The second edition of "Medicine for Examinations" contains several novel features which include: a chapter addressing common problems faced in the short case viva, a new chapter dealing with the approach to long case presentations, and three new medical subject chapters (pharmacology and toxicology, psychiatry and skin disease). Three new physical examination protocols (cranial nerves, speech and higher centres, and drug-addiction sequelae) are also featured. Diagnostic pathways - this feature has been added to demonstate the mental strategies used in formulating a provisional diagnosis based on physical signs; the examples given are intented to be illustrative rather than definitive. Fifteen "case summaries" (one for each Chapter) outline the commonest short cases to be encountered in each medical subspeciality. Also included are major new chapter subsections concerning topics such as ACE inhibitors, GnRH therapy, anti-idiotypic antibodies, liver transplantation, apolipoproteins, extracorporeal lithotripsy, non-tuberculous mycobacteria, genetic and nutritional disorders, HIV infection, magnetic resonance imaging, prostaglandins, Alzheimer's disease, blood gas analysis, fish oils, tumour staging, percutaneous angioplasty, artial natriuretic factor, hormone replacement therapy, omeprazole, gut hormones, zoonoses, hypercoagulable states, urticaria, neurotransmitter abnormalities, amyloidosis, domiciliary oxygen therapy, megavoltage irradiation, passive smoking, thyroiditis, Barret's oesophagus, antiphospholipid antibodies, chlamydial disease, acute mountain sickness, gut endocrine tumour syndromes, and many others.