Books for Surgical Residency

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For some reason, I thought that I'd like to read a book that contains some aspect of the history of general surgery...any topic regarding this.
Anyone have any suggestions on a good book to read while traveling during the interview season (it can get boring waiting for a flight at the airport)?

Thanks

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Doctors by Sherwin Newland is a good general medicine history book. Not supprisingly (Newland is a surgeon) more then half the book is about surgery. The other one that I can think of off the top of my head is "The Story of Surgery" by Robert Richardson.
 
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A believe there is a book entitled "The History of Surgery" by Ellis too that may be helpful......
 
I have a book, "The Early History of Surgery" by W. J. Bishop. Picked it up one day at Borders, still havent read it so cant tell you much, sorry
 
What is considred to be the "Bible" of surgery?? (Kind of like Harrison's for Internal Med.) A big hardcover book that covers it all.
 
I heard some people say Schwartz. How about Sabiston or Lawrence?
 
when i asked my attending this question he said it was schwartz. the big yellow book. when i asked another attending what he thought, he said it was sabiston. they are both good books, though. so i don't know if there is an answer to your question.
 
AlexRusso said:
What is considred to be the "Bible" of surgery?? (Kind of like Harrison's for Internal Med.) A big hardcover book that covers it all.

It somewhat depends on where you are. For example, I've never heard of Schwartz being heralded here as being the "Bible" but lots of kudos are given to Greenfield and/or Cameron (which both conincidentally have a number of our faculty as authors. Hmmm). If you're at Hopkins (where Cameron is), Cameron's book is probably the text of choice.

Lawrence's Essentials is often touted for students but can't say I've ever seen it or any of his other used by a surgical resident.
 
AlexRusso said:
What is considred to be the "Bible" of surgery?? (Kind of like Harrison's for Internal Med.) A big hardcover book that covers it all.

Hi there,
Schwartz is woefully out of date at present(1997 or 1998). It is very difficult to beat the new edition of Sabiston's (beautifully illustrated and lots of UVA authors :D ) and Greenfield's is still used as the standard teaching text in a huge number of programs.

I tend to use rectal prolapse as my key to choosing a text. The more up to date the chapter on rectal prolapse, the better the text. To that end, I use Greenfields but read Sabiston and Cameron regularly. I don't think that you can expect one surgical text to do everything for you.

njbmd :)
 
I believe a new addition of Schwartz just came out this year.
 
Cameron's is usually the most succinct & easy to read while being the most up to date due to its shorter publishing cycle (vs. Greenfield, Sabiston, or Schwartz). IT's the overwhelming choice for people studying for their boards. If your program did not make you get one of the others for their curriculum. I would reccomend just Cameron for your core text while skimming the major journals monthly for relavant clinical papers (Amer. Journal of Surgery, Archives of Surgery, Surgery,and the Journal of the ACS)
 
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njbmd said:
I tend to use rectal prolapse as my key to choosing a text.

Please ....that's a private condition that we don't need to know about! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!

P.S. Cameron seems sort of superficial to me. Also, due to the large number of contributing authors, there's a lot of variance in chapter quality. Some of the chapters seem more interested in focusing on the authors' own esoteric considerations, rather than giving the reader a good grasp of the material. On the plus side, since the new edition just came out this year, it's fairly current.
 
I've been using Sabiston's (over Schwartz, Cameron and Greenfield) for about a year now, just because I like the style of writing and presentation. The new edition is truly a sight to behold. :)
 
swartz, greenfield and sabiston are all very similar, but i would advise anyone buying a book right now to buy the new sabiston. The new edition is beautiful. I own a greenfield and the new cameron but i'm still considering buying sabiston as well.

Cameron is a good book, but not for first year. It's more an opinion book and doens't have the background that the others have.

Lawrence is a book for medical students and it's too superficial for even that. As a surgery resident i'd be embarassed to admit to reading it.

Happy reading!
 
Hi all,

I'll be doing an SICU month elective in March, and I was curious which reference texts would be most useful. I did a search here, and there were a couple that mentioned Marino's ICU book. What other larger texts are out there which would be useful for an MSIV, but also for a hopefully future Surg resident?

How about pocket-sized books that have enough relavent info? I've flipped through several in our book store, but they seem to be more geared for critical care in the MICU than in the SICU.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!
 
The Marino text is excellent, becoming outdated however, but that's the case with any ICU book. I highly recommend it for the concepts and learning the pathophysiology.

Lange Current Critical Care, Diagnosis and Treatment is excellent as well. Softcover, relatively cheap, with great SICU content including trauma, burns, cardio and neurosurg patients, etc. as well as the more general ICU care stuff. Less emphasis on the pathophys, more treatment. I guess more geared to the intern. It's saved my butt on call more than once.

As for pocket books, I carry the ICU Intern Survival Guide which is cheap, very short and very quick. Pretty much just use it for 'big picture' type quick references and write notes in it all over the place. I wouldn't really recommend it.

I also carry Critical Care of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Very good for SICU. Fits in a coat pocket, walks you through procedures, and is a great quick drug reference (epocrates won't tell you much about pressors.
 
I will be an intern soon, and I am having a lot of trouble deciding which text to choose. I have browsed Sabiston, Schwartz, and Greenfield in the library over the last week or two. Problem is I can't decide which one I like best because I am unwilling to buy more than one at this point. So my question is simple: Which book did you choose and WHY?

Thank you
 
I'm going to go with the book used at the program where I match (you can find this info ususally on the program's website). Many programs have a reading schedule based on one textbook.
 
Perhaps you are wealthy - but if you wait until the first day of your contract - the book will be a write-off.....

Also - as for the other books....look around your medical school or hospital - many departments get new books for free via drug reps and stuff - so, they give the old editions away.
 
Wait till match, then find out if your program recommends a certain text or gives you a book allowance. My program actually gave us a textbook on our first day.

If you are motivated enough to start reading before July 1, that's great. I kind of wish I had done that at least a little bit, since you get so busy suddenly once you start and it becomes harder to study when you are tired from work. It would have been nice to have a little head start on reading (although the vacation was nice too). I'd say once you find out what text your program uses, buy that one or if they don't recommend a certain one spend some time using what you have at the library and find out which one you like best before purchasing. Then consider buying from half.com or used books on amazon.com - I've gotten some brand new books in great condition for great prices on these sites. Just be clear on which edition you're getting b/c sometimes people list older editions under the wrong ISBN, but if you read the find print or email the seller they will disclose this info.

Sabiston and Greenfeild are solid ones that most programs use. A lot of people like Cameron, but that's more for upper-level residents than interns - you need more basic science and background pathophysiology type stuff that Sabiston and Greenfeild emphasize more than Cameron (which is much more of a clinical and operative managment emphasis)

Whatever you do, don't buy more than one big text - pick one and stick with it. Once you read through it all once (which will take 1-2 years even for the most motivated residents), then you can think about buying another one. If you're looking for something in particular that your book doesn't detail enough, you can always use the library or the Sabiston's on MD consult.
 
I was given a brand new Greenfield and a guyton to cover the physiology part of it.
I think to start with you need to to focus on something very very basic and rudimentary:
Like COMMON inpatient problems: PREOP and POSTOP should be your Forte as an Intern. As that is mostly what ou would be doing depending the dimensions of your program!
I like greenfiled but i cant wait to start BROACH open some of that Cameron!
 
fourthyear said:
Wait till match, then find out if your program recommends a certain text or gives you a book allowance. My program actually gave us a textbook on our first day.

If you are motivated enough to start reading before July 1, that's great. I kind of wish I had done that at least a little bit, since you get so busy suddenly once you start and it becomes harder to study when you are tired from work. It would have been nice to have a little head start on reading (although the vacation was nice too). I'd say once you find out what text your program uses, buy that one or if they don't recommend a certain one spend some time using what you have at the library and find out which one you like best before purchasing. Then consider buying from half.com or used books on amazon.com - I've gotten some brand new books in great condition for great prices on these sites. Just be clear on which edition you're getting b/c sometimes people list older editions under the wrong ISBN, but if you read the find print or email the seller they will disclose this info.

Sabiston and Greenfeild are solid ones that most programs use. A lot of people like Cameron, but that's more for upper-level residents than interns - you need more basic science and background pathophysiology type stuff that Sabiston and Greenfeild emphasize more than Cameron (which is much more of a clinical and operative managment emphasis)

Whatever you do, don't buy more than one big text - pick one and stick with it. Once you read through it all once (which will take 1-2 years even for the most motivated residents), then you can think about buying another one. If you're looking for something in particular that your book doesn't detail enough, you can always use the library or the Sabiston's on MD consult.
Are you a PGY-4? like a R-4 or something?
 
Denial said:
Are you a PGY-4? like a R-4 or something?

No PGY-2 currently. My name was from when I was a fourthyear med student when I first started posting on SDN and I just never changed it.
 
I will also be starting residency this summer. I have already purchased Sabiston. I choose that one because my schools program was using it during my subI. I like it but have nothing to compare it to.

Does anyone have suggestions for other books that maybe useful during internship?
 
hey guys,

I picked up a surgical prelim year. Can anyone tell me what is the best books that I should use/obtain before I start.

thanks
 
candycane said:
hey guys,

I picked up a surgical prelim year. Can anyone tell me what is the best books that I should use/obtain before I start.

thanks

None. Wait until you start and see what the preferred book is at your program, or what they will be teaching from You may also score some free books although these tend to be reserved for Categorical residents.

For handbooks, the Washington Manual Intern Survival Guide is good, IMHO.
 
Hey guys, was wondering what the best operative atlas money can buy - thanks.
 
--anon-- said:
Hey guys, was wondering what the best operative atlas money can buy - thanks.

I like Zollinger although it doesn't have everything. Its priced around $150 but don't buy any books yet if you've matched into a Categorical Surg positions - your program or a drug co may purchase them/give them to you.

For a cheaper, more portable "atlas" (ok its not really an atlas but has lots of drawings and how to stuff) check out Skandalakis and Skandalakis.
 
One question about on call books. Surgery on Call or On Call Surgery? Which one do you prefer? Pros and cons? Another one better?

Thanks.
 
rortega82 said:
One question about on call books. Surgery on Call or On Call Surgery? Which one do you prefer? Pros and cons? Another one better?

Thanks.
I like surgery on call and Mont reid
 
I'm starting my prelim year in July. I picked up a copy of the new edition of Sabiston's, and it looks good. My program's curriculum is based on Greenfield's. Is it worth it to be doing the readings out of the same book as everyone else, or is Sabiston's better (I know it's definitely newer)? I'm hoping to eventually go in to ENT, so a general surgery text is only really for my intern year. Thanks for advice and opinions
 
Surgical Recall by Blackbourne has been an excellent review for me. It is very easy reading and covers the basics of the OR.

I like Sabiston Textbook of Surgery as well.
 
DrTadWinslow said:
I'm starting my prelim year in July. I picked up a copy of the new edition of Sabiston's, and it looks good. My program's curriculum is based on Greenfield's. Is it worth it to be doing the readings out of the same book as everyone else, or is Sabiston's better (I know it's definitely newer)? I'm hoping to eventually go in to ENT, so a general surgery text is only really for my intern year. Thanks for advice and opinions

The new sabiston's is layed out so nice - easy to read with all the colors and figures. For you, with only one year general surg, this should be similar enough to the greenfield's to keep up with the assigned curriculum at your program. Like everyone always says, the best text is the one you read.
 
Any book recommendations for my vascular sub-i? either chapters out of a major text or a pocket manual.... I need some sort of preparation for this thing! I've never done vascular.....
Any help for it in general?
 
chirish said:
Any book recommendations for my vascular sub-i? either chapters out of a major text or a pocket manual.... I need some sort of preparation for this thing! I've never done vascular.....
Any help for it in general?

Hi there,
You really cannot beat the Vascular chapter in Lawrence. Couple this with some supplemental reading on endovascular procedures and you will be set.

njbmd :)
 
Handbook of Patient Care in Vascular Diseases is a great pocket manual...i also did a vascular sub-i w/o any experience and the handbook was awesome!!!!!!!
 
Doing a prelim surgery yr and then a residency in Rads. I don't need anything detailed, but something to keep me going for the year.
From what I've read, the best is to pick up:

Washington Manual Internship Survival Guide (2Rev Ed)
DeFer, Thomas M.; Lin, Grace A.; Lin, Tammy L.; Sakurai, Kaori A.
Editor - Lin, Grace A.; Lin, Tammy L.; Sakurai, Kaori A.; DeFer, Thomas M.
Lippincott Williams and Wilkins

OR?

Surgery Survival Guide
Washington University, Department of Medicine
Lippincott Williams and Wilkins

- Anything else I should get? Surgical recall (or the Advanced one)?
 
Just summarizing the above. Feel free to add to the list.


Bibles:
Cameron's Current Surgical Therapy
Greenfield
Sabiston's Atlas of General Surgery
Schwartz

Intern books:
Surgical Recall
NMS Surgery
Mont Reid Surgical Handbook
Cope's Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen
Cleveland Clinic - Surgical Patient Management and Surgical Intensive Care
Intern survival guide
Washington manual Surgery survival guide


ICU books
Fluid and Electrolytes in the Surgical Patient: Carlos Pestana
The ICU Book: Paul L. Marino
Lange Current Critical Care, Diagnosis and Treatment
ICU Intern Survival Guide
Critical Care of the Massachusetts General Hospital


Atlas’s:/Technique
Zollinger $150
Skandalakis and Skandalakis
Fischer - Mastery of Surgery: two volumes
Chassin - Operative Strategies in General Surgery
ACS Surgery


Absite books
…the Basis Science Section of Greenfield
Absite Killer by adam Lipkins
Rush Review
Mich State Review
The Surgical Review, Alturi et al
The Absite Review:by Stephen Fiser
Pass The Absite (Q&A)
SESAP -Surgical Education and Self Assessment Program: from the ACS
Surgical basic science: from UPENN
 
Thanks Serge for summarizing..
now .. how many should we get? One of each major category? And when should we get this? Do most residencies give you a book when you start? Or at least recommend something based on their curriculum? Should we get it now and page through it before internship starts?

SergeGainsbourg said:
Just summarizing the above. Feel free to add to the list.


Bibles:
Cameron's Current Surgical Therapy
Greenfield
Sabiston's Atlas of General Surgery
Schwartz

Intern books:
Surgical Recall
NMS Surgery
Mont Reid Surgical Handbook
Cope's Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen
Cleveland Clinic - Surgical Patient Management and Surgical Intensive Care
Intern survival guide
Washington manual Surgery survival guide


ICU books
Fluid and Electrolytes in the Surgical Patient: Carlos Pestana
The ICU Book: Paul L. Marino
Lange Current Critical Care, Diagnosis and Treatment
ICU Intern Survival Guide
Critical Care of the Massachusetts General Hospital


Atlas’s:/Technique
Zollinger $150
Skandalakis and Skandalakis
Fischer - Mastery of Surgery: two volumes
Chassin - Operative Strategies in General Surgery
ACS Surgery


Absite books
…the Basis Science Section of Greenfield
Absite Killer by adam Lipkins
Rush Review
Mich State Review
The Surgical Review, Alturi et al
The Absite Review:by Stephen Fiser
Pass The Absite (Q&A)
SESAP -Surgical Education and Self Assessment Program: from the ACS
Surgical basic science: from UPENN
 
I am looking for a CT/MRI Anatomy textbook. I want to review my anatomy before beginning my sgy internship and want to try an knock out two with one.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Hip
 
I have another question here.

Is the Pocket Companion to Sabiston's Textbook of Surgery in the same class as the Mont Reid Surgical Handbook? Do they have basically the same info?

The reason I am asking is that I am a PDA guy, I don't like to carry around books, I use books at home and prefer to use the PDA on the wards. You can get the Sabistons Pocket Companion for the PDA which would be one less book to fall out of my coat LOL.

What do you think?
 
avgjoe said:
In terms of ABSITE books, all seem to have good reviews on amazon, etc. In looking through this thread I couldn't see a real winner.
I'm looking for a book that I can look through periodically throughout the year while also reading another book (yet to be determined :) )..
would this be a good one? Absite review by fiser
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cu...47177-8917651?_encoding=UTF8&n=283155&s=books


Hi there,
Steve Fiser was my chief resident when I was a PGY-2. He has written an awesome book that has loads of stuff in semi-outline form. It is a very nice review book while you are reading the text but after year 2, you will likely outgrow this one.

The Surgical Review (the Red Book) is also a good book to read that is much denser than Fiser's book. The only caveat here is that this book has not been updated and is largely linked to the previous edition of Greenfield's.

Cameron's Current Surgical Therapy will take you from PGY-3 into your PGY-5 year. It's a very good book for most everything clinical that you will enconter on the ABSITE. It is not the smoothest reading text but it is complete.

I am very partial to Sabiston's as a text but you generally want to choose the text that your program uses. All of the big three have been recently updated with Greenfields being the last to update.

Good luck
njbmd :)
 
njbmd said:
Hi there,
Steve Fiser was my chief resident when I was a PGY-2. He has written an awesome book that has loads of stuff in semi-outline form. It is a very nice review book while you are reading the text but after year 2, you will likely outgrow this one.

The Surgical Review (the Red Book) is also a good book to read that is much denser than Fiser's book. The only caveat here is that this book has not been updated and is largely linked to the previous edition of Greenfield's.

Cameron's Current Surgical Therapy will take you from PGY-3 into your PGY-5 year. It's a very good book for most everything clinical that you will enconter on the ABSITE. It is not the smoothest reading text but it is complete.

I am very partial to Sabiston's as a text but you generally want to choose the text that your program uses. All of the big three have been recently updated with Greenfields being the last to update.

Good luck
njbmd :)

Thanks njbmd for your help! It sounds like Fiser's book plus Cameron's for the year's 3 and above would be a good idea .. don't know if Cameron's would be redundant though if we get one of the other major texts?
And what do you guys think of Mastery of Surgery (the two volume set). I talked to someone who had only used that and is now an R3.
My program unfortunately or fortunately doesn't have a set syllabus and required/recommended textbook so each person has a different modus operandi. Some have suggested chassin for years 1-3 and then something else, others sabiston/the big 3, and yet others mastery. Don't know if they use anything particular for the absite ..
 
avgjoe said:
In terms of ABSITE books, all seem to have good reviews on amazon, etc. In looking through this thread I couldn't see a real winner.
I'm looking for a book that I can look through periodically throughout the year while also reading another book (yet to be determined :) )..
would this be a good one? Absite review by fiser
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cu...47177-8917651?_encoding=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

I'll also highly recommend this book. I used it as a primary review book for the ABSITE back in January, along with a PDA version of the ABSITE Killer (for those quick moments of downtime) and Rush's question book.
 
I just found out my program uses ACS book. Since I haven't bought this or anything else yet, but just from their site description this seems like it might be a tad too current and a tad not enough basic for me (just doing a prelim surg year). Have any of you guys used it, and what did you think of it? and would it be enough or would i end up needing to read something else?
Thanks
 
My prior impression was that the difference between Cameron & Sabiston was mainly that Cameron is easier to read, whereas Sabiston tends to be a little more convoluted and detailed ... and thus Cameron is the better choice for students & interns. However, several people have noted that Cameron is more suitable for upper levels because it focuses on "what to do", whereas Sabiston covers the fundamental science/physio as well. Plus, several people have noted that the new Sabiston has a better layout, and is easier to read than precious editions.

So as a PGY-1 or 2, will the new Sabiston give me a more solid foundation, and cover the whys & hows of various disorders & treatments?

Thanks!
b
 
I like the new edition of Sabiston's because it integrates basic science and the clinical application well. I don't like Schwartz, but again, this is just a personal preference - a good thing to do is go into your local medical bookstore, pick any topic at random (peptic ulcer disease, hemorrhoids, gallbladder cancer, whatever) and compare the various books' take on this disease.

Luckily I bought Sabiston's as a fourth-year med student, because it's the textbook we happen to use at our program.
 
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