Essential Urology: A Guide to Clinical Practice is an easy read from cover to cover; on average it will take three to four days to finish reading. However, it is packed with information presented in a very succinct manner. The book not only covers essential general urology, but also provides details of some fairly esoteric sub-specialties, which would otherwise be a daunting read and troublesome to find in larger textbooks.
For example, the book has chapters dedicated to different urological conditions encountered specifically in pregnancy, urinary tract infection in children and genitourinary dermatology – to name but a few. Authors acclaimed in their own fields write each chapter. The basic structure of each chapter is that of an abstract and introduction, followed by the central body of information, which is divided into logical and clear headings. The facts are presented in a way to help readers question and understand current practice, rather than just listing information, which makes the book so much more accessible.
Each chapter also ends with a conclusion to further consolidate important points. There are plenty of radiology images in the basic imaging chapter and coloured pictures in the dermatology chapter. Jeannette Potts is a US board certified family physician who has worked at an exclusive urological practice.
This book is written by doctors in the USA and therefore UK based urologists may find some discrepancies in the guidelines and suggestions. Understandably, this book is not as comprehensive as some other reference textbooks, but it was never meant to be! However, this is a good choice for a clinical practice based introductory read into the broad spectrum of urology.
I would recommend this book to general practitioners, obstetricians and gynaecologists, paediatricians and core surgical trainees with an interest in urology (for the awkward but obvious questions they might be asked in clinic that no one had warned them before).
