Reviewer, Dr Divyansh Tiwari,

Intern, Baba Raghav Das Medical College, Gorakhpur

When you first pick up a medical textbook, what you hope for is not just information but a companion that can guide you through classes, postings, and exams. ENT, being a highly visual and practical subject, often intimidates students with its anatomy and the variety of conditions. Textbook of ENT and Head–Neck Surgery  by Dr. Ravi Meher and Dr. Vikram Wadha, published by CBS Publishers, feels like one of those rare books that manages to speak both to the anxious third-year MBBS student and to the aspirant preparing for postgraduate entrance exams.

What drew my attention while going through the details of this book was the clear commitment to the Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum. Since the NMC has shifted the undergraduate course to a competency model, students constantly ask:

·         “Is this topic really in my syllabus?”

·         “Do I need this detail?”

This book answers such questions by laying out everything expected in the Competency-Based Undergraduate Curriculum for the Indian Medical Graduate. For students, this reassurance alone makes it worth exploring.

 A subject like ENT cannot be understood in fragments. That's exactly why in this book, the authors have attempted to cover all major diseases, diagnostic methods, and treatment strategies in a way that builds our knowledge from basics to applied practice.

The Power of Visuals

One of the most striking features, highlighted even in the publisher’s description, is the enormous number of visual learning aids: 728 clinical photographs, 237 colour diagrams, 15 flowcharts, and 70 tables. That is a lot, and for good reason.

ENT is one of those specialties where a picture of a perforated eardrum or a nasal polyp explains more in seconds than a paragraph ever could.

For instance, if you have seen flowcharts guiding the management of epistaxis, you’ll remember how easy they make life during revision.  The heavy visual content here suggests that the authors wanted this book not just sifted through but utilized, almost like a workbook you return to before clinics or exams.

More than Just MBBS

The CBS website describes this as an “ideal textbook for MBBS students,” but trust me, it is also a valuable reference for nursing, physiotherapy, and allied health sciences because a nursing student dealing with postoperative ENT patients, or a physiotherapist managing rehabilitation in cases of facial palsy, also needs clear explanations and pictures of ENT conditions.

There is another group that will find this book particularly useful: those preparing for INICET, NEET-PG, and NExT. The connection may not be obvious at first glance, but consider the features.

·         Hundreds of clinical images

·         Perfect for image-based MCQs, which now appear regularly in INICET and NEET-PG.

·         CBME-aligned competencies

That’s precisely the structure NExT is expected to test—competency and application rather than rote facts.

·         Concise flowcharts and tables: These are the lifelines during final-month revisions.

While the book is certainly written for undergraduates, its design is exam-oriented, which is enough to carry a student well into postgraduate preparation.

How the Book Reads

From what I gather, the chapters don’t just throw information at the reader. Instead, they walk you through the aspects of anatomy, common diseases, investigations, and treatment. There is a sense of progression that helps when you are trying to connect theory with what you see in the OPD or on ward rounds. The tone appears to be explanatory rather than encyclopedic, which is an important difference: the book seems to be teaching, not overwhelming.

And this matters because ENT is not always a student’s favorite subject. It is often squeezed between major postings, and exam time feels too short to master it. A book that balances detail with readability, offering pictures and quick-recall tables, can change that experience. You feel less like you are “mugging up ENT” and more like you are building a mental atlas you can carry into exams and clinics.

Relevance Across Stages

Let’s imagine two readers. One is a third-year MBBS student preparing for university exams. For this reader, the book provides exactly what is needed—aligned to CBME, covering the competencies, showing pictures for practical recognition, and giving flowcharts that can be quoted in short answers.

The other reader is a graduate aiming for INICET. For them, the high-yield visuals and structured tables are the perfect tools to tackle MCQs and clinical vignettes. For NEET-PG, the diagrams and comparative charts save time during last-minute revision. For NEXT, which will emphasize competencies and clinical reasoning, the structure of this book looks almost tailor-made.

That dual purpose—immediate utility for MBBS and long-term value for PG entrances—is what sets this textbook apart.

A Teacher’s Voice

Although the book is new, one can sense from its structure that the authors have years of teaching behind them. The explanations are clear, the visuals thoughtfully chosen, and the content anchored in what students actually need to know. A teacher’s voice comes through in choices like including workstation-style clinical approaches or providing public-health relevant details. It doesn’t read like an edited collection of notes but like guidance shaped by classroom and clinic experience.

Why It Matters Now?

The timing of this book is significant. With the CBME curriculum now in force, and with the NExT looming on the horizon, students are in search of resources that do not just recycle old content but genuinely align with the new expectations. Many older ENT books are comprehensive but not competency-mapped, leaving students to guess what’s relevant. Here, the promise is that you get the complete set of topics as per NMC, laid out clearly, reinforced with images and summaries.

Moreover, allied health students now have a resource book for ENT. That inclusivity broadens its usefulness in teaching hospitals and across paramedical programs.

Final Word

In the end, the Textbook of ENT and Head–Neck Surgery by Ravi Meher and Vikram Wadha reads as more than just another addition to the shelf. It is a full-scale companion, armed with nearly a thousand visual aids, thoroughly mapped to CBME, and mindful of exam needs.

For MBBS students, it reduces anxiety by clarifying exactly what is expected. For those eyeing INICET, NEET-PG, or NExT, it doubles as a solid exam-preparation ally. And for nursing, physiotherapy, and allied health learners, it provides a rare, student-friendly yet comprehensive reference.

If ENT has ever felt like an uphill climb, this book promises a firmer footing. And in the years ahead, as exams grow more application-based and visual, its value will only increase.

From the Desk of CBS Publishers and Distributors

This book is now available for purchase on our website www.cbspd.com   It is also widely available across the country with all the CBS dealers and on e-commerce portals like Amazon and Flipkart. For any further information/queries about the book, we are happy to assist you via call/WhatsApp on 9599779677.