BOOK REVIEW Understanding Medical Education: Evidence, Theory and Practice Second Edition [2014]

The editor’s opening remark in the first chapter struck a chord. He wrote that medical education “is a place where institutions and professional bodies compete for political leverage, and the wheel of reform and ‘improvement’ revolves faster than, and often independently of, the cycle of evaluation and research”. This statement reflects the scenario in Malaysia with rapid changes occurring in undergraduate, postgraduate and subspecialty training. This book has 33 chapters and consists of 5 sections. Part 1 is on the foundations, providing an introduction to medical education, curriculum design, quality improvement, teaching and learning principles. Part 2 discusses various educational strategies including problem-based learning, mentoring, elearning, and simulation. Part 3 discusses the different modes of assessment. Part 4 is on research and evaluation while Part 5 discusses staff and student development including educational leadership.