Basic Science for the MRCS, 2nd Edition: A revision guide for surgical trainees

This book is a concise revision guide to the core basic sciences - anatomy, physiology and pathology - which comprise the essential knowledge required by the trainee entering the specialty of surgery. It has been written in a style to facilitate easy learning of the essential facts, with indications of both their clinical relevance and importance. This book concentrates on those topics which tend to be recurring examination themes for initial surgical training. It will be an invaluable resource for the basic surgical trainee studying for the Intercollegiate MRCS examination, as well as proving useful for those in higher surgical training and for the surgically inclined, well-motivated student.

• The book covers in one volume all the essentials of the basic sciences - anatomy, physiology and pathology - to aid the candidate for the MRCS examination.
• In covering the applied basic science the books explains the application and clinical relevance of the three sciences
• The text is written in an appropriate ‘bullet-point’ style to allow easy reading and rapid exam preparation
• The contents concentrate on the recurring common themes of the examination, thus helping direct appropriate learning and focussing on the specific impoartnta areas of knowledge
• The book is illustrated with line drawings which are clearly annotated to aid learning.

In this Second Edition, chapters have been updated and sections expanded to cover topics which are particularly relevant to examinations. The microbiology chapter has been rewritten, and the section on skin healing has also been extensively rewritten to include a section on burns, skin grafting and the anatomy of flaps. Each chapter has new OSCE scenario questions added to bring together the basic science and its clinical application in OSCE examinations.

Table of Contents

I Anatomy

1 The thorax

2 The abdomen, pelvis, and perineum

3 The upper limb and breast

4 The lower limb

5 The head, neck, and spine

6 The nervous system

II Physiology

7 General physiology

8 Respiratory system

9 Cardiovascular system

10 Gastrointestinal system

11 Urinary system

12 Endocrine system

13 Nervous and locomotor systems

III Pathology

14 Cellular injury

15 Disorders of growth, morphogenesis, and differentiation

16 Inflammation

17 Thrombosis, embolism and infarction

18 Neoplasia

19 Immunology

20 Haemopoietic and lymphoreticular system

21 Basic microbiology

22 System-specific pathology

IV Appendix OSCE scenario answers