I'm a first year resident who already has Baby Miller. I'm looking for just one more larger reference text. Is M&M ok or is it just another intro textbook like Baby Miller? I looked through some samples in my library and thought it was pretty comprehensive, especially when looking up Halls questions. Would I be missing out by NOT getting Barash?
Barash vs. M&M
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deleted171991
No, definitely not as a CA-1. Once you exhaust M&M (which is one the most beautifully written anesthesia books), then you can move on to Barash or another reference textbook. At least that's what I did.
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M&M is worth reading after Baby Miller. It's "readable" in that normal people can sit down and open up M&M and read it. Barash and Big Miller are more reference materials. I guess some people sit down and read the big books but I'm not one of those people and I don't personally know anyone who says he is.
When I started my written board prep in earnest, I would do questions (mostly Hall and the ABA's released old exam questions) and look up references for each one in Big Miller. I never sat down and read a chapter of Big Miller, though I've spent more time reading Big Miller than I have M&M. But I've never been a sit down and read kind of learner, if there's no directed focus to what I'm looking up and reading (like a board question) I don't retain things well.
In the end it probably doesn't matter what book you choose as long as you use it frequently. They all say the same things. Eventually you'll want one of the big reference books like Big Miller, Barash, or Longnecker. M&M says more things than Baby Miller so it's worth reading if you've already plowed through Baby Miller. I would encourage you to incorporate specific board study into your reading though, even as a CA1. The AKT-6 is coming up and there's nothing like a good AKT-6 score to get the Man off your back ...
When I started my written board prep in earnest, I would do questions (mostly Hall and the ABA's released old exam questions) and look up references for each one in Big Miller. I never sat down and read a chapter of Big Miller, though I've spent more time reading Big Miller than I have M&M. But I've never been a sit down and read kind of learner, if there's no directed focus to what I'm looking up and reading (like a board question) I don't retain things well.
In the end it probably doesn't matter what book you choose as long as you use it frequently. They all say the same things. Eventually you'll want one of the big reference books like Big Miller, Barash, or Longnecker. M&M says more things than Baby Miller so it's worth reading if you've already plowed through Baby Miller. I would encourage you to incorporate specific board study into your reading though, even as a CA1. The AKT-6 is coming up and there's nothing like a good AKT-6 score to get the Man off your back ...
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I agree, if I dont have a focus when I'm reading I don't retain things. I've had good success by doing q-banks (Hall but mostly M5) and then reading the sections I miss in Barash or Miller. I like Barash more than Miller. M&M is good but I find it lacks the depth I'm looking for when referencing missed questions.
D
deleted171991
Questions are good mostly when one knows so much one can't tell anymore what one doesn't know. For a CA-1 still in the process of accumulating essential knowledge, a good teaching book beats any reference.
Not sure if this will change any of your answers, but I am a PGY-1, not a CA-1. I'm in a categorical program. I've already taken Step 3. I will take ITE in February. I'm not expected to do well, but I figure I don't have to study for Step 3, so I might as well put more effort into the ITEs.
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deleted171991
Then you are not a first year resident. You are an intern, or a CA-0 (for anesthesia purposes). 
You don't need to take ITE-0, except for your own pleasure. Nobody cares about it.
Use this year to accumulate as much intern-level (non-anesthesia) medical knowledge as you can.
You don't need to take ITE-0, except for your own pleasure. Nobody cares about it.
Use this year to accumulate as much intern-level (non-anesthesia) medical knowledge as you can.
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If you're a PGY1 / CA0 and you feel compelled to study for an anesthesia-specific test, beyond general reading in M&M and Baby Miller I'd look up the content outline for the AKT-0/1 and make a point of hitting those topics.
http://www.metricsinc.org/akt-testing/how-it-works/akt-1.html
http://www.metricsinc.org/akt-testing/how-it-works/akt-1.html
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I usually recommend baby miller --> M&M --> big Miller + subspec. texts
In that order. Don't start reading big Miller or Barash too early. It's too much to tackle and you will feel overwhelmed. I also strongly urge our residents to wait until they have a SOLID knowledge base before doing question (like CA-2 year at the earliest). We had several residents in our program struggle with testing and when asked their study plan, it was likely starting questions too early. If you don't know the material, there is no way you can answer the question and thus it's a total waste of time.
I personally liked big Miller (over Barash) but this is a personal preference and they both cover the necessary material to pass boards and become a competent anesthesiologist. I really think the most important thing you can do is learn something new every single day (even as an attending, I'm constantly looking up things and trying to broaden my knowledge).
In that order. Don't start reading big Miller or Barash too early. It's too much to tackle and you will feel overwhelmed. I also strongly urge our residents to wait until they have a SOLID knowledge base before doing question (like CA-2 year at the earliest). We had several residents in our program struggle with testing and when asked their study plan, it was likely starting questions too early. If you don't know the material, there is no way you can answer the question and thus it's a total waste of time.
I personally liked big Miller (over Barash) but this is a personal preference and they both cover the necessary material to pass boards and become a competent anesthesiologist. I really think the most important thing you can do is learn something new every single day (even as an attending, I'm constantly looking up things and trying to broaden my knowledge).
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