Clinical Examination: A Systematic Guide to Physical Diagnosis

Rating:
Summary: If you're an Australian medical student, it's VERY useful
Review: "Clinical Examination" is pretty much an essential book if you're studying at medical school in Australia. In the 1990s, it replaced much bulkier and more detailed books that were used in the past. Nick Talley and Simon O'Connor have distilled information from various sources into one book - it's not anything groundbreaking, but it's convenient.

Essentially, it's a guide to how to perform take patient histories and perform clinical examinations. It fairly much to the point, with not a lot of waffle, but has the odd bit of very dry "physician humor" to keep you reading. It won't explain a lot - it'll just tell you what to do.

A word of warning outside Australasia - this book does tend to be relatively fine-tuned to the Australian style of clinical examination, which I understand is quite different to, say, US style examination. I'm not sure that it would transport off Australian shores that well.

Rating:
Summary: AN ILLUSTRATIVE DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE
Review: "Clinical Examination: A Systematic Guide to Physical Diagnosis" contains everything a clinician needs to know about medical case-studies. The practical emphases of this book spanned across physiology and anatomy. It guides its reader on how best to observe and infer symptom signs. This book also included generous evaluation of both paediatric and geriatric symptoms. Midwifery students would be pleased with the commendable job it did on topics relating to obstetrics and neonatology.
In conclusion, I would say that this book is a good diagnostic tool: a rich resource whose practical approach is supported by spectacular figures and photographs. Another quality guide for discerning medics!

Rating:
Summary: If you're an Australian medical student, it's VERY useful
Review: "Clinical Examination" is pretty much an essential book if you're studying at medical school in Australia. In the 1990s, it replaced much bulkier and more detailed books that were used in the past. Nick Talley and Simon O'Connor have distilled information from various sources into one book - it's not anything groundbreaking, but it's convenient.

Essentially, it's a guide to how to perform take patient histories and perform clinical examinations. It fairly much to the point, with not a lot of waffle, but has the odd bit of very dry "physician humor" to keep you reading. It won't explain a lot - it'll just tell you what to do.

A word of warning outside Australasia - this book does tend to be relatively fine-tuned to the Australian style of clinical examination, which I understand is quite different to, say, US style examination. I'm not sure that it would transport off Australian shores that well.

Rating:
Summary: AN ILLUSTRATIVE DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE
Review: "Clinical Examination: A Systematic Guide to Physical Diagnosis" contains everything a clinician needs to know about medical case-studies. The practical emphases of this book spanned across physiology and anatomy. It guides its reader on how best to observe and infer symptom signs. This book also included generous evaluation of both paediatric and geriatric symptoms. Midwifery students would be pleased with the commendable job it did on topics relating to obstetrics and neonatology.
In conclusion, I would say that this book is a good diagnostic tool: a rich resource whose practical approach is supported by spectacular figures and photographs. Another quality guide for discerning medics!

Rating:
Summary: There is no better choice
Review: I teach physical examination at Harvard Med school, and could not work without this book. It's a gem. Easy to read chapters outline practical approaches to physical diagnosis. Each chapter has a summary approach to the history and exam for each system at the end. Nice tables and plenty of pictures make it an invaluable aid if you're serious about learning these critical skills.

Rating:
Summary: Worthy of becoming a classic introductory book
Review: This book has become a trusted friend in the minefield of commencing medical examinations on patients.

The initial chapters relate to general principles of history taking and physical examination. Following that are chapters dedicated to each of the systems of the human body, including a section on psychiatry. Finally there is instruction in writing and presenting your findings as well as screening examination formats.

The text is very readable with ample photographs, diagrams and tables to illustrate and clarify the information given. This book is extremely popular with most students I know because it presents the information clearly and with humour.

This book will reward any buyer in their early years of medical examination, and will continue to be useful well into specialization.