Abstract

With the recent changes in the health care industry, surgeons face increasing pressure to devote their time to their clinical activities, thus limiting their research efforts. It is essential that young and creative individuals are encouraged to perform research and are given incentives to participate in research under the mentorship of more experienced research investigators.
Surgical Research is the first book to include all the information necessary for the surgical scientist to perform a research experiment. The editors have assembled outstanding, expert investigators in multiple surgical fields and asked them to describe how they achieve their research accomplishments. In Surgical Research, these experts in the field have outlined everything involved in preparing and conducting a research project. Some of the topics covered in the book include how to state a research question, how to review the available information, how to write research protocol, how to obtain grant money for the experiment, how to analyze the data, and how to present the findings. Also discussed are the ethics of animal and human experimentation along with the history and philosophy of surgical research.
To continue to advance technologies and surgical methods, research must continually be performed. Potentially great discoveries are being missed because would-be researchers do not know where to start or how to conduct research, and therefore do not even try. This book provides prospective researchers with all the basic steps needed to perform a research experiment in the surgical field. No student, resident, or fellow should start a research project without this book and no senior surgical scientist should be without it occupying a prominent position in the library.
Key Features
* The first complete compendium detailing the process and procedures to perform surgical research
* Provides details on and compares various methodologies
* A "must have" resource for the surgical resident, fellow, or scientist
* Includes a listing of resources and web sites to help the researcher even further
"The editors have brought together nearly 200 authors, whose bibliography represents a 'who's who' of North American academic surgery. With this large faculty the editors have crafted 100 chapters, yet they have brought a uniformity of style and presentation that makes for easy reading. ...This is an important text. It is simply a must for every academic surgical department and a useful aid for every surgical trainee embarking on a research project. The time taken to read it is well spent and will be rewarded with time saved exploring blind alleys."
--P.R. O'Connell, Mater Private Hospital, in BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (February 2002)
"This book is a novel and important contribution. Its greatest value will certainly be to young surgical investigators. In this book, they will not only find encouragement and reinforcement for their own hard efforts but an extensive resource for technical starting points as well as advice regarding the research process. I know of no comparable book."
--DOODY'S PUBLISHING REVIEWS (February 2002)
"...a truly incredible book. ...the most comprehensive manual on surgical research on the market. ...There is currently no other book like it. ...I cannot understate the importance of this impressive manual. In my opinion, Surgical Research is the most outstanding book to be published in a long time. Every academic surgeon should have a copy of this book on his or her shelf. ...this book should be required reading for all surgical residents."
--Herbert Chen, U of Wisconsin, Dept of Surgery, in ANNALS OF SURGERY (July 2001)
"The book stands alone as a reference for those beginning in research, whether they are surgeons or not. A wide range of material is brought together in a single place for easy reference. ...Each chapter is written by a seasoned investigator and stands alone as a unique reference source for other investigators. The chapters are well written, thorough, and well referenced. As a whole, the book contains a wealth of information and gives important attention to topics rarely discussed, such as optimal use of audio-visual aids, the life cycle of a National Institutes of Health grant, meeting management, and running a research laboratory. ...Surgical Research is well constructed, with numerous well-designed and well-placed illustrations. It belongs in the library of anyone pursuing surgical research, as a unique reference source for what is going on in the field."
--Alan T. Lefor, MD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (July 2001)