advice on gen surg books

[vascsurg13]

Good morning,

Just wondering if anyone can please lend me some guidance on some gen surg books. My former med school mentor told me to get three books for vasc surg but since the first two years of my residency are basically gen surg so I'm just wondering if there are any books similar to these three:

1. The textbook: rutherford's vascular and endovascular surgery
2. The techniques: atlas of vascular and endovascular therapy
3. the anatomy: anatomical exposure in vascular surgery

Thank you in advance for your help

PS. btw cost is not an issue, department will reimburse.

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[HighwayVagabond]

The general surgery equivalents of these three are
1. The textbook: Cameron's Current Surgical Therapy
2. The techniques: Mastery of Surgery
3. The anatomy: Zollinger's Atlas of Surgical Operations

I would also recommend (assuming you are a vascular integrated resident) both Clinical Scenarios in Surgery and Clinical Scenarios in Vascular Surgery. These books are a good primer on the basics from presentation to diagnosis and management of the most commonly seen disease processes. The surgery one will help when you start seeing general surgery consults. The vascular one will be helpful both clinically and for your vascular oral boards one day.

 

[vascsurg13]

The general surgery equivalents of these three are
1. The textbook: Cameron's Current Surgical Therapy
2. The techniques: Mastery of Surgery
3. The anatomy: Zollinger's Atlas of Surgical Operations

I would also recommend (assuming you are a vascular integrated resident) both Clinical Scenarios in Surgery and Clinical Scenarios in Vascular Surgery. These books are a good primer on the basics from presentation to diagnosis and management of the most commonly seen disease processes. The surgery one will help when you start seeing general surgery consults. The vascular one will be helpful both clinically and for your vascular oral boards one day.

Thanks!

 

[Lem0nz]

There is not much to add, those books are the correct choices.

 

[LucidSplash]

Are the kids still doing Fiser these days for ABSITE? Some programs have the integrated residents take both ABSITE and VSITE the first couple of years. If yours does, would recommend Fiser - can be carried in the pocket and used for quick reference.

 

[Lem0nz]

Are the kids still doing Fiser these days for ABSITE? Some programs have the integrated residents take both ABSITE and VSITE the first couple of years. If yours does, would recommend Fiser - can be carried in the pocket and used for quick reference.

There's another post right below this from someone who did a comprehensive board review PDF and I agree with him that the Fiser book is actually pretty dated at this point.

If you're taking ABSITE the best way to game that test and get a high score as of a two years ago was Truelearn - do them on tutor mode and ignore the percentile it gives you, read all the answer choices for each question. Do that Qbank twice. +/- also doing SCORE. SCORE is usually paid for by your program and Truelearn may or may not be.

In my opinion the test has become really gamified, much like the STEP exams. Its no longer relevant to actually learning the practice of surgery and very little of it seems to show up in day to day life and its just the sorting hat for fellowship. We've just become too specialized and niche, even in GS but definitely in all of the sub fields. My two cents. Most of my co-residents agreed that reading textbooks (even the board prep books) actually set you back for the exam but made you a better resident, while just practicing exam questions in massive volume directly makes you score go up.

Same as every other test we take in medicine.

 

[LucidSplash]

There's another post right below this from someone who did a comprehensive board review PDF and I agree with him that the Fiser book is actually pretty dated at this point.

If you're taking ABSITE the best way to game that test and get a high score as of a two years ago was Truelearn - do them on tutor mode and ignore the percentile it gives you, read all the answer choices for each question. Do that Qbank twice. +/- also doing SCORE. SCORE is usually paid for by your program and Truelearn may or may not be.

In my opinion the test has become really gamified, much like the STEP exams. Its no longer relevant to actually learning the practice of surgery and very little of it seems to show up in day to day life and its just the sorting hat for fellowship. We've just become too specialized and niche, even in GS but definitely in all of the sub fields. My two cents. Most of my co-residents agreed that reading textbooks (even the board prep books) actually set you back for the exam but made you a better resident, while just practicing exam questions in massive volume directly makes you score go up.

Same as every other test we take in medicine.

I saw that post but was more thinking of something that you can carry in your pocket. All those other texts are great, and everyone has iPads and phones today so it may be less of an issue. But I always liked to have some text in my pocket that I could jot things down in. Sad that Fiser has not kept up.

 

[Lem0nz]

I saw that post but was more thinking of something that you can carry in your pocket. All those other texts are great, and everyone has iPads and phones today so it may be less of an issue. But I always liked to have some text in my pocket that I could jot things down in. Sad that Fiser has not kept up.

I think it’s actually just that the arms race has progressed. We’ve found better ways of studying. I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t some Anki version of studying the Absite that supersedes everything else five years from now.

 

[LucidSplash]

I think it’s actually just that the arms race has progressed. We’ve found better ways of studying. I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t some Anki version of studying the Absite that supersedes everything else five years from now.

I’ve been out of Gen surg for 4 years. Change happens fast. I did my first laparoscopic case in 4 years the other day (have started to place peritoneal dialysis catheters in addition to vascular access) and I felt like an intern. Hard to believe I did stuff like that every day just 4 years ago!

 

[Lem0nz]

I’ve been out of Gen surg for 4 years. Change happens fast. I did my first laparoscopic case in 4 years the other day (have started to place peritoneal dialysis catheters in addition to vascular access) and I felt like an intern. Hard to believe I did stuff like that every day just 4 years ago!

Right there with you. Had to do a lap chole without the robot like six months ago and I looked like a complete tool. To be fair it was the only lap chole I’ve done in two years, ACS does all of that now. But... you know... still. That used to be a 20-40 minute operation.

bwhahaaha not anymore! Get yo’ popcorn this movies run length is llloonnngggg.