The Paediatric Surgery Workbook is the English, updated version of the original, very popular Werkboek by Kinderchirurgie by Prof. JHR BEcker, but now with contributions by a number of other specialists in the field.

The book serves to define what the general practitioner and, by implication, the undergraduate student, should know about Paediatric Surgery.

The format and style have been decided upon so that the student does not need to have separate lecture notes on file since the lecturer can use the workbook as the basic guideline on the topic and may then add to the contents or not, depending on his or her personal preference. The student, on the other hand, can use the book to make notes and to elaborate on the existing text. The idea is that the book can be 'made one's own'. Students should achieve the degree of familiarity that comes after having 'digested' the subject in conjunction with 'hard copy' and their own notes.

One characteristic of the book is that it contains all the essential facts that the student or general practitioner needs to know; there is very little in the text that is not essential. The lecturer should expand on the text with more examples and 'nice to know' information.

This book is in line with the current educational principles of outcomes-based teaching and learning. At the beginning of the course, the student should have a very clear idea about what needs to be studied, what level of knowledge should be acquired and at what level he or she will be assessed.

Finally, the book has been designed as a handy guide which can be consulted frequently and to which the user may add any extra information on the subject as it becomes available.