Abstract

Clinicians who provide primary care are expected to be knowledgeable about a wide variety of medical problems and to make diagnostic and therapeutic decisions within a relatively short period of time. During the past few decades, the corpus of medical knowledge has expanded to such a degree that it is virtually impossible for any one person to be fully knowledgeable about all aspects of medicine. Furthermore, although the number of specialized textbooks has increased exponentially during the past few years, there is a relative paucity of texts specifically aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of medical problems commonly encountered while delivering primary care in the office setting. Office Practice of Medicine, now in its fourth edition, meets this need.

This 1,165-page, 99-chapter book is a down-to-earth, practical, no-frills book. It provides an up-to-date, succinct review of common problems that a clinician engaged in primary care is likely to meet. A stellar list of experts has been recruited to write various chapters of the book. The editor should be complimented, because the format and style of each chapter are remarkably consistent. The book is easy to read. The comprehensive index facilitates finding specific sections answering specific problems. This book is a must for all clinicians who provide primary care.