With the overall goal of bridging the gap between theory and practice, the editors of this Manual aim to meet three specific objectives that are essential for the physician-in-training:

-Develop a reservoir of knowledge that is rapidly accessible for practical application;
-Lay a firm foundation of facts for the clinical evaluation and management of patients and develop a flexible framework of concepts for the ongoing assimilation of new knowledge;
-Synthesize and distill the right amount of information for the resident and internist to look good on rounds;

The Manual has several features that distinguish it from other resident manuals:

-A "mini" CD-ROM (compatible with all CD-ROM drives) with maximum content including fully searchable text in PDF format, links to tables of normal values, a link to the PDR Online, and links to databases of dermatologic and hematologic slide collections;
-A password protected Online Edition of the Manual that will include updates from the editors - keeping information current, ever-expanding, and interactive;
-22 EKG and Swan-Ganz tracings;
-Written entirely by house staff giving the content an authenticity and user-friendly nature not found in other manuals;