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DrNB Superspecialty · Book Guide

Books for DrNB Gastroenterology.

The NBE curriculum list, reproduced exactly, plus the editions residents actually read in 2026 — with journals, a year-wise reading plan, and the references you will need for your thesis and exit practical.

15Titles on the NBE list
9Current-edition picks
10Journals listed
3 yearsReading plan included

Doing the DM instead? The same superspecialty is covered at DM Gastroenterology books.

Official list

Books the NBE curriculum lists for DrNB Gastroenterology

These 15 titles are reproduced as they appear in the National Board of Examinations curriculum document for Gastroenterology — spelling and abbreviations included. Treat it as the scope anchor, not as a shopping list.

  1. Sleisenger Z. Gastrointestinal & Liver Disease (2 Vol) - Saunders
  2. Sleisenger Z. Gastrointestinal & Liver Disease (2 Vol) - Saunders
  3. Yamada. Textbook of Gastroenterology (2 Vol)
  4. Walker. Paediatric Gastrointestinal Disease (2 Vol) - B.C. Docker
  5. A.K. Rustgi - Gastrointestinal Cancer. - Elsevier, Saunders
  6. Kelsen. Principles and practice of gastrointestinal oncology - LWW
  7. Castell D.O. The esophagus - LWW
  8. Schiff. Disease of Liver (2 Vol) - LWW
  9. Jaron Rodes. Textbook of Hepatology - Blackwell
  10. Sherlock S. Diseases of Liver & Biliary system - Blackwell
  11. umgart. Surgery of liver & biliary tract - Saunders
  12. Busutil R.W. Transplantation of Liver (2 Vol) - Elseiver Saunders
  13. Gore text book of Gastrointestinal Radiology.
  14. Bockus text book of Gastroenterology
  15. Esophagus: D Castell
Read this before you buy. Curriculum documents are revised infrequently, so several entries name editions that are now years out of date and a few titles are out of print. Use the list to understand what you are expected to have covered, then buy the current edition from the next section.

Source: National Board of Examinations curriculum document for Gastroenterology

What residents actually use

Current editions, and what each one is for

The books most residents actually buy. These are the editions in circulation now, with a note on whether each is something you read through, keep as a reference, or open only for the viva.

  1. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver DiseaseFeldman, Friedman, Brandt · 11th edition · core referenceThe default two-volume reference for both luminal GI and hepatology.
  2. Yamada's Textbook of GastroenterologyPodolsky, Camilleri, Fitz et al. · 6th edition · alternative core textStronger on physiology and mechanism; good complement to Sleisenger.
  3. Sherlock's Diseases of the Liver and Biliary SystemDooley, Lok, Garcia-Tsao, Pinzani · 13th edition · hepatology textConcise, highly readable hepatology reference used throughout the liver posting.
  4. Schiff's Diseases of the LiverMaddrey, Schiff, Sorrell · 12th edition · hepatology referenceDeeper hepatology reference for transplant and advanced liver disease topics.
  5. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Practice / Practical Gastrointestinal EndoscopyCotton, Williams et al. · 7th edition · endoscopy manualStandard text on diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic technique.
  6. ERCPBaron, Kozarek, Carr-Locke · 3rd edition · advanced endoscopyReference for the ERCP and pancreaticobiliary component of training.
  7. EndosonographyHawes, Fockens, Varadarajulu · 5th edition · EUS referenceNow essential as EUS is embedded in most Indian DrNB GI units.
  8. Clinical Gastrointestinal EndoscopyChandrasekhara, Elmunzer, Khashab, Muthusamy · 3rd edition · endoscopy atlasImage-rich and useful for the endoscopy image spots in the practical.
  9. AASLD, EASL, ACG and INASL guidelinesSociety guideline panels · guideline setManagement answers are expected to be anchored to current society guidelines.
Journals

Journals that matter in Gastroenterology

Journal club and the recent-advances parts of the theory paper come from here. You do not need all of them — follow one Indian and two international titles properly.

GastroenterologyHepatologyJournal of Gastroenterology and HepatologyGutIndian Journal of gastroenterologyEndoscopyGI endoscopySeminars in liver diseasesGCNALancet / NEJM / Annals Internal Medicine
Reading plan

What to read, and when

Three years of superspecialty training goes faster than it sounds, and most of it is spent on the floor. The order below is what works for most DrNB Gastroenterology residents.

Year 1

Build the base

Read Sleisenger systematically alongside ward cases, do Sherlock for hepatology, and build endoscopy fundamentals from Cotton and Williams. Register thesis.

Year 2

Go deep, collect thesis data

Deepen with Yamada and Schiff, take up ERCP (Baron) and EUS (Hawes) during advanced endoscopy postings, and read Baveno plus AASLD/EASL guidelines.

Year 3

Revise, drill, submit

Selective Sleisenger revision, guideline consolidation, daily endoscopy and imaging spot practice, and timed short-note writing.

Thesis

References for your thesis

Protocol, methodology and reporting standards examiners expect you to have followed.

  • ICMR National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research Involving Human Participants
  • STROBE and CONSORT reporting statements
  • Indian Journal of Gastroenterology and INASL consensus statements
  • Baveno consensus on portal hypertension
  • Designing Clinical Research - Hulley, Cummings et al.
Practical & viva

What the practical actually tests

Cases, spotters and stations that come up again and again in the exit exam.

  • Long case: chronic liver disease with portal hypertension, IBD, malabsorption or chronic pancreatitis
  • Short cases: hepatosplenomegaly, ascites, jaundice, abdominal lump
  • Endoscopy image and video spots including variceal grading and therapeutic manoeuvres
  • ERCP and EUS image interpretation
  • Liver biopsy and GI histopathology slides
  • Manometry, pH-impedance and breath test data
  • Cross-sectional imaging: CT/MRI abdomen, MRCP, and elastography reports
About the course

DrNB Gastroenterology in context

The DrNB Gastroenterology final theory comprises three papers of 100 marks and three hours each, in short-notes format, with 150/300 required. The 300-mark practical follows theory and combines clinical cases and/or OSCE with viva. GI practicals are image-heavy: endoscopy, ERCP/EUS, radiology and histopathology spots sit alongside the long and short cases.

Frequently asked

DrNB Gastroenterology books — questions

Which books does the NBE curriculum list for DrNB Gastroenterology?

The National Board of Examinations curriculum for Gastroenterology lists 15 titles, beginning with Sleisenger Z. Gastrointestinal & Liver Disease (2 Vol) - Saunders. The full list is reproduced on this page exactly as it is published.

Which single book should I start with in DrNB Gastroenterology?

Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease by Feldman, Friedman, Brandt is the usual anchor. The default two-volume reference for both luminal GI and hepatology.

How is DrNB Gastroenterology different from the DNB or MD version?

DrNB Gastroenterology is a superspecialty course taken after a broad-specialty MD, MS or DNB, so the reading is narrower and deeper. The broad-specialty texts are assumed knowledge by the time you start.

Do I need to buy every book listed?

No. Most residents own two or three and use the department or library copy for the rest. That is exactly why printing selected chapters from a PDF works out cheaper than buying volumes you will open twice.

Can you print these books for me?

We print from the PDF you send us. Send the file on WhatsApp with your page count and whether you want colour, black and white or mixed, and we print, bind and deliver anywhere in India. We do not supply copyrighted book files.

How much does printing cost?

Black and white is 50 paise a page, colour is Rs 1 a page, and binding is Rs 40 per bound volume. A 400-page mixed set with binding usually works out around Rs 300 plus delivery.

Printing your DrNB Gastroenterology reading?

Send the PDF on WhatsApp — colour Rs 1/page, B&W 50p/page, binding Rs 40. Printed, bound and delivered anywhere in India.

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