The aim of this Handbook, written by Biomedical Scientists and Clinicians, remains unchanged from the first edition, that is to disseminate the fundamental scientific principles that underpin clinical medicine by distilling the content of several voluminous textbooks into a conveniently-sized handbook, without losing important information. While keeping the same overall format in this second edition, we have rewritten and updated sections to reflect recent advances, incorporated a chapter covering the place of medicine in society and reordered and reformatted material to provide more uniform and accessible coverage of topics.
In addition, updated and frequent cross-referencing to the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine, 8e, the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Specialties, 8e and the Oxford Handbook of Practical Drug Therapy, 2e helps to highlight the clinical significance of specific information. Although the Handbook is aimed at medical students, with its structure mirroring the modern medical teaching strategy, its content will also serve as a key reference for science students studying biomedical sciences courses.
We hope that you will find this second edition of Handbook as useful as previous readers have found the first. Feedback on errors or omissions would be much appreciated. Please post your comments via the OUP website: www.oup.com/uk/medicine/handbooks.
RW, SC, IM, DM
2011