Preface

This 8th edition marks 37 years of continuous publication of a textbook that began in 1978 as a collection of material used to study for the early board examinations in Emergency Medicine. Each edition has expanded in depth and breadth to represent the complexity and expertise needed to practice emergency medicine in today’s environment. For past editions, I have been fortunate to have the editorial collaboration of notable emergency educa-tors—Ron Krome, Ernie Ruiz, Gabe Kelen, and Rita Cydulka. This 8th edition is the result of efforts by Steve Stapczynski, John Ma, Donald M. Yealy, Garth Meckler, and David Cline—and a host of dedicated authors.

How do we identify the scope of practice and knowledge that is today’s specialty of emergency medicine? Is it through paper books, blogs, social networking, Google, journals, or clinical practice? While e-information is perfectly suited to the multitasking and frequent-attention shifts of the emergency medicine environment. E-information does not communicate what Emergency Medicine IS. E-information provides information about snippets of care, but not about the comprehensive knowledge set that is our specialty.

Both digital and print materials are available as part of the 8th edition. We have designed the 8th edition, like the past editions, to include the con-tent that comprises the specialty of Emergency Medicine. But this edition is part of a much larger e-work, AccessEmergencyMedicine, the McGraw-Hill compendium of emergency medicine education texts. AccessEmergencyMedicine also includes the digital version of the 8th edition, with online searching of text, videos, tables, and illustrations. Accompanying this print edition is a digital set of procedure videos that were designed for both learner and teacher.

We will continue to combine the best educational tools—print and digital—for contemporary emergency medicine practice as the best way to communicate what Emergency Medicine IS.