This a useful workbook of common clinical scenarios encountered in general practice. I think it would be most helpful to those doing GP rotations for the first time, such as medical students and FY2 doctors, or as a gentle introduction for those returning to clinical practice after some time away.
The authors cover a broad range of frequently encountered cases (from ‘I have migraine’, to ‘I’m worried about my memory’ and ‘I want to talk about my risk of breast cancer’). I like the way each topic starts with describing a patient and their background, as it helps it to feel very relevant to day-to-day appointments. The question and answer format makes it quite easy to refer to with clear boxes summarising areas like common causes, and helpful tips. The format encourages the reader to think about the presentation in a structured way, and also considers factors involved in managing the patient holistically.
The level of information provided is quite basic, and for it to be especially helpful to GP trainees it would need something a little extra, such as predictive values of various clinical signs or clear summaries or flow charts of the latest guidelines.
I haven’t done my CSA yet so it’s hard to say whether I would find it helpful for exam preparation. Overall, it’s a book I think I would have found useful to dip in and out of during my first GP placement.
7/10
Dr Nishma Manek is a GP trainee in London. You can follow her on Twitter @nishmanek
