This page includes all books which are part of the recommended reading list for the ANZCA Primary exam.
Titles hyperlinked in crimson, can be accessed by clicking the heading.
Titles without a hyperlinked heading are available in hardcopy only and can be requested via the discovery service using the REQUEST PRINT LOAN link. You can access and request items from the complete list here.
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Borrowing books
ANZCA library provides access to a large range of print items, specialising in anaesthesia and pain medicine-related titles.
For further information about requesting books, see the Borrowing books page
McGraw Hill e-Book access issues: There is an ongoing issue with McGraw-Hill e-books, whereby some users are improperly authenticated when accessing content within the IP range of another institution that also subscribes to MGH e-books. This results in the user being being unable to access some titles.
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Candidates are advised that all examination questions are based on Learning Outcomes and that the great majority of information required is contained in the recommended texts. The most recent version of each of the following texts is the recommended text. However, some topics are only superficially covered in the textbooks and candidates are advised to draw on many resources as they study, in order to gain a deeper understanding of those areas that relate to everyday anaesthetic practice.
No specific textbook is recommended for the anatomy section of the syllabus, as any general text would be considered suitable. The following text could be consulted for more detailed information in specific areas.
Anatomy for Anaesthetists, 9e by The text explores in depth those areas of particular interest to anaesthetists: the respiratory pathway, the heart, the vertebral canal and its contents, the peripheral nerves, the autonomic nervous system, and the cranial nerves, and also includes sections on the anatomy of pain and other zones of anaesthetic interest.
Basic Physics and Measurement in Anaesthesia, 5e [ACCESS VIA INTERNET ARCHIVE] by 
Clinical Monitoring: Practical Applications for Anesthesia and Critical Care [ACCESS VIA INTERNET ARCHIVE] by
Drs. Carol L. Lake, Roberta L. Hines, and Casey D. Blitt*three highly regarded experts in the field*team up to produce this comprehensive, state-of-the-art resource on the current practices and equipment used in monitoring in clinical anesthesia and intensive care units today. This reference focuses on all aspects of clinical monitoring, including all major monitoring modalities * integrates information on pediatric monitoring into each chapter * employs a user-friendly organization by types of monitors*including cardiac, neuroanesthesia, and obstetric * and much more!
Essentials of Equipment in Anaesthesia, Critical Care, and Peri-Operative Medicine, 5e by
Essentials of Equipment in Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Peri-Operative Medicine is a highly practical textbook for trainees in anaesthesia and an invaluable guide for all those who work with anaesthetic equipment, including anaesthetic and intensive care nurses and operating department practitioners.
The Physics, Clinical Measurement and Equipment of Anaesthetic Practice for the FRCA, 2e by
This book explains the physical principles and applications of physics inanaesthesia, and the statistical methods that anaesthetists are required to understand. The book includes sections on equipment and safety in anaesthesia, and electrical safety. Fully updated for the second edition, the book also includes new chapters on the depth of anaesthesia and on electrical safety.
A Practical Approach to Anesthesia Equipment by
Written by the authors of the definitive text Understanding Anesthesia Equipment, A Practical Approach to Anesthesia Equipment covers the most commonly used machines and devices and addresses common problems and pitfalls that affect clinical situations.
Acute Pain Management: Scientific Evidence, 5e by
Acute Pain Management: Scientific Evidence covers a wide range of clinical topics, combining a review of the best available evidence for acute pain management with current clinical and expert practice.
Clinical Pain Management: Acute Pain, 2e by
Acute Pain brings coverage of this diverse area together in a single, comprehensive clinical reference, from the basic mechanisms underlying the development of acute pain, to the various treatments that can be applied to control it in different clinical settings. Much expanded in this second edition, the volume reflects the huge advances that continue to be made in acute pain management.
Foundations of Anesthesia: Basic Sciences for Clinical Practice by
118 international experts provide you with complete coverage of basic and clinical science in anaesthesiology. They emphasise the principles and clinical applications of molecular and cell biology, physiology, pharmacology, and physics and measurement.
Miller's Anesthesia, 9e by
Miller's Anesthesia, 9e, remains the preeminent reference in the field. Contains fully revised and updated content throughout, including numerous new videos online. Includes four new chapters: Clinical Care in Extreme Environments: High Pressure, Immersion, and Hypo- and Hyperthermia; Immediate and Long-Term Complications; Clinical Research; and Interpreting the Medical Literature.
Oh's Intensive Care Manual, 8e by
This bestselling manual covers all aspects of intensive care in sufficient detail for daily practice while keeping you up to date with the latest innovations in the field. New coverage of the latest developments in ICU imaging techniques, including ultrasound.
Pharmacology and Physiology for Anesthesia: Foundations and Clinical Application, 2e by
Pharmacology and Physiology for Anesthesia: Foundations and Clinical Application, 2e, delivers the information you need in pharmacology, physiology, and molecular-cellular biology, keeping you current with contemporary training and practice. This thoroughly updated edition is your one-stop, comprehensive overview of physiology, and rational anaesthetic drug selection and administration, perfect for study, review, and successful practice.
General physiology
Ganong's Review of Medical Physiology, 26e by
Thoroughly updated to reflect the latest research and developments in important areas such as chronic pain, reproductive physiology, and acid-base homeostasis, Ganong's Review of Medical Physiology, Twenty-Sixth Edition incorporates examples from clinical medicine to illustrate important physiologic concepts.
Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 14e by
Known for its clear presentation style, single-author voice, and focus on content most relevant to clinical and pre-clinical students, Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 14e, employs a distinctive format to ensure maximum learning and retention of complex concepts. A larger font size emphasizes core information, while supporting information, including clinical examples, are detailed in smaller font and highlighted in pale blue - making it easy to quickly skim the essential text or pursue more in-depth study.
Principles of Physiology for the Anaesthetist, 4e by
This book provides readers with an anaesthesia-focused alternative to general physiology textbooks. The new edition has been reorganised with the trainee anaesthesist in mind and includes the physiology of all major organ systems, with specific emphasis on the nervous, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems as well as special sections on pain, aging, specific environments and obesity
Respiratory
West's Respiratory Physiology: The Essentials, 11e by
West's Respiratory Physiology, 11e incorporates updates in many areas including blood-tissue gas exchange, mechanics, control of ventilation and the respiratory system under stress; all designed to aid clear understanding of pulmonary physiology. Clinical vignettes with questions emphasize how the physiology described can be applied to clinical situations, reinforcing reasoning and critical thinking. More than 100 USMLE-style multiple-choice questions with full explanations test reasoning skills for comprehension and exam preparation.
Nunn and Lumb's Applied Respiratory Physiology, 9e by
Nunn and Lumb's Applied Respiratory Physiology, 9e, is your concise, one-stop guide to all aspects of respiratory physiology in health, disease, and in the many physiologically challenging situations and environments into which humans take themselves - with coverage from basic science to clinical applications.
Cardiovascular
Cardiovascular Physiology, 11e by
Gain a foundational understanding of cardiovascular physiology and how the cardiovascular system functions in health and disease. Cardiovascular Physiology, a volume in the Mosby Physiology Series, explains the fundamentals of this complex subject in a clear and concise manner, while helping you bridge the gap between normal function and disease with pathophysiology content throughout the book.
Renal physiology
Vander's Renal Physiology, 9e by General pharmacology
Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, 15e by
Presented in full-colour and packed with hundreds of illustrations, Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 15e is the wide-ranging, engaging guide students have counted on for decades. Organized to reflect the course sequence in many pharmacology courses and in integrated curricula, the guide covers the important concepts students need to know about the science of pharmacology and its application to clinical practice. This edition has been extensively updated to provide expanded coverage of transporters, pharmacogenomics, and new drugs.
Goodman and Gilman's: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 14e by
The go-to pharmacology reference that medical and health science professionals have relied upon for more than 50 Years! The fourteenth edition features more than 600 colour illustrations, including 50 new figures on mechanism of drug actions which emphasizes the link between basic mechanisms of action of drug action, pathophysiology of disease, and therapeutic use of drugs
Rang and Dale's Pharmacology, 9e by
The fully revised 9th Edition keeps you up to date with all that's new in the field, including new and emerging drugs and recent studies. From cover to cover, you'll progressively increase your knowledge of all relevant aspects of pharmacology, from a molecular understanding of receptors and drug actions through clinical uses of key groups of drugs.
Anaesthetic pharmacology
Anesthetic Pharmacology: Basic Principles and Clinical Practice, 2e by
Anesthetic Pharmacology: Basic Principles and Clinical Practice, 2e, is an outstanding therapeutic resource in anesthesia and critical care: Section 1 introduces the principles of drug action, Section 2 presents the molecular, cellular and integrated physiology of the target organ/functional system and Section 3 reviews the pharmacology and toxicology of anaesthetic drugs. The new Section 4, Therapeutics of Clinical Practice, provides integrated and comparative pharmacology and the practical application of drugs in daily clinical practice.
Cousins & Bridenbaugh's Neural Blockade in Clinical Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, 4e by
This comprehensive, authoritative text presents the scientific foundations and clinical practice of neural blockade in both regional anesthesia and the management of pain. The Fourth Edition has been refined for clarity and flows logically from principles and pharmacology, to techniques for each anatomic region, to applications.
Pharmaceutics for the anaesthetist by
Abstract
Pharmaceutics is that branch of science concerned with the manufacture and formulation of pharmaceutical products, and is a subject almost exclusively in the domain of pharmacists and those concerned with pharmaceutical manufacture. However, there are some aspects of pharmaceutics that are of particular importance to the anaesthetist, such as the pharmacology of the various preservatives, antimicrobials and other additives found in anaesthetic products, and an understanding of basic processes such as emulsification and lyophylisation. This review aims to survey those areas.
Pharmacology and Physiology for Anesthesia: Foundations and Clinical Application, 2e by
Pharmacology and Physiology for Anesthesia: Foundations and Clinical Application, 2e, delivers the information you need in pharmacology, physiology, and molecular-cellular biology, keeping you current with contemporary training and practice. This thoroughly updated edition is your one-stop, comprehensive overview of physiology, and rational anaesthetic drug selection and administration, perfect for study, review, and successful practice.
Stoelting's Pharmacology and Physiology in Anesthetic Practice, 6e by
Stoelting's Pharmacology and Physiology in Anesthetic Practice provides trainees and practitioners an in-depth but concise presentation of those aspects of pharmacology and physiology that are relevant either directly or indirectly to the perioperative anaesthetic management of patients. This is a difficult topic but is foundational to the practice of anaesthesia and trainees face questions on it in their in-training and qualifying exams.
Need help prepping for your exams? Try the Exam Preparation guide.
Want to test your knowledge/access BJA Education online exam content? Check out our Self-assessment Tools guide.
Looking for our key anaesthesia-related e-books? See the the Anaesthesia essentials list
Access the complete print list in the library discovery service.
Find out more
For more information about the Primary Exam (PEx), please visit the ANZCA Anaesthesia exams website.
AccessMedicine now includes interactive modules allow for visualization of the human body in an interactive, 3D format where both male and female anatomy modules can be viewed. Choose a module and then utilize the options on the left-side of the screen to learn more about human anatomy.
Additionally, there a number of discrete anatomy tours for areas of the body including the brain, muscles and nerves, the spine and many more.
Whilst the titles below are not on the recommended reading list, they contain information that may be of interest.
Anesthesiology, 3e by
Written by an internationally known team of experts, Anesthesiology, 3e provides a 360-degree view of the field, covering all the anesthetic considerations from preoperative preparation through postoperative care, and the full breadth of anesthesia practice, including pain medicine and critical care medicine.
The ANZCA Primary Exam Companion by
The only ANZCA Primary Exam primer book written by an examiner. This book addresses all components of the anaesthetics primary exam with a focus on the vivas. Exam resources, exam technique, diagrams, opening viva questions, practice SAQs, a study template and 500 short format questions and answers that traverse the entire curriculum are contained within this book.
Basic Physiology for Anaesthetists, 2e by
Every trainee in anaesthesia requires a thorough understanding of basic physiology and its application to clinical practice. Now in its second edition, this comprehensively illustrated textbook bridges the gap between medical school and reference scientific texts. It covers the physiology requirements of the Primary FRCA examination syllabus.
Basic Science for Anaesthetists, 2e by
The aim of this book is to provide a concise and understandable review of the physics, mathematics, statistics, physiology and pharmacology of anaesthesia. There are several additional chapters relevant to the Primary FRCA examination. New topics covered include the ventilatory response to oxygen and carbon dioxide, which is now a core knowledge requirement, new concepts in cardiovascular physiology, receptor types and the molecular actions of anaesthetics.
Basic Sciences in Anesthesia by
In each chapter, key points summarize the content, followed by a pertinent and concise discussion of the topic, ending with multiple choice questions with answers and suggested further reading. Basic Sciences in Anesthesia is aimed at residents taking the ABA basic science of anesthesia examination, and any other anesthesiologist or trainee with an interest in the topic.
Chestnut's Obstetric Anesthesia : Principles and Practice, 6e by
Comprehensive, user-friendly, and up to date, Chestnut's Obstetric Anesthesia: Principles and Practice, 6th Edition, provides the authoritative clinical information you need to provide optimal care to your patients. This substantially revised edition keeps you current on everything from basic science to anesthesia techniques to complications, including coverage of new research that is paving the way for improved patient outcomes.
Clinical Anesthesia, 8e by
Unmatched in its clarity and depth of coverage as well as its robust multimedia features, this classic clinical reference brings you the very latest essential knowledge in the field, equipping you to effectively apply today's standards of care and make optimal clinical decisions on behalf of your patients. Key Features: Apply the latest know-how with a new chapter on cardiovascular pharmacology, new coverage of autonomic pharmacology, a greatly expanded Clinical Updates section, updated coverage of occupational hazards, and many other important additions.
Essential Pharmacology for the ANZCA Primary Examination by
This book is designed to assist in the preparation for sitting the pharmacology component of the primary examination of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anesthetists. The main aim is not to offer yet another heavy duty textbook but to organise the material that you would normally highlight in those texts into a practical and concise source of information.
The First Year: What You Should Know After a Year of Anaesthesia Training (Revised Edition) by
Some common clinical questions:
- What are the criteria for extubation?
- What is the intubating dose of rocuronium for a patient who weighs 150kg?
- How do I interpret a post tetanic count?
- How do I manage a LMA with a leak?
- What’s the point of giving midazolam on induction?
- Should I use a cuffed tube in a 4 year old?
- How do I give a morbidly obese patient or child TIVA?
- How do I best use the BIS monitor?
- How do I intubate someone without muscle relaxants?
- How do changes in cardiac output affect the induction dose of propofol?
- Do I have to abandon my anaesthetic machine if there is a power failure?
This book answers those questions and a whole lot more. It is not an exam primer nor is it a comprehensive textbook of anaesthesia. This is the book you give to the trainee specialist who is about to embark on their anaesthesia training. It contains the information they need to formulate and develop a safe practice of anaesthesia. This book lucidly describes and justifies the core knowledge, behaviours and practical skills that a junior trainee would be expected to possess after a year of anaesthesia. Written specifically for Australasian specialist anaesthetic trainees and those doing their Diploma of Rural Generalist Anaesthesia (DRGA), this book fills the gaping hole in the existing anaesthetic literature. The curriculum for the Introductory Training period and the DRGA is comprehensively addressed in this book. The First Year takes the relevant bits of a pharmacology textbook, a physiology textbook, a clinical anaesthesia textbook, an anaesthetics emergency manual and a perioperative medicine guide and ties them together in a succinct but sufficiently detailed volume. This book has been written with the intention of being relevant, up to date, pragmatic and entertaining. Written by a former rural GP, now Senior Staff Anaesthetist, former Supervisor of Training, now Primary Examiner and always an incorrigible cynic; this is the book he would have liked to have when he embarked on his First Year.
A Guide to Pediatric Anesthesia, 2e by
The second edition of the successful book "Your Guide to Pediatric Anesthesia" offers a practical approach to pediatric anesthesia with a concise account of the topic in a reader-friendly format. The book begins with an overview of pediatric anesthesia then continues with chapters related to different pediatric surgeries and the relevant anesthetic issues, including a chapter of emergency scenarios in pediatric anesthesia.
Miller's Basics of Anesthesia, 8e
Morgan & Mikhail's Clinical Anesthesiology, 7e by
Morgan & Mikhail's Clinical Anesthesiology, 7e is an essential resource for all anaesthesia students and practitioners. Hailed as the best primer on the topic, this trusted classic delivers comprehensive coverage of the field's must-know basic science and clinical topics in a clear, easy-to-understand presentation. The text is also ideal for coursework, review, or as a clinical refresher.
Oxford Handbook of Anaesthesia, 5e by
Written for anaesthetists at all stages of their careers, from trainees sitting exams through to experienced consultants as well as ODPs and nurses involved in theatre area work and pre-assessment, this comprehensive guide to the anaesthetic world is as indispensable as ever. This new edition has been completely revised and brings you the most up-to-date guidance and information to keep pace with fast-moving areas of anaesthesia, including a completely revised regional anaesthesia chapter.
Oxford Textbook of Anaesthesia (Vols. 1 & 2) by
This comprehensive work covers all aspects of anaesthesia; volume one addresses the fundamental principles and the basic sciences whose understanding is required for a logical, effective and evidence-based approach to practice. Volume two focuses on the clinical aspects of anaesthesia, including those aspects of intensive care and pain medicine that are required by all general anaesthetists.
Smith and Aitkenhead's Textbook of Anaesthesia, 7e by
The goal for this Seventh Edition has remained to equip the reader with the basic knowledge and practical considerations required to administer anaesthesia and perioperative care for a whole range of surgical conditions in patients with all common medical comorbidities.
Yao & Artusio’s Anesthesiology: Problem-Oriented Patient Management, 9e by
Case-based and easy to use, Yao & Artusio's Anesthesiology: Problem-Oriented Patient Management is the bestselling study and review reference preferred by both residents and practicing anesthesiologists. The revised Ninth Edition prepares you for the oral and written boards with more than 60 real-world cases accompanied by questions that conform to the four areas of questioning on the oral boards, reinforcing step-by-step critical thinking about today's surgical anesthesia and patient management.
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