technology are neglected, and replacing the abilities of examination. In the 2nd section, the most extensive, with 70 pages, develops , always under the same premises as in the preceding chapter (classic semiology), the techniques of physical examination per se, the attention to vital signs (pulse, arterial pressure, temperature and respiratory frequency and the physical examination. It consists of five parts, where the psychiatric and pediatric patient have a special chapter. There is a schematic resume (on par page?) of acquiring each of the systems. In the 3rd section on 17 pages reference is made on physical signs and their differential diagnosis on alphabetical order. The 4th section, about diseases and common signs associated to famous physicians, constitutes the appendix of three pages, where, for sure, no relevant Spanish physician appears with the 47 references. At last an alphabetical index closes the manual. Weak points of the book are the lack of more illustrations which orient themselves to the anatomic appearances, because the few ones are basic and rather schematic. There are no bibliographic references where the student interested to deepen his knowledge of the material, can find help. Summarizing, this is a good aid for students of medicine to systemize and evaluate a patient, by the classic semiology, without leaving out any detail, by a general approach to every particular system, at the same time familiarizing to the medical terminology in the English language.