v In response to requests from candidates preparing for the HERMES Examination and in order to stimulate learning, the European Respiratory Society School has decided to prepare the current handbook, containing a collection of multiple-choice questions with answers and comments. It is intended to be a self-assessment companion to the ERS Handbook of Respiratory Medicine 5 , which contains a systematic discussion of topics relevant for the specialist in adult respiratory medicine. The topics within the current handbook are selected from the Syllabus and their relative representation reflects the weights attributed by the Examination Committee to the different topics, according to clinical relevance and importance in specialist education. The representation of topics is listed in the so-called ‘blueprint’ (see appendix 2)1. The questions selected for this handbook have been prepared by experienced authors and have undergone a rigorous evaluation according to the principles outlined above. The majority of questions are introduced by a case vignette describing a clinical problem to be solved. The purpose is not merely to test the knowledge of facts (which could be looked-up in a textbook or on the internet), but rather to evaluate the ability of a candidate to apply knowledge and critically weigh different options in a clinical context. Accordingly, the choice of answers often contains more than one reasonable alternative, from which the candidate has to select the most appropriate one. In the comments to each question, evidence in favour of and against the various answers is discussed and literature references are provided for further reading. We hope the readers of this handbook will enjoy solving the problems presented in the case vignettes and questions, and benefit from assessing and refreshing their knowledge in respiratory medicine. Konrad E. Bloch Paolo Palange Anita K. Simonds ERS School Committee, ERS School Committee, ERS School Chair Assessments Director HERMES Director References 1. Loddenkemper R, et al. HERMES: a European core syllabus in respiratory medicine. Breathe 2006 3: 59–69. 2. Loddenkemper R, et al. European curriculum recommendations for training in adult respiratory medicine: crossing boundaries with HERMES. Eur Respir J 2008 32: 538–540. 3. Loddenkemper R, et al. European curriculum recommendations for training in adult respiratory medicine. Breathe 2008 5: 80–120. 4. Loddenkemper R, et al. Multiple choice and the only answer: the HERMES examination. Breathe 2008 4: 244–246. 5. Palange P, Simonds AK, eds. ERS Handbook of Respiratory Medicine. Sheffield, European Respiratory Society, 2010.
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