Includes References and Index

This book was borne out of a passion for surgery amongst medical students
at King’s College London sitting the Surgical Sciences intercalated BSc
course. Although there is a wealth of books covering surgical topics, we felt
that for a medical student with an interest in surgery there was no go-to book
to consult that we could be confident was aimed at the right level, and that
would cover the basics we need to appreciate what is going on in clinical
practice. This was especially clear when approaching placements in theatre,
as in our experience most medical schools teach surgical skills in a patchy
way, with students arriving in theatre expected to already know how to scrub
and how to behave in a sterile environment. From this, we decided that students needed a one-stop resource for surgery that will help them learn the
basics of their surgical placements, whilst nurturing an interest in surgery and
helping interested students to move into a surgical career.
Although time in theatre will always appeal to those keen for a career in
surgery, most students feel like their days spent there are not productive, and
their time can be better spent elsewhere. We hope to increase your productivity by helping you understand what’s going on in the procedure, with each
specialty providing a brief step-by-step guide to what happens in some of
their most common operations. We hope that having our guide with you
whilst on a surgical rotation will help you orientate yourself, and arm you
with the knowledge to make the most out of your placement.
This book has been written by a team of 73 students, trainees and consultants who have worked together to provide information that is crucial for
undergraduate medical exams and reflects current practice in the UK. We
hope that students being involved in writing means the content will be the
perfect companion to your medical studies and for building the foundations
of your future surgical career.