Which Differential Diagnosis text should I use?

[SpyGuy]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey guys, looking for a good differential diagnosis text to reference when I'm not on rotations (in the UK).

Have two that I am eyeing and don't know which one to choose! Your help is much appreciated!

1) Oxford Handbook of Clinical Diagnosis - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oxford-Handbook-Clinical-Diagnosis-Handbooks/dp/0192632493

2) Churchill's Pocketbook of Differential Diagnosis - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Churchills-Pocketbook-Differential-Diagnosis-Pocketbooks/dp/0443062609

Which should I go for? They both look good?

Any other recommendations are also good.

Thanks!!!

 

[Green Grass]

...your brain.

 

[SpyGuy]

...your brain.

Why can't you be more helpful? I've only just started rotations and sure as hell still have much to learn. Reading in my free time would definitely help.

If you just want to make fun, go somewhere else please!

 

[Green Grass]

Ok. I'm leaving.

 

[todds]

OK I'll shoot - I think what the poster above is trying to get at is that you should try to develop differentials yourself first. Think it out and then consult a text afterwards to see what you might have missed - honestly any medicine handbook should be ok, lots of people use the Mass Gen handbook.

But you should first try to think for yourself - for example, chest pain - think of the anatomy of the chest wall and whats things are there that cause pain. Sharp pain will be in the muscles, bones, thoracic nerves and things that irritate the pleura and pericardium. Dull pain will often be visceral pain within organs etc...Think about all the organs there and then deduce a differential yourself. Also use a pneumonic like VITAMIN-D.

From the differential of the chief complaint, think of questions you would need to ask in your history to rule things out. Then think of tests in your physical that you could do to further rule things in or out. Then think about labs you might need to rule out the remaining differentials and/or confirm your initial suspicion.

Hope this helps