Small general reference books

These books are more focused on the needs of psychiatrists preparing for the MRCPsych examinations. Typically the information is presented concisely in note form or as lists/bullet points. One of these books will form the centrepiece of your revision strategy.

	Essential Revision Notes in Psychiatry for MRCPsych
	1st edition 2004
	Fear | Publisher: PasTest
	Written specifically to pull together all the core information necessary to pass Parts 1 and 2 of the MRCPsych exam. The 30 chapters cover basic sciences and clinical psychiatry while closely following the order of the exam curriculum. Each chapter has been written by experts in that field focussing on the knowledge required to pass the MRCPsych with emphasis placed on subjects that are most difficult to learn and those that feature most frequently in the exam.
	Verdict: Comprehensive book that covers the MRCPsych curriculum in note form.

	Examination Notes in Psychiatry
	4th edition 2005
	Buckley, Prewette, Bird, Harrison | Publisher: Hodder Education
	Whether used for revising, or by the professional requiring a rapid reference between consultations, Examination Notes in Psychiatry 4th edition will be an invaluable resource for all trainees, psychiatrists, and mental health professionals. This new edition maintains the core of valuable information that is required by any-would-be psychiatrists, but has been completely revised and updated. Assessment and diagnosis form the foundation of each section, but are now enhanced by the inclusion of treatment algorithms and evidence based medicine. Changes to nomenclature have been made to reflect current practice. The fully revised reading lists lead the reader to the latest papers and publications, and a glossary of relevant websites will provide even further resources- whether during the revision process or for the professional requiring a rapid reference between consultations.
	Verdict: A small book that is packed with facts. Clearly laid out with good use of bullet points.

	Revision Notes in Psychiatry
	2nd edition 2004
	Puri, Hall | Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Educational
	Any candidate for the MRCPsych or equivalent postgraduate examinations will feel challenged by the daunting breadth of the syllabus as well as by the level of detail required. Revision Notes in Psychiatry responds to that challenge by comprehensively presenting key up-to-date information across the whole spectrum of psychiatry and its scientific basis, within a clear structure. Since the highly successful publication of the first edition of Revision Notes in Psychiatry, there have been many new discoveries within most fields of psychiatry, and the subsequent updating of the MRCPsych is reflected in the second edition. Key features of the new edition: Concise format – covers the whole range of the subject, by focusing on the essential facts and opinions; Comprehensive – includes both clinical psychiatry and sciences fundamental to psychiatry; Up-to-date – includes many of the latest findings that take years to make their way into textbooks; Readable – whilst information is highly organised, this is not simply a book of lists; Ideal for MRCPsych revision – the structure unashamedly follows the membership syllabus.
	Verdict: Similar to Examination Notes in Psychiatry but not as compact. Very easy to revise from and a popular choice. Follows the syllabus published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

	The A - Z of the MRCPsych
	1st edition 2004
	Taylor | Publisher: PasTest
	A revision aid for doctors preparing for the MRCPsych examination. Complements existing revision texts. Uniquely, the book is written in a dictionary-like format with the subjects arranged in alphabetical order. This makes it easy to find information. The book is great for looking up the answers for individual statement questions.
	Verdict: Uniquely presents the key facts concisely in an A-Z format. Excellent for looking up the answers to past questions but it's not for reading cover-to-cover.