Essentials of Internal Medicine, 3e

Book Preface

‘The definition of a specialist as one who “knows more and more about less and less” is good and true. Its truth makes essential that the specialist, to do efficient work, must have some association with others who, taken altogether, represent the whole of which the specialty is only a part.’
—Dr Charlie Mayo

The American Board of Internal Medicine describes an internist as ‘a personal physician who provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office and in the hospital, managing both common and complex illnesses of adolescents, adults and the elderly’. Accurate diagnosis is the key to successful long-term management; the internist must be an expert diagnostician who applies their skill and knowledge like a detective to solve an often difficult problem, craft a sensible plan and make a positive difference. In order to practice safely and provide the best possible outcomes, the specialist physician must master multiple competencies that include a broad and deep knowledge of diseases in body systems and disease prevention.

The first edition of Internal medicine: the essential facts was written by a single author (the senior editor) while a consultant at Mayo Clinic, as a guide to mastering the core knowledge and clinical facts in internal medicine. The popularity of the first edition with those sitting the American Board in Internal Medicine, Membership of the Royal College of Physicians, Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Part One) and similar examinations led to a successful second edition by the three of us. This new third edition has been completely revised and updated. All chapters have been written by experts in the field, followed by careful editing to ensure that the material is set at the correct standard. Every chapter has then undergone detailed peer review and been subsequently revised and edited for consistency and clarity.

The new edition retains the most successful elements of previous editions, including an emphasis on the facts that all specialist physicians should know (or need to remember for their examinations). In particular, we have striven to ensure that essential areas that may be overlooked when one is reading a major textbook or a review are highlighted, and irrelevant facts or waffle are avoided. Traditionally difficult-to-master topics such as medical genetics, poisonings, acid–base disturbances, medical epidemiology, medical dermatology and interpreting cross-sectional images are included. Color illustrations to enhance recognition and learning, clinical pearls, and lists and tables that must be memorized are integrated into the text. Multiple-choice questions with answers and explanations are included for revision purposes.

This book aims to provide a framework of knowledge and the core facts that those sitting postgraduate examinations in internal medicine must know. For those wishing to further enhance their clinical skills, a complimentary textbook Talley and O’Connor’s Clinical examination: a systematic guide to physical diagnosis (seventh edition) should be consulted. Essentials of Internal Medicine should also prove useful for senior medical students and those studying for other examinations where core knowledge in internal medicine is a requirement. We sincerely hope that this concise guide to internal medicine will serve those striving for excellence.

Nicholas J Talley
Brad Frankum
David Currow
August 2014