Book review for "Fallbuch Biochemistry"
When I came to Western Reserve University, a private institution, in Cleveland fifty years ago, a new "integrated" medical degree was just being introduced, which the clinicians and pre-clinicians (who are called there of course in their own right) had decided on after long discussions and committee meetings. In this way, those admitted despite strict numerus clausus should learn the physiological-chemical and microbiological-hygienic basics at the same time as the physiology and possible pathology of the cared for and apply them meaningfully in practice. Of course, the individual young physicians exchanged ideas under the guidance of the tutors and professors, so that a broad basis for the desired profession is formed.
I was very impressed and I think the students were too. I don't know if they got any better than those who went through normal medical schools. But this work and learning was a new spring white man in new hoses and made me euphoric. Of course, it took a lot of commitment from the department heads, but: America, you have it better!
Meanwhile half a century has passed. Here, too, much has been carved into medical education, and it is certainly of high grades now. The need to bring the basics of exact science into medicine, which is so close to life due to balancing networks, is also recognized. And that it is important to take away the argument from medical students at an early stage that the whole pre-clinical course would only be annoying exam ballast, stuff learned by heart for the quiz test, far from hospital beds and Hippocratic empathy.
Here is a very splendid book by two apparently very splendid and knowledgeable physicians from Paderborn and from Kasseler, to refute these theses. In the first part, 80 case studies of small and large, female and male patients are presented in a very compassionate and practical way, but not without anecdotal humour. They show the causes and progression of metabolic, infectious and hereditary diseases that are more common and less common, but which are always the focus today, as well as their therapy, the effect of the drugs administered and the prognosis, including the preparation of the environment.
For each example and the questions asked, the answers and comments, suggestions for in-depth pre-examination group work and all in all a lot of useful information about causes and effects, consequences and responsibilities come under the same number in the second part of the book. The latter creeps in almost unnoticed, without obligingly approaching the student. It's like a conversation between colleagues who are eager to teach and learn.
Everything is well thought out, has clear formulas and inspired me so that I read and thought through the entire book in three days. Not without realizing that fifty years is quite a long time ago, of course. But at least I have retained the enthusiasm for such proof of how beautiful applied biochemistry research can be, as well as the connection to this science.
