Kanchana Sundaramurthy MBBS DNB (Surg) MRCSEd
Trust Senior House Officer, General Surgery Prince Charles Hospital
Merthyr Tydfil, UK
Published by JP Medical Ltd
83 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0HW, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 3170 8910
Fax: +44 (0)20 3008 6180
Email: info@jpmedpub.com
Web: www.jpmedpub.com
The rights of Kanchana Sundaramurthy to be identified as author of this work have been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission in writing of the publishers. Permissions may be sought directly from JP Medical Ltd at the address printed above.
All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
Medical knowledge and practice change constantly. This book is designed to provide accurate, authoritative information about the subject matter in question. However readers are advised to check the most current information available on procedures included and check information from the manufacturer of each product to be administered, to verify the recommended dose, formula, method and duration of administration, adverse effects and contraindications. It is the responsibility of the practitioner to take all appropriate safety precautions. Neither the publisher nor the author assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property arising from or related to use of material in this book.
This book is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in providing professional medical services. If such advice or services are required, the services of a competent medical professional should be sought.
9781907816017
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
JP Medical Ltd is a subsidiary of Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi, India with offices in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Nagpur. Visit www.jaypeebrothers.com for more details.
Publisher: | Richard Furn |
Development Editor: | Alison Whitehouse |
Design: | Pete Wilder, Designers Collective Ltd |
Copy Editor: | Robert Whittle |
Typeset, printed and bound in India.
5PrefaceThis is a unique book which aims to enable the MRCS viva candidate to score maximum marks. Though 18 out of 24 is the pass mark for the exam, being awarded the full 24 marks is what every candidate should aspire to, and what this book is all about.
Answering the MRCS viva is an art. Everything is timed, and the more you answer, the more marks you will score. Speed and accuracy are the two most important qualities examiners look for in your answer. This book will help you to practise for speed and accuracy with your friends before facing the actual examination.
The total number of achievable marks is 24, out of which the candidate must score a minimum of 18 to pass, 3 in each subject. If you score 2 in one, you can compensate by scoring 4 in another. But if you score 1 in any of the subjects, you cannot compensate by scoring 4 in two subjects, and you have failed even if your total score is 18 or more.
There are traditionally three sets of examiners, paired as Physiology and Critical Care, Pathology and Principles of Surgery, Anatomy and Operative Surgery. Each of them questions you for ten minutes, at the end of which the bell rings. You should aim to answer as many questions as possible in those ten minutes.
Three topics are taken in quick succession by each examiner, and three questions are asked in each topic. The first question is the basic one, where definitions are asked; the second one is more pointed and the third one is still more pointed. A fourth question is asked if you excel in answering the first three. As an example, in pathology, the first question might be: “What is an abscess?”; the second one might be: “Give me some examples of abscesses”; the third one: “What are the different types of peri-anal abscess?”; and if you are fast enough in answering those, there may be a fourth: “How will you treat them?”. Then the examiner will switch abruptly to the next topic and start with another definition. If a sufficient number of fourth questions is asked, you are assured of four marks.
The topics given in this book are taken from the official MRCS syllabus of the Royal College of Surgeons, and the book is structured in such a way that each topic answers the four questions most likely to be asked by examiners. The purpose of this book is not to help you score three in each subject, but four. There are candidates who have prepared for the MRCS viva using material from this book and who have scored 23 out of 24, and this should be the aim of each candidate preparing for the exam.
Revising from this book will boost your confidence to such a degree that scoring 24/24 need no longer be a dream.
Any queries and comments may be addressed to kan_sundar@yahoo.co.in
Kanchana Sundaramurthy