Part 1 and Part 2 books are more or less similar. For part 2, you must read extensively but not necessarily from books. You have to rely on guidelines and other resources mostly.
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One book which is considered a must-read is
Oxford Handbook of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology 2/
You have to read this book thoroughly.
UK trainees also use these books nowadays -
- Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Virology: A Q&A Approach for Specialist Medical Trainees
- Tutorial Topics in Infection for the Combined Infection Training Programme
- Microbiology Nuts & Bolts: Key Concepts of Microbiology & Infection
For part 2 this is a particularly good book
You may wonder why there are so many books. You already know enough about microbiology being a postgraduate.
The answer is - there is no doubt that you have enough microbiology knowledge, having passed a post-grad exam and practising microbiology. However, you do not know what is important or relevant in the UK. This exam is going to test that. I can tell you this is a HUGE gap you need to cover. That is why I am recommending that you should read these UK books.
Please note, I am not saying the microbiology in the UK is better - it is just different, as problems are different. If I decide to take a microbiology examination in another country, I have to know the common problems in that country - they are not what I face in my day-to-day practice in the UK.
Statistics
Infection control
Manual of Infection Prevention and Control by Nizam Damani (preferred)
Or,
Communicable Disease Control and Health Protection Handbook, 4th Edition
Questions
The two books I mentioned above will give you a lot of questions to prepare.
- Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Virology: A Q&A Approach for Specialist Medical Trainees
- Tutorial Topics in Infection for the Combined Infection Training Programme
You can use USMLE books, but remember, the questions and answers are US-oriented. Although there are similarities in practice, there are differences as well. Unless you have enough understanding of the two systems, it might be difficult to differentiate them. So if you use USMLE books, use them with caution.
Other non-book sources are available, which we will discuss in another post.
Optional:
I prefer to read a textbook for my exam, and I used Patrick Murray. It is not essential but may help to clear your understanding. I will leave it to you if you want to read any textbook. Examples -
- Medical Microbiology 9e Patrick Murray
- Mims’ Medical Microbiology and Immunology, 6e
- Jawetz Melnick & Adelbergs Medical Microbiology 28 E
- Medical Microbiology: A Guide to Microbial Infections: Pathogenesis, Immunity, Laboratory Investigation and Control, 19e
Reference books
These are reference books for FRCPath Microbiology. You may use this to prepare your notes for part 2. Do not use them as your textbook.
- Cowan and Steel’s Manual for the Identification of Medical Bacteria
- Identification of Pathogenic Fungi
- Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases
- Kucers’ The Use of Antibiotics: A Clinical Review of Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antiparasitic, and Antiviral Drugs, Seventh Edition
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