Thread: Book recommendations for 1st termers and Success tips

A few suggestions to those starting 1st term in january.

1) Chung BRS anatomy book. This book is horrible to study from if you use it as your sole source for anatomy you will never get an A. Use it for review questions and when you get down there talk to Dr. Brahim about the error they have not corrected in the Autonomic nervous system section.

2) Dont buy the BRS book for histology and biochemistry. You are given everything you need in those classes - more than enough resources. If you are weak in biochem I would suggest the BRS biochem book otherwise dont waste your money.

3) Embryology BRS book is done well. I bought it but never used it but wished I did when it came to the heart section. Dr. Ranganathan is an awesome prof and his notes are more than enough.

4) Success depends on your use of time wisely. Make sure you go to DES session as they are offered. Even if you think you are the smartest cookie in the world you are nowhere in medschool without forming groups.

Enjoy

any other books you recommend that we could use for the first term that will eventually end up using for the step 1's. how about first aid? or step up?

1) Chung

I hate this book

2) everything else:
dont waste money on more books; you automatically have to buy what they are selling first term; plus you get notes for your classes (except anatomy). And there is a LIBRARY where you can look up something. Here's teh thing; not every book is good for every topic in a course- for fizz, different books review the different topics (cardio, repsiratory etc) better. Why not save cash and effort and just go to the libes and use the chapter to clarify whatever you dont understand in the notes? Most effienct use of time and money. One thing i do reccomend is a PHOTO anatomy atlas. Will help you to no end on your practicals there.
steph

1st take all recs with a grain of salt- different things work for different people- with that being said- I'm a book person, so I like and learn better from multiple sources- I personally like Chung, but not as a sole source of study, its good as an overview and the questions at the end of the chapters are good review for the tests. The BRS Bio is great for the questions, but that's about it. Hi-Yield Embryo os as good as the BRS Embryo, but more concise. Everyone should use the Rohan Atlas, its a cadaver atlas(hate Netter, but everyone uses it) the Netter flashcards however are a great resource- I put them on a ring and carried them EVERYWHERE!!
Its actually a good idea to get a board prep book like 1st Aid or Step Up (both are good though I prefer 1st aid), you should make notes in it as you go along and you'll have a great study aid for step I.
Agree on the study group thing, that is a MUST!!! You learn so much more when you talk about it. But as for DES, check it out,but its not a must and unfortunately a lot of people become DES junkies, going to every session, leaving them no time to actually study!
As for just using the library resources, I like making notes in my texts and the library tends to frown on that.!!

i agree with the cadavear book - much better than netters.

like i said, i made it through the first term with what they gave us. the quality of education is excellent so you really dont need too many outside sources. several of your profs in the first year are text book writers themselves as well as MD's.

everyone has different patterns of study some need lots of book others need none. for 2nd term i didnt buy a single book besides the immuno book. i didnt even buy the kandel book. you get more than you need for 2nd term. besides you become a seasoned medical student learning to use your time wisely.

the pain is when you are on the island its hard to get some of these books to ship properly and its a bit of a gauntlet to get them once the arrive in grenada going through the brokers, customs, etc...

Originally Posted by restlesseye

several of your profs in the first year are text book writers themselves as well as MD's....

Really? which ones?

Originally Posted by drnick07

Originally Posted by restlesseye

several of your profs in the first year are text book writers themselves as well as MD's....

Really? which ones?

you know paparo wrote an excellent histo book years ago but never updated it.

....................

let me add again: LIBRARY FOLKS. Youre already enough in debt. Dont buy until you're sure you'll use.

his histo textbook is in the library - i think almost 20 copies. it was very useful if you cant make sense of his notes sometimes.

dont waste your money on a histo BRS book. the school makes you buy 3 histo books and only 1 is really useful up until 4th term.