I’m going to start a new series of posts called “Top 10″ and they will be around various topics/things I wish I had known earlier, or just a random list of top ten things. These are just random thoughts and pearls I wish I could have passed on to my former self. The series will be on a number of topics including studying tips, things to bring on the wards or anything that crosses my mind. Since they are just quick lists, I hope I can post them on a fairly regular basis.
Feel free to comment on anything you think that should have made the list that didn’t or things that you do too. Thanks
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Top 10 Tips on Medical School Textbooks
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You will have more textbooks than time
Therefore, don’t go and buy too many textbooks because the truth is, for 99% of medical students/doctors, there is more stuff to learn than you have time for. So don’t go wasting hundreds of dollars on textbooks in your first year of medical school because you will never read them all.
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Pick one source and stick with it
Whether it’s Harrison’s, Toronto Notes, or some other primary resource, find one that works for you and stick with that one. Be thorough with your chosen source. You will have a hard time learning from multiple texts, I remember I made a post about learning from multiple sources, while I still believe that, it’s also important to have one resource you are familiar with. Find a good text for anatomy, pharmacology, basic sciences and clinical management and go through it from beginning to end.
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Find Free Textbooks
Borrow from the library, ask upper years, find an electronic copy. Your school library will have access to tons of textbooks. Access Medicine has all the basic texts, many hospitals have subscriptions to uptodate. Don’t waste your money on stuff you can access for free!
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Find what works for you
I like point form notes like Toronto notes, other people like long paragraphs like Harrison’s (A.K.A The Bible of Medicine). Whatever floats your boat.
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Ask what worked for other people
Ask upper years, they will let you know what’s valuable and what’s not. Then check it out and decide how you will study.
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Reread the same text
Once you finish a topic, if you want to re-learn to topic, use the same book. You’ll be more familiar with the material and it’ll stick better. Just make sure you pick a resource that is appropriate for your level of training. Dubin’s Rapid EKG – good for learning how to read an EKG for the first time. Dubin’s as a resident? Probably not a good idea.
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Read Current Literature
Medicine changes quickly, textbooks written ten years ago are unreliable. The management for some key diseases have changed so much that it’s important you pick the most up to date / evidence based literature to read, or else you’re just learning archaic knowledge.
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First Aid for Step 1
is all you need to pass USMLE Step 1 according to my colleagues. I’ve never taken it, but have used the book and it’s quite useful. Use other review texts/notes as needed.
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Read around your cases
Whether that’s the block you’re on or the patients you see, read to answer your clinical questions. Read with a purpose.
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No book can replace real-world experience
Given the choice of seeing a patient with a certain disease or reading about, always go see the patient. The knowledge will stick better and you will see what “real” medicine is about. There are lots of atypical presentations or complicating factors that texts leave out. Learn from your patients, they are your greatest teachers.
. Both are good reads. I would recommend that you at borrow either book from the library just to learn the ins and outs of hospital work.
which many will swear by is the only book you need for doing well on Step 1. Furthermore, a lot of the topics are only covered superficially and often contains outdated information. There is no focus on evidence based medicine and the finer details that will make you stand out as an exceptional medical student are not included.
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