Are New Editions that Important?

[dan0909]

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I received the booklist for school next year and it includes the following books:

Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry (4th Ed)
Thompson & Thompson Genetics in Medicine (Revised 6th)
Langman?s Medical Embryology (9th Ed)
Harrison?s Principles of Internal Medicine (16th Ed)

How important is it that I buy these NEW editions, as opposed to previous editions???

 

[Jalby]

Heck, I wouldn't buy a single one of those books. You won't need them for class (except Maybe Harrisons 5 years from now.

 

[aydinhatemi]

I do not think there is much difference between editions. This is not engineering where you buy the textbooks just because you need the questions. I hated shelling out
$70 for a textbook just because questions are slightly modified and text remain essentially the same. Such a waste! Since in Medical School you are less likely have time to explore minor editional differences, you can save huge sums by just buyinh previous editions.

Being a gunner, I bought couple textbooks (expired editions) before MS1 just out of curiosity and this only cost me $8 for each. I might be wrong but it is hard to believe basics of medicine can change significantly in couple years (with the exceptions of pharm, biochem)

 

[8744]

Heck, I wouldn't buy a single one of those books. You won't need them for class (except Maybe Harrisons 5 years from now.

But you know, we tell people that every year and nobody listens.

For God's sake, get a review book for biochemistry. The level of detail in Lehninger is unnecessary for a medical student. The embryology book is pretty inexpensive but the subject is so complex that you'd be better buying "High Yield Embryology" ($25 ?) which will hit only the high points and those things that are most frequently tested. Then you can forget all about embryology like the rest of us. Who really remembers HOX-1, Sonic Hedgehog, and Homeoboxes?

As for Harrison's, man, I must be a cheese-eating ***** because I Harrison's makes my head hurt. Get something simpler, lighter, and cheaper as a textbook. One day when you need Harrison's your library will have it waiting.

 

[Jalby]

As for Harrison's, man, I must be a cheese-eating *****

You know, I don't always agree with you, but I think you nailed that one.

 

[Samoa]

I don't think the embryo text changes much, except maybe the pictures get prettier. Also, Panda nailed it regarding Biochem. Get the review book, find a study partner who bought the class text, and refer to their copy if you ever need clarification. Likewise, Harrison's is one of those books that your institution will have on hand, in multiple copies. Plus, everyone really mostly uses UpToDateOnline where that's available.

The genetic text is a good one to buy. The depth of knowledge grows too fast in that field for an old edition to be a good substitute. And its utility in medical practice is still growing rapidly.

But in answer to the general question of when it's ok to go with old editions, here's a general principle that works pretty well: if knowledge in the field is growing so fast that instructors are switching textbooks every year or so, then it's safe to say that the previous edition will be totally inadequate. Particularly if it was published >4 years ago.

 

[Sharkfan]

dan0909, luck you: I am having a slow day of research and have been debating this same issue with regard to Lehninger.

The third edition was published in 2000, so going by what one poster said, it is time to update.

A lot of people strongly recommend a review text for bioc, but I used Lehninger in undergrad and loved it. I am a bookworm too, and wouldn't mind beefing up my library with a text that is often referred to as "the gold standard of biochemistry"

Here are two links that you can use to see what the differences between the two texts are:

http://www.whfreeman.com/college/book.asp?disc=&id_product=1124001557&compType=TOC

and

http://www.whfreeman.com/college/book.asp?disc=&id_product=1149000249&compType=TOC

After stumbling across this I decided that the fourth will be worth it. But that's just me. I don't have a problem buying lots of books. I actually LIKE it.

 

[flighterdoc]

I received the booklist for school next year and it includes the following books:

Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry (4th Ed)
Thompson & Thompson Genetics in Medicine (Revised 6th)
Langman?s Medical Embryology (9th Ed)
Harrison?s Principles of Internal Medicine (16th Ed)

How important is it that I buy these NEW editions, as opposed to previous editions???

I don;t think that Harrisons 16th is even published yet, is it?

Plus, thats not a book you take to class. The thing is 3" thick and weighs about 9 lbs.

 

[praying4MD]

You know, I don't always agree with you, but I think you nailed that one.

 

[8744]

You know, I don't always agree with you, but I think you nailed that one.

Har har. You know, sometimes I read about people who are concerned about not having the latest edition of a standard medical textbook for fear that they will somehow fall behind and I have to laugh and shake my head like the dummy I sometimes think I am. Fer cryin' out loud. Harrison's is what? 2980 pages? All of it is in an extremely small font, all of it is densly packed with facts, "figgers," and all kinds of information on every disease known to man right down to the minutiae of individual chemical pathways. To read it all is an impossibility. In first and second year I barely scratched the shellac on the veneer on the surface of the knowledge therein contained.

While it's absolutely true that the body of medical knowledge is growing at an incredible rate, the basics which you will be taught in medical school change at a much slower rate. Usually it is more of a refinement of knowedge then a radical change in direction. Keeping this in mind, a four-year-old edition of Harrison's will probably serve you well. If you have absolutely got to know the latest thinking on protein transport in the mitochondrial diseases then maybe you need the latest edition.

I don't want to sound anti-intellectual. But I get more practical use out of my forty dollar, 213 page "Medicine at a Glance" then I ever did out of Harrison's.

 

[daisygirl]

I received the booklist for school next year and it includes the following books:

Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry (4th Ed)
Thompson & Thompson Genetics in Medicine (Revised 6th)
Langman?s Medical Embryology (9th Ed)
Harrison?s Principles of Internal Medicine (16th Ed)

How important is it that I buy these NEW editions, as opposed to previous editions???

My best advice to you, if you really want those books, is to use them either as a stepstool or as a way to ignite a campfire. You don't need those books, and you will find out soon enough, that you don't need most 'required texts'.

Instead of Lehninger's, buy Lippicott's biochem review book. Langman's should be replaced with BRS embryo. Harrisons???? You are an upcoming first year- what in the world would you do with that book? If you for some reason need to look up medicine stuff, use mdconsult (online database and your school probably pays for access...). I can understand recommending Robbins, but Harrison's 😕 😱 😕.

 

[BubbleBobble]

My best advice to you, if you really want those books, is to use them either as a stepstool or as a way to ignite a campfire.

That's hilarious! Ah...I'm looking forward to med school...

 

[8744]

That's hilarious! Ah...I'm looking forward to med school...

I did 98% percent of my studying from lecture notes, online Powerpoint presentations, and review books. The 2% of studying I did from textbooks was extremely "low yield." At most schools (PBL based Curriculum excepted) everything you need to know will be spoon-fed to you in lecture. If you keep up with the lectures (either by going to class, reading the notes from your note taking service, or both) you will do fine. I have studied at the library, I have studied in the "atrium" of our school, I have studied at Books-a-million, at the local public library, and even during lecture. I have never seen a medical student reading a textbook.

Textbooks are for reference.

 

[dan0909]

thanks for the advice!

in the very least, i'll wait til school starts before i think about buying most of these textbooks...

 

[Kev (UK)]

I agree with most of the above. Most of the recommended texts I bought (foolishly) in the first semester I hardly touched. I now hope to sell them on to some poor unsuspecting first years😀 I learnt by semester 2 that my lecture notes, powerpoint slide shows and a good review book or a BASIC text will get you through with ease. Interestingly my marks improved when I stopped trying to read the recommended texts!!!! Essentially you need to learn all the basics well and the detail can be slowly acquired throughout your career.