Abstract
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This 2-volume set is the updated version of the work of 294 contributors who cover the field of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (OHNS) from A to Z. It is conceived as a learning system in which consistent organization, summary tables, illustrations, and a separate study guide are the main features. In reading through the various chapters, however, the set strongly resembles a comprehensive, well-written, concise, multiauthor textbook more than a structured learning experience. The information is presented with a generous number of illustrations, drawings, and radiographic images that support the mission of the work. However, readers still must work through the book and develop their own memory substrates in which to place the enormous amount of information presented.
This book will be valuable to residents at all stages of their careers: initial learning, memory refreshment, and board review. For the practitioner, there are excellent reviews of new areas, such as genetics and molecular biology, as well as updates on old areas from the top (alopecia) to the bottom (gastroesophageal reflux) of our field. Thus this work should be seriously considered by anyone desiring a comprehensive summary of the important facts, procedures, processes, and perspectives in OHNS. However, it still needs an interactive tutor to facilitate prioritization in learning and to help distill wisdom from information. Fortunately, our patients and our professors help us greatly to focus our attention in this regard.