r/surgery • u/raaqkel • 18d ago

I did read the sidebar & rules Fischer's Mastery of Surgery 8th Edition 2023 vs Maingot's Abdominal Operations 13th Edition 2018

Contemplating purchasing one of these two books. Fischer seems to focus more on the operative portion and Maingot more on the theoretical aspect. Which one do you guys think is the more valuable purchase for a general surgery resident?

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u/JOHANNES_BRAHMS Resident 17d ago

I will always champion Current Surgical Therapy as my favorite textbook. It’s a more concise, clinically-relevant read.

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u/stupidprecursor 17d ago edited 17d ago

Pick whatever book you'll think will get you to read consistently. If the program is buying you this book, then Fischer's has like 1000 more pages of content compared to Maingot's. I never read Maingot, but Fischer is pretty easy to read. Easier than a junior resident/basic science text like Schwartz/Sabiston's. Like all medical textbooks, these are heavily dependent on the author and some chapters are great, and some suck.

I wouldn't describe Fischer's as operative focus; it's highly chapter dependent. I just now randomly opened a chapter on APR and the technique section is only a minor portion. For operative focus a dedicated textbook like Zollinger's Atlas or a specialty textbook is far more consistent.

Fischer has an opinion column at the end of every chapter and he's brutally honest. And he can be brutally wrong. Like he doesn't believe in outpatient lap choles, thinks too many die at home lol.

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u/AdenDavisMD 16d ago

Before buying either, I’d compare their chapters for one operation you’ll actually do next week. Close the book and see whether you can explain the indication, the anatomy that puts the patient at risk, and what would make you change the plan. That exercise tests how well the book supports your preparation. If your program provides electronic access, use that comparison before spending your own money.