Abstract
How would you rate this book? (5 star means excellent book useful for all GPs in training - a must have item; 1 star means poor book that you would not buy yourself)
⋆⋆⋆⋆
What is good about this book?
There is a plethora of books and online support for preparation for the CSA. As a result, any new offerings need to either give a new perspective or be of a very high standard to entice us to buy them. I think this book achieves these requirements.
Naidoo and Bapat provide a bank of cases that can be used with either a supervisor, independently or with a revision group. The book can also be used as four fully prepared CSA circuits, which is a fantastic resource for a vocational training scheme (VTS) group.
The authors have recognised the differing needs of trainees depending upon how far they are along the revision path. The first section (first two circuits) has a very detailed discussion and background for each case, whereas the second half is briefer and designed for those closer to the exam itself. The contents pages allow you to easily look for a specific topic area. Each case is divided as expected, starting with information for the doctor – the style and content of which is very similar to those used in the exam – then the patient information, including the all-important ideas, concerns and expectations. There is then a suggested approach to the consultation, which follows the RCGP marking schedule. I like the very useful section here on interpersonal skills, which lists what would be considered good or poor communication for each case.
A real strength of the book is the background knowledge section, which contains crucial and up-to-date nuggets the reader needs without superfluous extras. These are essentially bullet points and not buried in reams of text and are a very efficient option for the reader. There is also a good choice of links should you wish to read further.
This book has been thoughtfully written, with a range of cases including telephone and third-party consultations, as well as a mix of new and follow-up patients. The information and discussion is well structured and pragmatic, which allows for a good flow and overall the book is very readable. It is succinct but not patronising to the reader and will be a great asset to each trainee using it, but also a good resource for trainers and VTS groups.
What is bad about this book?
As mentioned earlier, this book needs to fight hard against the already available resources, but as the best preparation is thought to include doing lots of cases, it is well placed. There is minimal information and advice for the exam itself or suggestions for how to prepare. As timing within each consultation is such a crucial factor for many candidates, it may have been helpful to include this alongside prioritising within the case discussion, in addition to listing all the areas that would ideally be included.
There are a few images and pictorial methods of giving information, for example a nice flowchart of the management of overactive bladder in women, but more would have helped to add interest and help the visual learners. Similarly, in some cases, doses of specific medications are discussed but this could have been done more to aid the reader’s learning.
For me, remembering the red flags for each case has to be second nature. Unfortunately, in this book, they are often hidden within the text. Having a checklist of these to ensure they stand out could have been helpful, or perhaps readers could do their own red flag lists.
A way of marking and structuring feedback to fellow candidates, especially when doing the full circuits, could have added more practical support to those using the book as well as giving the book an interesting edge. Disappointingly, a few of the cases were very familiar and similar to those used in my own CSA preparation – before this book was published. However, as the essential areas to cover will always be the same, it must be hard to avoid this repetition.