The Brigham Intensive Review of Internal Medicine, 3rd Edition

By Ajay K. Singh, MB

ISBN: 9780323476706

Pub Date: 2/23/18

Reviewed by: Vincent F Carr, DO, MSA, FACC, FACP (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences)

Description

This is the third edition of a course book for the American Board of Internal Medicine board review course conducted by The Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. The previous edition was published in 2014.

Purpose

The primary purpose is to provide a basic compendium on internal medicine and by extension what a candidate must understand in preparation for the certification examination. The editors have assembled the top experts in their general and subspecialty fields at Harvard Medical School. Subsequently, the book is an extraordinary summary of the basics without extensive discussion of the finer points of internal medicine.

Audience

While focused on those preparing for the board certification examination, the book clearly has great use for readers researching a basic topic or experienced clinicians wishing to update their medical knowledge on the more recent changes in the accepted standards of medical care.

Features

As any comprehensive book, it is divided into sections corresponding with the general topics of medicine such as infectious disease, rheumatology and a general internal medicine section. Each section is further divided into chapters concerning asthma, pleural diseases, peptic ulcer disease, heart failure and the basic principles of epidemiology and biostatics one must be familiar with to be successful on the board examination. The chapters take a very practical approach of presenting the specific topics followed by a “Board Simulation” chapter containing typical questions and explanations of the answers and another “Summary” chapter on the section topic. This format, with the basic information followed by the challenge questions followed by the summary is tremendously helpful. The photomicrographs are in full color and well presented and illustrative of the intended concepts. There are suggested additional reading references, but not the extensive historical references other books contain. These readings are more attuned to the most recent literature. The figures and boxes (tables) are very “to-the-point” and serve as excellent memory aids.

Assessment

As a board preparation book and a quick desk reference, this is an outstanding addition to every clinician’s library.

Doody’s Review Service Weighted Numerical Score: 94 – 4 Stars!