Data Interpretation for Medical Students, Second Edition - Softcover

Ian Bickle; Paul Hamilton

Softcover

ISBN 10: 190563577X ISBN 13: 9781905635771

Publisher: PasTest, 2012

Synopsis

very good book for medical school finals, covers all important areas of data interpretation

About this title

Review:

Winner of the Student Textbook Award at the BMA Book Awards 2012! This award is chosen by the judging panel from all of the shortlisted books in all of the categories. It is awarded to a book or resource which best meets the needs of undergraduate students. --BMA Book Awards 2012

Initially when given the book to review, I thought it was related to the enthralling topic of statistics. However, on receiving the book, I soon discovered that the data the title refers to is actually the interpretation of clinical tests such as ABGs, blood results, radiology imaging, ECGs etc. Interpretation and analysis of the clinical data and tests which are used on a daily basis in clinical practice is obviously a vital part of becoming a doctor and so I was keen to read on and see if the text did as it said on the tin. The 600 page book is divided into chapters on virtually all the medical specialities, with all the common tests/investigations covered. Each chapter begins with a number of pages covering the key physiology and pathophysiology related to the speciality along with a description of the relevant tests available before going on to give a number of cases with questions and answers for students to self-test. I feel the book is pitched at a good level for medical students. As a final year, I have (I think) come to grips with most of the common tests, and so the book is perhaps not so useful except for if all your friends leave you and you fancy some late night medicine trivia with a bottle of wine. However, for 2nd years especially, this book would prove extremely useful for the tests you encounter almost immediately upon setting foot on the wards. The book would also be useful for CCT teachers to have as many of the examples would be useful exercises to do in UCCT. Overall, I would recommend the book as a useful addition to the bookshelf, especially for early on in your clinical years when the vast array of tests and their interpretation can appear a little daunting. --Alistair, Sphincter Magazine Spring 2012, Liverpool Medical School

Winner of the Student Textbook Award at the BMA Book Awards 2012! This award is chosen by the judging panel from all of the shortlisted books in all of the categories. It is awarded to a book or resource which best meets the needs of undergraduate students. --BMA Book Awards 2012

From the Author:

"Why buy my book?" By author Ian Bickle

Often the most unique and valuable things in life happen by chance or arise out of circumstance. Those which have a really special twist involve close friends and family. That is how Data Interpretation for Medical Students came about.

Paul Hamilton and I first came to know each other as first year medical students at Queen’s University, Belfast in 1997. A shared understanding and interests were apparent, along with an appreciation for each other’s strengths and weaknesses – to be honest I have all the weaknesses and Paul has none!

We had worked on previous projects, including our first book Clinical Skills for Medical Students: A Hands-On Guide (still available as an eBook), but "DI" was our baby. It's a book that evolved out of our own curiosities and a deep belief that an admirable doctor: 'assesses, thinks, investigates, analyses and concludes. Medics should think, not just do'.

We also put ourselves into the potential readers shoes – what would I want from a book, how would it most help and make studying enjoyable?

We believe the key features are:

- Simplicity in approach and graduated learning
- Replication of real scenarios through clinical vignettes
- A practicable breath of topics
- An ability to review ones understanding with chapter ending clinical case scenarios
- Our core belief that readers feedback is incorporated into new editions and refreshing the content in keeping with a changing medical world.

We hope you enjoy the book as much as we enjoyed writing it.

About this edition

• Publisher: PasTest
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 190563577X
• ISBN 13: 9781905635771
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 496
• Illustrator: Ben Stockham