Textbooks
All are available online for free at http://www.cma.ca . These books are generally equivalent, so pick one to start your adventure in General Surgery Reading. We suggest you borrow them from the library or peruse online before you buy to find the best fit for you.
MUST HAVE ONE OF THESE:
Schwartz
Advantages: General guide on all general surgical issues. Anatomy, embryology, pathophysiology.
Disadvantages: Not an atlas or surgical technique book. Too detailed at times, difficult to recall all material read in one sitting.
Use for: Outlining presentations, Surgical Foundations, a starting point for junior residents, general overview of all topics.
Sabiston
Advantages: General guide on all general surgical issues. Includes anatomy, embryology, pathophysiology. Some of us think it is the most useful of the three in preparing for oral exams and attendings’ quizzes as opposed to Greenfield’s being better for preparing for written exams.
Disadvantages: Not an atlas or surgical technique book. Too detailed at times, difficult to recall all material read in one sitting.
Use for: Outlining presentations, Surgical Foundations, acts as starting point for junior residents, general overview of all topics.
Greenfield’s
Advantages: Some find it easier to read and remember chapter details.
Disadvantages: Again, no specific operative details.
Use for: Overview for junior and senior residents, good review book.
American College of Surgeons
Advantages: Available online, updated yearly, free with your ACS or CMA membership, review questions at the end of every chapter.
Cameron: Current Surgical Therapy
(consider after Surgical Foundations)
Advantages: Clinically relevant, contains algorithms, good preparation for senior years post-Surgical Foundations. Provides a very focused and manageable overview of specific subtopics.
Disadvantages: Minimal anatomical information, minimal pathophysiology, difficult for junior residents due to lack of background knowledge. Different authors for each edition therefore little continuity between editions.
Other Helpful General References
Lange: Current Diagnosis and Treatment – Surgery
Advantages: Brief, concise, portable, introduction to a topic, information on other surgical specialties.
Disadvantages: Not enough detail. Not appropriate for advanced levels.
Use for: Junior residents, medical students, on call issues.
Rush Review of Surgery
Advantages: Pure question and answer format. Mostly only useful for self-assessment as there is only a brief explanation of answers. Very helpful to check knowledge of concepts and identify weak areas.
ABSITE Review
Advantages: Good reference for Surgical Foundations, portable, easy to read, additional subspecialty information.
Disadvantages: Too general for senior years, no surgical techniques.
Operative Dictations in General and Vascular Surgery
Advantages: Helpful for learning to dictate. Great script/starting point.
Top Knife
Well-loved book on emergency general surgery. Easy to read style, fun for all ages. Great tips for surgeons interested in trauma.
Cope’s Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen
Advantages: reasoned approach to physical exam. A classic. Latest edition is 2010.
Disadvantages: Not a good quick reference, this is more a cover-to-cover read.
Chassin’s Operative Strategy in General Surgery: An Expositive Atlas
Advantages: Excellent approach to most general surgical operations in a concise and practical format. Nice figures and well written. Good description of the steps of an operation, useful for preparing for oral exams.
Disadvantages: May not be the most up to date textbook regarding surgical decision- making.
Shackelford, Surgery of the Alimentary Tract
Advantages: Complete review of pathologies of the GI tract. Used by some programs as THE review book for PGY-5. Especially good for pancreaticobiliary tract. Outstanding figures.
Disadvantages: Does not cover non-GI general surgery.
Acute Care Surgery: Principles and Practices
Advantages: Good for residents interested in acute care surgery/trauma/ICU. Head-to-toe approach to surgical emergencies.
Disadvantages: NOT a review book.
Atlases, Books on Surgical Technique
MUST HAVE ONE OF THESE:
Skandalakis: Surgical Anatomy and Technique: A Pocket Manual
Advantages: Quick reference for surgical anatomy and technique if you have not reviewed the operation beforehand. Good to keep in locker.
Disadvantages: Not very detailed, no thorough anatomy, all pictures in black and white.
Use for: Reviewing operation and techniques pre-op.
Zollinger: Atlas of Surgical Operations
Advantages: Lots of pictures, the classic atlas.
Disadvantages: Minimal written detail, cumbersome and not portable.
Mastery of Surgery
Advantages: Covers a lot of laparoscopic and open surgery, information on pre-operative and post-operative care, thorough review of anatomy, excellent colour pictures. Available online.
Disadvantages: Not a quick reference, not always up to date.
Use for: Learning operative steps.
Operative anatomy: Scott-Connor, Dawson
Advantages: Focuses on important anatomy for surgical procedure, good written details on how to perform operations.
Disadvantages: Could use more pictures, not a lot of information on pre-and post- operative management and complications.
Use for: Learning operations
Maingot’s Abdominal Operations, Volume I and II
Advantages: Good mix of text and atlas. Great technical details. Clear illustrations and good literature review. Benefits both senior resident and general surgeon.
Disadvantages: Not portable (except newest edition)
Atlas of Laparoscopic Surgery
Advantages: Atlas of laparoscopic procedures, both basic and advanced. Includes commentaries and illustrations.
Pocket References
The Mont Reid Surgical Handbook
Good for R1 and preparing right before a case or consult, point form and brief.
On Call: Principles and Protocols, and On Call: Surgery
Excellent reference for ward management, junior resident level.
MD Anderson
Concise review on all cancers, including epidemiology, diagnostic tests and treatment algorithms. Good references. Only draw-back: very specific to MD Anderson protocols.
University of Toronto Surgical Oncology Manual
A concise and practical guide to nearly all cancers general surgeons have to deal with.
Useful Phone Apps
| App Name | Description | Pros | Cons |
| TNM Cancer Staging Calculator
|
Generates TNM staging criteria and uses HER2, ER, PR status to generate prognostic score | Simple to use
Free of charge Definitions based on 8th edition of AJCC Cancer Staging Manual |
|
| Chirurgie
39.99$ once
|
Practical diagnosis-based guide to common General Surgery conditions including epidemiology, clinical presentation, investigation and treatment/management | Compiled from notes from ULaval study guide for the Royal College exam
Easy search function Allows for personal note taking in-app |
Available only in French
Moderate one-time fee |
| Lanthier
24.99$ once
|
Internal medicine information and guidelines based on the 7th edition of the Lanthier pocketbook. Organized by diagnosis/clinical presentation | Free download and 7 day trial
Allows for personal note taking in-app |
24.99 for full features
In-App purchases |
| INESSS
|
The Institute national d’excellence en sante? et en services sociaux (INESSS) developed this guideline to antibiotic treatment of common medical and surgical pathologies | Free of charge
Bilingual |
English updates are less frequent
Improvements needed for user interface |
| MedCalX
6.99$ once
|
Easy to use tool to determine medical condition scores, classifications and use of formulas in areas such as ICU, cardiology, anesthesiology, pediatrics and more | Free download
Access to small number of formulas for free, 300 when purchased Formulas and uses explained Allows adding personal notes |
In-App purchases
Free version does not allow for unit conversion |
| MDOnCall
13.99$ once
|
Useful tool for common issues and calls for inpatients and emergency consultations, organized by clinical presentation | Lists of appropriate investigations provided
Well elaborated treatment algorithms |
English only |
| IR Hemo Guide
1.99$ once
|
Tool for managing anticoagulation peri-interventionally (when to hold and resume), considering creatinine clearance, INR and procedure risks among other factors | Easy to use interface and decision trees
Bilingual |
Specific to interventional radiology procedures |
UptoDate  |
UpToDate is the leading clinical decision
support resource with evidence-based clinical information – including drug topics and recommendations that clinicians rely on at the point of care. |
Easy to use app version of website, stores continuing medical education credits, and saves page bookmarks and highlights | If not covered by Medical School, expensive annual fee |
| Guide AOD
Free
|
Guide for direct oral anticoagulation use, indications, doses, interactions, contraindications, peri and postoperative management and necessary follow up | Free off charge | French only |
| RX Critique
14.99$ annual
|
This is an Intravenous Critical Drugs Guide intended as a reference for 60 of the most commonly used IV drugs on dosages, stability, precautions with use etc. | Now on 11th edition
Free to download, restricted access |
Annual fee of 14.99 for full access |
| RX Vigilance
299$ annual
|
A reference tool that features information on drugs and health. Provides relevant and up to date information from several dozen leading reference sources. Drug monographs, pharmacological profile analysis, and information on natural products and travel | Large library of medications, their indications, interactions and safety profiles
Travel immunization requirements |
Requires account, and annual fee for full access |
| Evernote
89.99$ annual
|
Allows writing and capturing ideas as searchable notes, checklists, to-do lists and compiles as notebooks
Storage capacity for downloaded documents |
Includes free trial to monthly personal planner
Compatible with multiple devices Search function within saved notes Calendar syncing |
Pricing for premium subscription
Password protected, low security |
Online Resources
SAGES Surgical Fundamentals
Free access to didactic content for the SAGES’ FLS, FES, FUSE, and Safe Cholecystectomy programs.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network
Up to date guidelines of management of cancer patients from screening and diagnosis, to treatment.
TVAsurg
The Toronto Video Atlas of Surgery is a 3D-animation enhanced surgical video atlas.
Surgical Council on Resident Education
Provides high-quality educational materials and a structured program for self-learning on a wide variety of general surgery and subspecialty topics.