Surgical practice has witnessed some dramatic changes over the past decade. The advent of new imaging technologies has revolutionized the way that surgical disease is diagnosed, managed and followed up. Minimally invasive surgery and goal-directed recovery have tangibly improved the quality of postoperative care and reduced hospital stay. Advances in fields such as bioengineering and nanotechnology now offer the prospect of further huge leaps. What this has meant is that surgery has evolved into a truly multidisciplinary specialty, relying heavily on the input of a host of healthcare professionals. Throughout this there remains a real need for core knowledge of surgical management to be put into a modern perspective, particularly for the junior doctor who needs this information at his or her fingertips.

In parallel to technological advances, Western World healthcare systems have also been going through major restructuring programmes in order to cope with the increasing demands of modern medicine. In the UK, medical training has changed through the Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) programme and surgical teaching has had to cope with the changes to both medical school and postgraduate exams. Medical students and junior doctors being produced by these new systems have the same duty of care towards their patients as those of years gone by. This has to be provided to the highest standard.

There is now a real responsibility to provide easily accessible and upto-date knowledge of surgical management to those who need it the most. Hospital Surgery is a text that can be used by medical students and junior doctors alike to hone their knowledge of surgery for both the clinical and exam setting.