This textbook is an introduction and guide to undergraduate surgery. It has been a bestseller since its first edition in 2001.The philosophy of this book is to focus on the level of knowledge and the approach that would be expected of the better students reaching the end of their undergraduate training. Avoiding a book that is too cumbersome, we have tried to make this volume readable and enjoyable, using various techniques to help the reader remember key facts: the text has been deliberately written in a tutorial-like story format as opposed to a set of lists, since this makes it easier to understand and remember.In addition to general surgery, the book contains sections on trauma, orthopaedics, urology and ENT, making it the only comprehensive textbook for medical students wishing to learn top tips in surgery.Subjects that are poorly covered in other main texts - such as fluid balance management and minor surgical procedures - are dealt with in a tutorial fashion in this book, and there is a section on how to problem-solve even in the context of areas unknown to the student.This book is useful for medical students and also for junior doctors during their day-to-day working lives, as well as those coming up to postgraduate exams.Each chapter is written by an authoritative author, alongside the book editors, and they have ensured it remains in the spirit of the bestselling previous editions.

As final examinations approach, medical students often become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of knowledge required to pass all subjects in one go, including surgery, medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, pharmacology, and psychiatry. Students cannot know each of these subjects in as much detail as they did during their individual attachments and they need to concentrate on important topics rather than minutiae.Whereas existing textbooks cover many topics very well and in great detail, they are lengthy and difficult to read in a short space of time; some subjects are poorly covered and give no real understanding of practical management and logical thought processes - the exact requirements for passing finals.In this second edition, each chapter has been extensively rewritten and updated with the help of experts in their respective subjects.