Customer Reviews
Minor flaws, but truly excellent. - By: BSW, 19 Mar 2008 
I've just passed the Intercollegiate MRCS first time (all 3 parts). I attribute part of that success to this book. I agree with the other reviews that there are some flaws & these are as follows:
1. Asin the other reviews, I was a little annoyed at the lack of some page reference numbers not being filledin properly, butin all honesty, this was not that important as it's easy to know what topic elsewherein the book the reference is to.
2. I also noticed a few minor errorsin the subject matter, but these were also fairly inconsequential & fairly obvious (e.g. there is one instance when the text says 'left hypochondrium', when they clearly mean 'right'. But everyone knows that's where the liver is. If you don't, I agree that you will find the exam difficult & this book will not help you.
3. An example paragraph to describe each pathology is accompanied by an illustrative picture which does not go exactly with the description, for example, the text will describe a left facial lesion but the picture will be of a right facial lesion, but both are meant to be just an example
4. The book is fairly pricey
However, I do feel that this book is indispensible for revision for MRCS as:
1. There are quick reference cardsin the back of it that detail every examination you could be asked to doin the exam. These were EXTREMELY useful & portable for spare times between clinics & examining friends etc.
2. The pictures of pathology are very, very helpful. I saw very similar thingsin the actual exam & would have been a bit confused had I not seen them here. For example, there is a very good station on the appearance & indications for the various stomas etc.
Saved countless hours attending clinics with the different specialties! (which I found difficult, time consuming & quite ineffectual)
3. This book is very readable. I got through it 3 times before the exam. Justified the price somewhat!
4. Divided up into sections like the exam stations. The author has surveyed candidates coming out of the MRCS clinicals & have statistically analysed the top cases (top 5 casesin each station & those which are 'very common' & 'common') so you know what you are likely to get prior to the exam.
I don't think I'd have passed without it.
all you need - By: Roobs, 14 Jul 2007 This book contained all the information I needed to pass the exam. Sure, there are a few typos but they aren't really that big a deal. The pictures are great &in my opinion, the footnotes are actually a good thing because they help reduce the amount of textin the main passages whilst being interestingin their own right.
I would recommend this book over the others by far.
Expensive - By: , 05 Feb 2006 
Have successfully sat MRCS clinical exam but did not rely on this book very much. It has a disorganised layout, an over-relyance on footnotes & pictures that can be foundin other books.
The collection of pictures is one of the books saving graces, but other than that there is not really much to commend. Would advise looking elsewhere.
Hasn't been updated for Intercollegiate MRCS. - By: , 01 Dec 2005 Maybe this book was relevant to the old MRCS, but it hasn't been updated for the new Intercollegiate exam, & contains a lot of misleading advice. There are far too many typos, & a lot of references to "see page XX", which suggest that it wasn't proof-read properly. The hundreds & hundreds of footnotes get very wearing.
A cautious recommendation, but don't rely on this book!
Prepare yourself for the Clinical - By: William Hage, 21 Sep 2004 
Things are a changing, what with intercollegiate exams & reductionin working hours & whatnot. But what is certain is that you can't change the past & Cathy Parchment-Smith has done a great job of reviewing & analysing candidates & subjectsin the clinical part of the (then) MRCS England exam.
A breakdown of topics, provided presumably from exiting candidates, lets you know exactly how often "examination of inguinal hernia" came up. Summary cards for each examination are exhaustive & providedin a handy cut-out format.
Basically this text lets you know what to learn, how to remember it all & dispells fears of being asked to spot minutiaein each examination bay. Let the statistics convince you..
Much recommended.
