Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry

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Most textbooks in our field begin their overview with stultifyingreadings on historical roots of psychiatry or conceptualexplorations of psychological developments in infancy. Theeditors of Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry assemble a dreamteam of American psychiatry, start with a section of 4 chapterson the Approach to the Patient, and succeed in creating a noveland alluring patient-care centered text. The thoughtfulness ofthis outstanding and very human entrance will not surprisethose familiar with the qualities of the Massachusetts GeneralHospital board review courses or the ageless update and boardpreparation volume also edited by Dr. Stern and colleagues.Perhaps the editors here were inspired by the writings of HarryStack Sullivan, emphasizing this common goal of all psychiatrists,which is a quintessential element in board exam success.The physician-patient relationship is of critical importance inthe successful delivery of optimal care. The authors provide eloquentdescriptions of this interaction; there are no hidden secrets.Miracles can happen when the therapeutic realm receivesthe therapist’s full attention and the patient’s full participation,and this textbook sets that priority straight from the start andkeeps it close throughout.’ ‹