The scientific foundation of any discipline is, as the name suggests, basic to the understanding of pathophysiology, mechanisms, physiologic and pharmacologic interactions, and technology. It arms the clinician with the ability to challenge dogma and keep pace with recent advances and is therefore, understandably, a non-negotiable part of the urology curriculum.
For some of you with a more clinical disposition who may find the study of basic science arduous to traipse through, this book provides the perfect solution by concisely delivering a wide range of topics separating the wheat from the chaff. A worthy winner of the BMA Medical Book Awards 2022 in the ‘Surgery and Surgical Specialties’ category, this deceptively small book of just 320 pages carries exceptional weight of high-quality information communicated in a way that is easy to understand. Designed primarily to meet the need of trainee urologists, it comprises 34 short chapters structured in five main sections which encompass basic biological processes, embryology, anatomy and physiology, the pathophysiology underpinning benign and malignant pathology, and therapeutics. Whilst there is a growing body of clinical urological texts specifically aimed at trainees, this book provides an unparalleled contemporary update of key basic science concepts not found elsewhere in such a uniquely succinct format. I particularly appreciated the elucidation of key concepts of oncogenesis and metastasis which is revisited later in the context of particular specific conditions. The text is supported by clear colour diagrams, tables and bullet points to aid study and recollection. The paperback is inexpensive and easy to carry, ideal for quick reference, and is virtually a must-have for anyone in training or those later in their career wishing to update themselves in the sciences that underpin urological practice.
