Handbook of Clinical Skills

First published in 2002, this was one of the first handbooks to focus on the practical application of skills including consultation aimed specifically at medical students and newly-qualified juniors and is extremely well thought of, both in the UK and internationally. This long-awaited revision remains readable, concise and pocket-sized, while being thoroughly updated to reflect the latest requirements of these groups including consent, confidentiality & record keeping, with new chapters on Prescribing and Skills in general practice, procedures reflecting the latest Core Curriculum, and online video material to help students put their acquired skills into effective clinical practice.

Table of Contents
Introduction to history taking and examination. Principles of prescribing and prescribing practice. The cardiovascular system. The respiratory system. The gastrointestinal system. The locomotor system. The nervous system. The female reproductive system. The male reproductive system. The endocrine system. The skin. Assessment of the psychiatry patient. Paediatric history and examination. The clinical assessment in general practice.

Jane Dacre was elected president of the RCP in April 2014. She is an honorary consultant physician and rheumatologist at the Whittington Hospital in north London, professor of medical education, and director of UCL Medical School in London where she is the chair of several teaching related committees and is actively involved in the leadership, management and design of the MBBS programme. She was also the medical director of MRCP(UK) until December 2013, and prior to that academic vice president of the RCP. Professor Dacre was a GMC council member, and chaired the GMC Education and Training Committee (2008–2012). She also leads a research programme in medical education focussing on assessment. She was the clinical lead for the development of the first Clinical Skills Centre in the UK, and a co-author of the GALS screen. Professor Dacre has been instrumental in the development, implementation and evaluation of assessment systems in medicine. In 2012 she won the ‘medicine and healthcare’ category for the Women in the City: Woman of Achievement Award. In 2013 she was named in the Health Service Journal’s inaugural list of 50 inspirational women in healthcare.

Professor Peter Kopelman is Vice-Chancellor of the University of London. He was Principal at St George's, University of London 2008-15. Prior to this, he was Vice-Principal, Queen Mary, University of London and Deputy Warden of Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry (2001-6), and Dean of the Faculty of Health, University of East Anglia (2006-8). Professor Kopelman is active in health policy, education and research. He has been chair or deputy chair of several national university committees. He is a member of NHS national policy and workforce committees, and has chaired the Clinical Examining Board of the Royal Colleges of Physicians (UK) and the NHIR Academic Careers Panel. He is presently chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Faculty & Education Board and Health Education England’s Oversight Board for Medical Associate Practitioners. Professor Kopelman has a long-standing interest in diabetes care, nutrition and obesity with a major research interest in obesity. He was a member of the UK Department of Health and Food Standards Agency Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (2001-10), DH Expert Panel on Obesity (2008-10) and was Science Advisor to the Office of Science and Innovations Foresight Obesity Project (2005-9)