The textbook edited by Dr. Mark Feldman, chair of the department of internal medicine at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas and director of the hospital’s internal medicine residency program, has been named the world’s top gastroenterology book by the British Medical Association. The award was presented recently at the BMA’s international Medical Book Competition.

"A must-purchase for all medical libraries serving any type of doctor,” according to one review in a major scientific journal. “No competing text is as valuable. It is clearly the book to go to for up-to-date and authoritative information on gastrointestinal and liver conditions.” 

The textbook, Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management, also edited by Dr. Lawrence Friedman of Harvard Medical School and Dr. Lawrence Brandt of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, is widely considered one of the world’s leading works on the gastrointestinal system.

“It’s the ‘bible’ of gastroenterology and liver disease,” said Dr. Rajeev Jain, a gastroenterologist at PresbyterianHospital of Dallas who trained under Dr. Feldman as a resident and fellow. “Dr. Feldman has advanced the education of countless physicians through his research and writing.” 

The book, which has been translated into several languages, including Spanish, is cited by researchers and physicians around the world every year and serves as a primary reference tool for thousands of practicing internists, gastroenterologists, family practitioners, radiologists and other specialists. It’s also widely used in medical schools around the world. "We were completely surprised to receive this honor," said Dr. Feldman, who is medical director of research at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas and the William H. Tschumy Chairman of Internal Medicine. "It's rewarding because of the amount of hard work and energy that goes into the writing and production of the book."

The British Medical Association award was presented for the current edition of the Sleisenger and Fordtran’s Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. Dr. Feldman has been an editor since 1993, for four of the book’s eight editions. This is the first time the textbook has received the BMA’s top honor in gastroenterology.

“Dr. Feldman and his team have done a wonderful job putting together a book that is packed with important information for clinicians and researchers in numerous fields and specialties,” said Druanne Martin, an editor with Elsevier, the book’s publisher. “Dr. Feldman’s reputation as a preeminent gastroenterologist and scientist of the highest order further secures the book’s spot on the must-have list for researchers and clinicians around the world.”

The book is broken into 11 sections, which cover the basic science and physiology of the gastrointestinal tact; the function of the liver, pancreas and other digestive organs; symptoms of digestive conditions; and treatments for diseases of specific organs.

“It’s even more rewarding to know that our work is helping physicians provide better care for their patients,” Dr. Feldman said. “That’s what this is all about.” 

Last year, Dr. Feldman was awarded Mastership in the AmericanCollege of Physicians, one of the highest honors bestowed on physicians in the United States. He became one of only 34 physicians in Texas to hold a Mastership in the AmericanCollege of Physicians (ACP). Election to Mastership recognizes outstanding career accomplishments; less than 1 percent of the college’s 120,000 members have received the recognition. In the Dallas area, only 17 physicians have earned Mastership in the ACP.