Books for Differential Diagnosis for the Wards

[achamess]

Hey all,

So I'm about to hit the wards in August, and I'd like to hit the ground running. I'd like to have a working list in my head of the top 3-5 most common diseases for various symptoms. I know there are books that list just a ton of differential diagnoses, but I'm looking for one that also ranks them based on prevalence. Can anyone recommend anything. I came across Churchill's Pocket Guide of Differential Diagnosis and this looks really solid, but I didn't see any reviews for it on Amazon and figured I should ask here.

Thanks so much.

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[deleted263296]

This is a good idea. I wish I had thought of it earlier in my third year instead of late into the year. What you really need is a book that lists the most common differentials and explains how to distinguish each of them, not a book that just lists differentials. I would recommend getting a Step 2 CS study book for outpatient complaints (First Aid). And get an internal medicine on call book for inpatient complaints (Lange Internal Medicine On Call). This should be sufficient for internal medicine and surgery. I have no recs for pediatric complaints, as I played that one by ear.

 

[IMGUSMLEStep1]

Problem-Oriented Medical Diagnosis:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...17145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0781729556

Great book. It mostly covers IM diseases though, not very useful for Peds or OBGYN.

 

[achamess]

Thanks for the help. I'm glad to hear my idea is a good one. Indeed, distinguishing diseases with common symptoms is really important, and I hope to learn that too.

This is a good idea. I wish I had thought of it earlier in my third year instead of late into the year. What you really need is a book that lists the most common differentials and explains how to distinguish each of them, not a book that just lists differentials. I would recommend getting a Step 2 CS study book for outpatient complaints (First Aid). And get an internal medicine on call book for inpatient complaints (Lange Internal Medicine On Call). This should be sufficient for internal medicine and surgery. I have no recs for pediatric complaints, as I played that one by ear.

 

[turkeyjerky]

vascular vs metabolic vs infectious vs malignant vs inflammatory vs traumatic vs functional

 

[hrandani]

You could always do what my attending does, ask a nurse what she thinks and then loudly rule out all of those as the cause.

It's funny though - I asked him the same question once, and he stared blankly at me. "You should know how to do that by now. What the hell have you been doing in medical school? You can't learn how to be a doctor in a book."

Thanks boss!

 

[ArcGurren]

You could always do what my attending does, ask a nurse what she thinks and then loudly rule out all of those as the cause.

It's funny though - I asked him the same question once, and he stared blankly at me. "You should know how to do that by now. What the hell have you been doing in medical school? You can't learn how to be a doctor in a book."

Thanks boss!

Sometimes I wonder if these attendings even remember what they did in medical school lol. More likely they do remember and enjoy seeing our misery

 

[ucsfstudents]

Pocket Medicine is pretty succint.