Essentials of Pediatrics will be an invaluable text for students aspiring to master the competencies in pediatrics. With the new CBME curriculum, the teaching learning methods and pattern of evaluation have changed. Additionally, with NExT, which is designed to judge the conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills of final-year MBBS students, replacing the final MBBS exam and postgraduate entrance exam, the need for an undergraduate textbook that covers the subject of pediatrics under the framework of this new curriculum was acutely felt, to cut through voluminous text and help students acquire the competencies expected.
Essentials of Pediatrics is designed to include the information essential for a doctor to provide health care to children as the “physician of first contact†in the community—the attribute expected of the Indian Medical Graduate (IMG). This book covers the promotive, preventive, and curative aspects of those disease conditions a primary healthcare provider is likely to encounter. It is also designed to help students prepare for the new pattern of evaluation.
The learning objectives and competencies to be achieved by the learner have been clearly defined at the beginning of each chapter. Thus, the student is aware of what he/she should be ABLE to do at the end of the session. The problem-based learning approach with typical cases ensures that the clinical relevance is well-understood. There are focus questions at the end of each chapter for self-assessment and to help students face the MCQ-based NExT with confidence.
Many chapters have dealt with the subject differently. Chapter 6 on Adolescent Health and Chapter 20 on Neonatology cover the essential aspects of providing care for the common conditions unique to these age groups. Chapter 27 focusses on emergencies and triaging, which are critical for saving lives. Chapter 34 on Infectious Diseases focuses on those diseases important in our country, while Chapter 35 includes topics like informed consent and ethics in child care, which are so important in current practice. The three annexures at the end of the book present the IAP and WHO growth charts, BMI-for-age charts, and Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) guidelines.
Essentials of Pediatrics is well-organized and comprehensive. The textual material is supported by clinical case studies, illustrations, and photographs. A mix of MCQs and other self-evaluation exercises are included to aid in better preparation for the examinations.
Padmasani Venkat Ramanan, MD, MRCPCH (UK), completed her MBBS and MD (Pediatrics) from Maulana Azad Medical College. She is currently Professor of Pediatrics, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai. Her special interests are in infectious diseases, vaccinology, growth, nutrition, and medical education. She has been a teacher and examiner for undergraduate students of medicine, postgraduates in pediatrics, fellows, and doctoral students for over 25 years. An astute clinician, a keen researcher, and a prolific writer, she has over 60 publications in national and international indexed medical journals, two book chapters, and two books to her credit.
Ramachandran P, MD (Pediatrics), DNB (Pediatrics), is currently Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Dean, Postgraduate (PG) Studies at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai. Having taught pediatrics for undergraduates and postgraduates in different institutions in Tamil Nadu for nearly 40 years, he superannuated in the year 2011 as Director & Superintendent I/C, Institute of Child Health, Madras Medical College, Chennai. He has served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Indian Journal of Practical Pediatrics (2014–2016) and as the academic editor of the IAP Textbook of Pediatrics. He was a member of the IAP Task Force on the Implementation and Support of the MCI Competency-based Curriculum for Pediatrics in undergraduate education (2019).
