BOOK REVIEWS

have the abilityto reviewthe information a second time.

One major limitation in this program is the lack of an audio track attached to the video segment. (I spent a significant amount of time trying to reconfigure my computer to lis- ten to audio that I eventually determined was not present.) The text is provided on-screen, so that you can read what is being done as the video progresses. However, I found it difficult to both read the text and watch the video at the same time. In the future, the authors maywantto improve the format byincluding an audio track.

As a newventure in medical education, the authors' description, "This program will help you achieve endotracheal intubation and minimize complications, even in difficult cases," is an accurate account of this program. The CD provides the tools needed to anticipate difficult situations and techniques to extricate from them.

This CD-ROM is probably best suited for upper-level medical students with interest in advanced airwaytechniques. It would also provide a good review for residents before a procedure laboratory session. Some areas on the CD would be suitable for the out-of-hospi- tal setting, butthe majority of the application is focused on advanced airway techniques.

The CD provides an excellent background for preparing to approach any airway emer- gency with special attention to advanced air- way techniques. The use of CD technology is innovative, but limited bythe lack of a better navigational toolbar and available audio track.

John 77. Finnell, MD Department of Emergency Medicine Regions Hospital St. Paul, MN

The Blood of Strangers: Stories From Emergency Medicine

Huyler F University of California Press, 1999 154 pages, $19,95 ISBN 0-520-21863-9

While working in the fast-paced, high-pres- sure world that is emergency medicine, physicians often amass souvenirs that are placed safely in the suitcase of experience. Mostly, these souvenirs are reflections of our most memorable patients and their stories. It is in these stories that the humanity and the inhumanity of the people we serve shines through an unfiltered lens, allowing a unique insight into our specialty. The Bloodof Strangers is a collection of such stories, based on Dr. Huyler's life experiences.

Set against the backdrop of medical school in North Carolina and residencytraining in New Mexico, the author recalls clinical vignettes that have affected and shaped his career. He begins his collection as a student, filled with trepidation, and ends as a young professional, glinting with cynicism. The sto- ries are filled with the intimacy of the physi- cian-patient relationship and resonate with the unique flavor of emergency medicine. All aspects of emergency medicine are explored-- from the brutality of the adolescent trauma patient, to the frustration of patient noncom- pliance. During each encounter, the reader witnesses the emotional growth and personal coping mechanisms that accompanythe author through the surreal world of the critically ill

and injured. However, it is the unusual cast of characters the reader will find most fascinat- ing. A medical school anatomy partner arrested for murder, a fiery senior surgical resident with a schoolgirl crush, and a sadis- tic intoxicated neurosurgeon are among the more memorable personalities encountered.

Medical professionals and the general public alike will enjoy The Bloodof Strangers, finding it hard to put down once started. Some might envision this novel structured similarly to other collections of emergency department war stories, such as Emergency/. True Stories from the Nation's ERsby Mark Brown. Dr. Huyler does more than simply rehash the raw grit of emergency medicine. He tempers his stories with intro- spection and honesty, and permits us to view the man behind the physician. The writing is at times firm and succinct, and at other times filled with colorful prose. The novel reads fast at 154 pages, but is never hurried. After finishing it, I found myself compelled to reread my favorite passages.

The Blood of Strangers is enterta ining reading for the seasoned emergency profes- sional and riveting for the uninitiated. Individuals interested in emergency medicine will benefit from the author's soul- ful accounts of acute illness and injury. Dr. Huyler's outstanding first novel allows us to open his suitcase of experience, and by doing so, reflect on our own souvenir memories.

John V~ Hafner, Jr., MD University of Illinois College of Medicine Oepartment of Emergency Medicine OSF Saint Francis Medical Center Peon& IL

2000 Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Subspecialty Examination

On March 16, 2000, the American Board o f Medical Specialties (ABMS) approved a request submitted by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) to offer subcertification to its diplomates in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine. ABEM will cosponsor this activity with the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM). The next examination is scheduled for November 13, 2000, in Chicago, 1L. Current plans are to administer this examination annually.

The first examination for certification in Undersea Medicine was administered by ABPM in November 1992. In March 1999, ABPM received approval from the ABMS to change the name of the subspecialty certification to Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine in an attempt to more accurately reflect the expansion of practice during the past decade to include regular use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for a variety of disorders. The second exam- ination was administered in November 1999.

For admission to the certification examination in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, the diplomate must have completed one of two eligibility pathways. The pathways are: (1) Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Fellowship

(2) Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Training Plus Practice A complete copy of the eligibility criteria is available from both ABEM and ABPM. ABEM will conduct an application cycle for its diplomates from

April 15, 2000, throughJune 1,2000, for the November 13, 2000, examination. ABEM diplomates who have questions about the subspecialty or are interested in obtaining an application for the examination should contact

ABEM ABPM diplomates or other ABMS member board diplomates should contact ABPM for information about the examination. Amer ican Board of Emergency Medicine American Board of Preventive Medicine 3000 Coolidge Road 9950 West Lawrence Avenue, Suite 106 East Lansing, M148823 Schiller Park, 1L 60176 517-332-4800 847-671 - 1750 www.abem.org www.abprevmed.org

§2 0 ANNALS OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE 35:5 MAY 2000