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MCh Superspecialty · Book Guide

Books for MCh Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery.

The NMC 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.

2Titles on the NMC list
9Current-edition picks
1Journals listed
3 yearsReading plan included
Official list

Books the NMC curriculum lists for MCh Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery

These 2 titles are reproduced as they appear in the National Medical Commission curriculum document for Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery — spelling and abbreviations included. Treat it as the scope anchor, not as a shopping list.

  1. Blumgart's text book of HPB surgery
  2. Begers Pancreatic surgery
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 Curriculum documents are revised infrequently, so several entries name editions that are now years out of date and a few titles are out of print.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 Medical Commission curriculum document for Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery

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. Blumgart's Surgery of the Liver, Biliary Tract and Pancreas (2 vols)William R. Jarnagin · 7th edition · core referenceThe single named NMC text and the definitive HPB reference worldwide.
  2. The Pancreas: An Integrated Textbook of Basic Science, Medicine and SurgeryHans G. Beger, Markus W. Buchler, Ralph H. Hruban, Julia Mayerle, John P. Neoptolemos, Tooru Shimosegawa, Andrew L. Warshaw, David C. Whitcomb, Yupei Zhao · 3rd edition · core pancreatic referenceThe 'Begers Pancreatic surgery' entry on the NMC list in its current form.
  3. Sherlock's Diseases of the Liver and Biliary SystemJames S. Dooley, Anna S. F. Lok, Guadalupe Garcia-Tsao, Massimo Pinzani · 13th edition · hepatology referenceEssential for cirrhosis, portal hypertension and pre-operative liver assessment.
  4. Transplantation of the LiverRonald W. Busuttil, Goran B. Klintmalm · 4th edition · transplant referenceThe NMC syllabus includes transplantation; this is the standard work.
  5. Shackelford's Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (2 vols)Charles J. Yeo · 8th edition · supplementary referenceBroader alimentary-tract context around the HPB core.
  6. Zollinger's Atlas of Surgical OperationsE. Christopher Ellison, Robert M. Zollinger Jr. · 11th edition · operative atlasClear plates for hepatectomy, Whipple and biliary reconstruction steps.
  7. Current Surgical TherapyJohn L. Cameron, Andrew M. Cameron · 14th edition · decision-making textShort expert essays that map well onto viva-style management questions.
  8. Mastery of SurgeryJosef E. Fischer · 7th edition · operative referenceTechnique-focused chapters with useful complication discussion.
  9. EASL and AASLD Clinical Practice Guidelines; ISGPS/ISGLS definitionsEASL / AASLD / ISGPS / ISGLS · guidelinesFree and expected for HCC management and standardised complication definitions.
Journals

Journals that matter in Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery

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.

3-5 International and 02 national (all indexed) journals
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 MCh Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery residents.

Year 1

Build the base

Blumgart's opening sections on anatomy, liver physiology and imaging; Sherlock for liver disease; Zollinger alongside every operation; register the thesis protocol.

Year 2

Go deep, collect thesis data

Blumgart systematically by region (liver, biliary, pancreas) with Beger's Pancreas for depth; Busuttil and Klintmalm during the transplant block; ISGPS/ISGLS definitions memorised; thesis data collection.

Year 3

Revise, drill, submit

Cameron's Current Surgical Therapy and guideline review, landmark trial reading (ESPAC, PRODIGE-24, PREOPANC, Barcelona HCC criteria), second Blumgart pass and intensive mock cases, imaging and operative-video spots.

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 (2017)
  • HPB (official journal of IHPBA) and Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Sciences
  • Annals of Surgery and British Journal of Surgery
  • Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology (INASL) and Indian Journal of Gastroenterology
  • ISGPS definitions (POPF, DGE, PPH), ISGLS definitions (post-hepatectomy liver failure) and Clavien-Dindo grading
  • STROBE / CONSORT / PRISMA reporting statements (equator-network.org)
Practical & viva

What the practical actually tests

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

  • Case-based assessment: history, examination, differential diagnosis, investigations and management
  • Ward rounds with discussion of clinical problems
  • Viva-voce on instruments
  • Viva-voce on radiology (CECT, MRCP, ERCP, EUS, volumetry)
  • Viva-voce on surgical pathology
  • Viva-voce on operative videos
  • Logbook evaluation
  • Thesis evaluation
About the course

MCh Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery in context

The NMC guideline prescribes four theory papers: basic sciences as applied to HPB surgery; clinical and operative HPB surgery; HPB surgery including transplantation and minimal access surgery; and recent advances. The practical is conducted over two days when there are multiple candidates and comprises case-based assessment (history, examination, differential diagnosis, investigations, management), ward rounds with discussion of clinical problems, and viva-voce on instruments, radiology, surgical pathology and videos, plus logbook and thesis evaluation.

Frequently asked

MCh Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery books — questions

Which books does the NMC curriculum list for MCh Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery?

The National Medical Commission curriculum for Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery lists 2 titles, beginning with Blumgart's text book of HPB surgery. The full list is reproduced on this page exactly as it is published.

Which single book should I start with in MCh Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery?

Blumgart's Surgery of the Liver, Biliary Tract and Pancreas (2 vols) by William R. Jarnagin is the usual anchor. The single named NMC text and the definitive HPB reference worldwide.

How is MCh Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery different from the DNB or MD version?

MCh Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery 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 MCh Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery 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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