Comprehensive, reader-friendly book on surgery
Prof Mohan de Silva (right) and Prof. Bawantha Gamage presenting the book to Dr. C. Palanivelu while Prof. A.H. Sheriffdeen looks on
Precise, to the point and different to the norm was this book launch – sending forth an ‘incisive’ message, like the clean cut performed by a competent and skilled surgeon to heal a patient.
Held in the auditorium of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka, Colombo 7, ensconced within the former home of revered Dr. Noel and Nora Bartholomeusz, even the seats were meticulously numbered. On stage on March 30, like in a talk show were two, not just comperes but surgeons in their own right.
It was the launch of the Third Edition of ‘Clinical Surgery Made Easy – A Companion to Problem-based Learning’ by Editor-in-Chief and eminent surgeon Senior Prof. Mohan de Silva and Co-editor Prof. Bawantha Gamage.
Privileged and humbled he felt, said Prof. Aloka Pathirana when he gave a glimpse of what lay within the pages of this book.
Harking back to his medical school days, he said that they had a few books on surgery that were popular. Currently there may be over 100 surgical textbooks in English worldwide, each with a specific objective – providing factual knowledge and discussing clinical management of conditions, as a guide to preparation for examinations. ‘Clinical Surgery Made Easy’, however, aims to cover all these objectives in one go.
“Most textbooks come and go. For a textbook to withstand the test of time, regular updating is mandatory, considering the changing needs and learning styles of users. This book, being the third edition (the first had been in 2008 and the second in 2015) and having multiple authors for chapters, bodes well as one which would last many generations,” he said.
According to him there is a wide geographical variation with regard to surgical disease prevalence and even a wider variation in availability of treatment modalities. This textbook covers all these aspects comprehensively.
“Most impressed,” said Prof. Pathirana he was with the “unique” way in which the topics were covered – an attempt to focus on both common and important surgical conditions, presented in the format of clinical scenarios, making them engaging and contextual. The relevant basic sciences were explained when and where necessary.
This was while the sub-topics were covered in the format of questions faced in clinical settings, with the management options including those that were feasible and universal, he said, underscoring that an important aspect was the large number of multiple choice questions (MCQs) in each and every chapter.
The book has been written the same way that Prof. de Silva, a committed teacher, imparts knowledge………taking the trouble to think of different ways to teach surgery and make it interesting, while addressing issues faced in the clinical setting, along with a take home message.
The Editor-in-Chief and author of several chapters, Prof. de Silva who has also had the honour of contributing a chapter to the famous internationally published textbook ‘Bailey and Love’ considered the Bible of surgery, said that in medicine, creating a differential diagnosis and rationalizing a treatment strategy may be challenging even to experienced clinicians at times. Medical students and postgraduate trainees learned this skill from experienced teachers, during their ward rounds. Patients did not always present with classical-textbook descriptions and clinical scenarios.
He said: “Therefore, during the limited period of clinical training, students may not receive sufficient exposure to the science and the art of clinical reasoning, clinical decision-making and the art of selecting the most appropriate and safest treatment strategy. This is extremely important because we are living in an era where patient safety overrides all other concerns.
“Selecting between the best decision and most appropriate and safest decision, for a patient who is to undergo a surgical intervention may turn out to be a challenging task in emergency and elective surgical situations.”
So Prof. de Silva had come up with an alternative method of supplementing such bedside experience by carefully designing a series of common clinical scenarios. Under each topic is highlighted the essential core knowledge – ‘must know’ and ‘good to know’ knowledge in ‘small pockets’. This is while a story regarding the patient’s condition unfolds, touching upon the basic sciences, clinical reasoning, clinical decision-making, relevant clinical pathways based on the latest guidelines, procedural skills and appropriate management strategies.
This approach, he assures, will guide students to recognize, recall and apply the relevant facts to given clinical situations. Such teaching strategy with simplicity provides clarity to what is to be taught.
‘Clinical Surgery Made Easy’ also presents this approach, becoming a ‘companion’ to students. Frequently asked questions at examinations are emphasized during the discussion. Clinically important points are reiterated in boxes for easy review. It is story telling on guidelines. Some questions are purposely created outside the parameters discussed, to stimulate further reference (‘Nice to know knowledge’) and inspire a thirst for knowledge.
The Chief Guest at the book launch was Senior Prof. A.H. Sheriffdeen, while the Guests-of-Honour were much-sought-after Laparoscopic Surgeon in India Dr. C. Palanivelu and the President of the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, Prof. Tan Arulampalam who joined online.
Amidst the brief speeches were short interludes on screen by each author about the chapter he/she had contributed. The 466-page ‘Clinical Surgery Made Easy’, advancing from a single author textbook in the two early editions to a multi-author textbook in the 3rd edition, comprises 33 chapters and a collection of more than 350 MCQs. Incidentally, not all 24 authors are surgeons, with the exceptions being two physicians.
‘Clinical Surgery Made Easy’ is truly an educational tool written in a reader-friendly manner……a must-have companion for undergraduates and post-graduates.
Searching for an ideal partner? Find your soul mate on Hitad.lk, Sri Lanka's favourite marriage proposals page. With Hitad.lk matrimonial advertisements you have access to thousands of ads from potential suitors who are looking for someone just like you.