Mastering Medical Testing: A Guide for Clinicians

As a healthcare professional, you understand the significance of medical tests in diagnosing and treating patients. However, requesting these tests often falls on the shoulders of junior doctors, who may not be adequately prepared by medical schools to make informed decisions. This can lead to unnecessary testing, wasting valuable resources and potentially harming patients.

The Importance of Informed Medical Testing

This book, written by clinician Tom Boyles, bridges the knowledge gap by providing junior doctors and medical students with a comprehensive guide to medical testing. Starting with the fundamentals, the book explores questions like “what is a medical test?” and “why do we perform tests?” before delving into the evaluation of tests from a public health perspective.

Optimizing Medical Decision Making

By mastering the basics of medical decision making based on probability thresholds, readers will learn how to avoid unnecessary testing when results are unlikely to influence patient-relevant decisions. The book also covers the pros and cons of using metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values to ensure informed decision making.

Real-Life Examples and Practical Applications

Illustrated with real-life examples from multiple medical and surgical specialties, this book provides readers with a deep understanding of medical testing in various contexts. A novel checklist is also included to guide doctors in considering every aspect before requesting a test, ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate and effective care.

Written specifically for clinicians by a clinician, this book is an indispensable resource for medical students and junior doctors. By applying the principles outlined in this book, healthcare professionals can optimize their testing practices, leading to better patient outcomes and more efficient use of resources.

Published by Oxford University Press on March 15, 2023, this paperback book consists of 128 pages and is available with the following ISBN numbers: ISBN-10: 0192866613, ISBN-13: 978-0192866615.