board review books...

[Lamborghini1315]

I will be starting medical school this fall, so i was wondering if i bought the review books now..would they be still useful in 2009 when i take the test. I am a little worried about the editions changing? So can you guys break down the books i can buy without worrying about edition changes and the books i should wait on...

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[lord_jeebus]

Editions change rapidly. Review books are big business and med student paranoia is easy to exploit (why else would First Aid release annual editions?)

The testable content on Step I does not change much from year to year.

I took the test in 2006. I had at least two review books from the 90's and they were fine.

That having been said, I don't see the point in buying them all this fall. You can't review what you haven't yet learned.

 

[Lamborghini1315]

well here's the booklist i created to buy..but i know i wont be able to read through half of them or even have a clue of what i am reading. However i like to have an idea of how things might be on the boards and possibly these books could help me in class with subject material. I will appreciate any feedback...also i edited the year in my previous post from 2008 to 2009 coz that would be the year i will be taking the test.

1. Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple, Edition 3 (Paperback)
by Mark Gladwin (Author), Bill Trattler (Author)
2. Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry 2nd edition by Pamela C. Champe (Author), Richard A. Harvey (Author)
3. Review of Medical Microbiology and Immunology (Medical Microbiology & Immunology) (Paperback)
by Warren E. Levinson (Author) 9th edition
4. Rapid Review Pathology 2nd edition by Edward F. Goljan (Author)
5. BRS Behavioral Science (Board Review Series) (Paperback)
by Barbara Fadem (Author) 4th edition
6. High-Yield™ Neuroanatomy: Speech-Language-Hearing (High-Yield™ Series) (Paperback)
by James D Fix (Author) 3rd edition
7. First Aid for the USMLE Step 1: 2007 (First Aid for the Usmle Step 1) (Paperback)
by Vikas Bhushan (Author), Tao Le (Author)

 

[lord_jeebus]

First of all, I would not purchase any review book that I had not seen in person. For instance, I took one look at Clinical Microbiology made Ridiculously Simple and knew I wouldn't like it. I read a few pages and confirmed this.

Your books are also overlapping in content. For instance, Levinson doesn't have much that isn't in CMMRS besides a few (very good) immuno chapters. Perhaps not worth buying the book for that.

 

[Lamborghini1315]

First of all, I would not purchase any review book that I had not seen in person. For instance, I took one look at Clinical Microbiology made Ridiculously Simple and knew I wouldn't like it. I read a few pages and confirmed this.

Your books are also overlapping in content. For instance, Levinson doesn't have much that isn't in CMMRS besides a few (very good) immuno chapters. Perhaps not worth buying the book for that.

so what you suggest for immuno?

 

[lord_jeebus]

You don't need a review book for every subject.

Take your classes. During those classes, go to the bookstore and figure out if you're going to use your course syllabus, textbook, review book, or whatever.

When review time comes around, go to the bookstore and see if any of the review books would provide something helpful for you, and if so, which one you like the best.

Book reviews are helpful in that some books are really bad, but a lot of this comes down to personal preference.

 

[Lamborghini1315]

You don't need a review book for every subject.

Take your classes. During those classes, go to the bookstore and figure out if you're going to use your course syllabus, textbook, review book, or whatever.

When review time comes around, go to the bookstore and see if any of the review books would provide something helpful for you, and if so, which one you like the best.

Book reviews are helpful in that some books are really bad, but a lot of this comes down to personal preference.

yeaaa i hear you. My book list was a result of what i have heard and read on sdn from people who have taken the test already. I basically thought having these books around won't hurt even if they dont help me much. But i can def understand your advice and i will def take it down a notch..

 

[predodoc]

Yeah, just having the idea in your head that you want to do well is about all you need right now. Buy Books as you need them(this includes the required text books). I have so many books that I never used. Also, your school library probably has most of what you are looking for. So unless its a book that you will use all the time like First Aid or RR path, you might not have to buy them at all.