MD & DO Best resources including books for cardiovascular organ based systems in MS1?

[FutureOrtho2024]

I begin organ based systems on Monday starting with cardiovascular. What is the highest yield resources to use to really learn and excel in this area? What is best for normal cardiac anatomy? What is best for cardiac physiology? What about histology and pathology? Finally, what is best for ECG and chest imaging studies?

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[aldol16]

For all relevant A+P stuff, Costanzo hands down. That's the only resource you need for A+P. Plus whatever flash card system you use. For path, I like Goljan's RR since it has tons of pictures. You can really go crazy with the amount of resources out there for path so it's essential to find a quality resource that works for you. For instance, some people say Robbins (big or small) but that's a huge text. It's also pretty densely written so it's hard to read. I preferred the pictures in Goljan with his bullet points. Then when Step 1 comes around, you can use Pathomas as the review resource (<200 pages, very easy to go through if you've done it right).

For imaging studies, there's no one best resource that I recall. It's mostly seeing stuff over and over again in different ways. So you can do practice questions on a QBank that has imaging studies. You can look at radiopedia for classic findings. Or just plain old Google images what some of the common diseases look like on imaging, e.g., water bottle heart, Kerley B lines, etc.

 

[FutureOrtho2024]

Is there an example of a NBME shelf exam so I can see the level of detail and what type images are used? I don't mean something that is safeguarded or private, but I hope there are examples for students to know what to expect before the first organ based system exam. In my case, I start with the cardiothoracic system.

 

[FutureOrtho2024]

For all relevant A+P stuff, Costanzo hands down. That's the only resource you need for A+P. Plus whatever flash card system you use. For path, I like Goljan's RR since it has tons of pictures. You can really go crazy with the amount of resources out there for path so it's essential to find a quality resource that works for you. For instance, some people say Robbins (big or small) but that's a huge text. It's also pretty densely written so it's hard to read. I preferred the pictures in Goljan with his bullet points. Then when Step 1 comes around, you can use Pathomas as the review resource (<200 pages, very easy to go through if you've done it right).

For imaging studies, there's no one best resource that I recall. It's mostly seeing stuff over and over again in different ways. So you can do practice questions on a QBank that has imaging studies. You can look at radiopedia for classic findings. Or just plain old Google images what some of the common diseases look like on imaging, e.g., water bottle heart, Kerley B lines, etc.

I looked at Contanzo and I see lots of physiology but not much anatomy. What anatomy book pairs well with Contazo's physiology?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I did not like costanzo. Boards and beyond, zanki, and rx were basically all I needed. Also sketchy for the drugs. I also did the Robbins questions.

 

[aldol16]

I looked at Contanzo and I see lots of physiology but not much anatomy. What anatomy book pairs well with Contazo's physiology?

From what I recall, the relevant anatomy is in Costanzo for the organ systems. I'm assuming that you've already taken Anatomy? Or do you do it as you do the blocks? The best way to learn anatomy isn't from a book. It's by looking at prosections or using a good app like Complete Anatomy on an iPad to go through the structures in 3D. If you've taken anatomy already, then you should remember enough for what you need in the organ blocks.