Robert N. McClelland, M.D.
Professor
Alvin Baldwin Jr. Chair in Surgery
Selected Readings in General Surgery, a reading program designed primarily for residents in general surgical training programs and published by the Department of Surgery faculty of The Univeristy of Texas Southwestern Medical School, is now in its 30th year under the overall editorship of Robert N. McClelland, M.D., Professor of Surgery. The goal of this reading program is to provide a systematic review of the most pertinent medical and surgical literature on all major aspects of general surgery, with particular emphasis on the knowledge required for a resident-in-training. Members of the general surgical faculty at Southwestern Medical School, with a special interest and expertise in the topic under consideration, choose the papers reviewed in each issue and also write the overview in which each paper is discussed and commented upon.
Eleven times per year, each subscriber receives a book of 45 to 60 bound reprints selected from more than 160 surgical, medical, radiologic, endoscopic, oncologic, and other specialty journals. The issue also includes a 60,000 to 70,000 word summary of and editorial commentary on all the reprints provided. Review and commentary on an additional 25 to 35 papers, not included with the issue but relevant to the current topic, is also provided in this Overview. Approximately 40% of the information presented is basic with an additional 60% of supplemental reading provided for more in-depth coverage of the ever-expanding medical literature. A self-evaluation test of 20 questions based on the summary is provided and may be taken for Continuing Medical Education credit (110 Category I credit hours per year).
The entire field of general surgery is covered on the basis of a regularly repeated schedule of twenty-three broad categories of general surgical conditions and this coverage requires approximately sixty-five months for complete review. Upon completion of one cycle, each topic is repeated with completely revised and updated reprints, article summaries, editorial commentaries, and new quizzes.
Selected Readings in General Surgery is used as the basis of teaching seminars in many major university surgical residency programs and is of help to residents when preparing for the American Board of Surgery qualifying exam. Though designed for individual use, at UT Southwestern the faculty editor for each topic also spends several hours discussing each issue with our surgery residents. This systematic reading program is also used by many surgeons in practice to keep up-to-date in the diverse areas of general surgery and is useful as a study guide in their preparation for recertifying examinations. Subscribers in every general surgery residency program in the United States receive this publication. There are approximately 400 international subscribers, including about 100 medical missionaries who receive their issues gratis.
For more information, please go to www.srgs.us or e-mail us at selectedreadings@aol.com. You may also contact us via telephone at 800-631.0033 or 214-648-2756, or by fax at 214-648-2893.
