Books for Rads

[Molly Maquire]

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HI,

If someone wanted to really learn rads well and impress on a 4th year rotation, what would be the best book to use? I have heard many people recommend Squires, anything else?

Thanks.

 

[Poesie Noire]

Clinical Radiology Made Ridiculously Simple
Wolf Files CD Rom
Radiology Recall or Radiology Secrets

If you want to pursue Radiology...I've been told by a PD and many residents that getting started on Brent & Helms as early as possible is a good way.


Radiology Recall is rather extensive but has a lot of questions you can easily answer when a resident is being pimped...and make a good impression. Hope ithis helps.

 

[oldandtired]

You will not impress a single radiology attending or resident with your knowledge as a medical student no matter what you do. Be interested and polite. Do not be annoying during read out sessions by talking to buddies in the back row, asking too many questions or trying to show off your knowledge. Do not be loud and obnoxious either.

Brandt and Helms is not a book for someone not in radiology. Do not waste your time with this book at this point. The secrets series and recall are also surprisingly not that well suited for a medical student. Try the ridiculously simple book, or better yet just enjoy your rotation. You will learn radiology during your residency.

 

[Docxter]

I agree that it's very hard to impress radiology attendings as a med student (it was hard for me too). I think Squires is very good reading a med stud.

 

[Poesie Noire]

well, i do agree that there's not much you can do to impress residents or attendings if you're starting your first radiology rotation but i think if you read ridiculously simple and especially know the wolf files pretty well before you begin the rotation.....you CAN impress residents and attendings on the plain films because a lot of what youll see everyday shows up on the wolf files. i know wolf files helped me a lot during my rotation. regarding brent and helms..its a large and extensive book but the residents told me that if you're going into radiology for sure, then its the standard for reading.

 

[jake2]

Out of sheer curiosity, what do radiologists read after Brent & Helms? Is it mostly journal articles after that point, specialty textbooks, etc.? Personally I'm not even considering reading more than Squire's for a rotation but am just curious. I have heard that radiologist have to read a lot and was just wondering what it is they read during training and afterwards.

Thanks

 

[russellb]

Originally posted by jake2
Out of sheer curiosity, what do radiologists read after Brent & Helms? Is it mostly journal articles after that point, specialty textbooks, etc.? Personally I'm not even considering reading more than Squire's for a rotation but am just curious. I have heard that radiologist have to read a lot and was just wondering what it is they read during training and afterwards.

Thanks

I read specialty texts, journal articles, and also used American College of Radiology CD-ROMs quite a bit. I think that UCSF sold some nice CD-ROMs as well.

 

[Poesie Noire]

i agree. if you can get your hands on the ACR and SIR cd's, you might not even need a major textbook for your first rotation. infact, i havent done much textbook reading since i started using those cd's; but dont ge me wrong, having squires or brent & helms is probably essential. its kind of like kumar/robbins for path in school. although i used webpath cd and other websites more..referring to the book periodically was vital.

 

[Goober]

You will not impress anybody as a med student with your knowledge. The way to impress is come early and stay late. Demonstrate a real interest in the material. Show up to all the noon/early morning conferences you can. Be nice to everybody including techs, file room people ect. You would be surprised how easily a negative reputation will get back to attendings if the ancillary staff don't like you.

Having had my share of med students who take 4th year radiology electives as a vacation month, having a student who does the above is a bonus.

 

[Docxter]

Originally posted by jake2
Out of sheer curiosity, what do radiologists read after Brent & Helms? Is it mostly journal articles after that point, specialty textbooks, etc.? Personally I'm not even considering reading more than Squire's for a rotation but am just curious. I have heard that radiologist have to read a lot and was just wondering what it is they read during training and afterwards.

Thanks

They read subspecialty textbooks designed for residents like the "requisite series" or the "core curriculum series". They also do case books (e.g., "case review series" and "a teaching file" series). CD-ROMS (ACR and other ones) are also used a lot by radiology residents.

For a medical student, Squires is quite good. If you are doing an elective radiology subspecialty rotation, in that case you should also read something related to that. I agree with Goober that your presence, behavior, and showing of interest is more important in your evaluation. You are not expected to know anything about radiology, but you are expected to know your anatomy, e.g. what goes through foramen rotundum.

 

[Poesie Noire]

Thanks Goober. Its great to have someone in your position giving such advice on this topic. During my rotations, I did pretty much everything you mentioned. Of course, when doing interventional its kind of tough to make it to noon conferences or any at all since the days are so hectic. I do agree with Goober an Docxter about not being able to impress your attendings and residents very much with knowledge. I still suggest reading ridiculously simple and Wolf files before you go in. There are many cases in the book/cdrom that will defintiely show up any day, and if you know them well...you might have your "shining" moment when the attending or resident asks you what you see. Main negative things about Wolf Files/Ridiculously Simple : Few to no MRI's, CT's, US, and Nuclear Studies. They're primarily for plain films.

 

[Molly Maquire]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. But I don't understand why you say that a student can't impress attendings with thier knowledge. If you can just show that you know more than a typical medical student, it will prove that you are going home every night and reading. Would'nt this show motivation?

 

[Poesie Noire]

you're absolutely right. i think what others meant about not impressing with your knowledge is that since residents/attending have been reading films for months/years, its really hard for you to do better or to catch some things they dont. althought nothing's impossible but its rare. but i agree with you in that if you are reading every night, you can have something to contribute the next day...worthy of notice. im just speaking for my own personal experience. ridiculously simple and the wolf files definitely helped me a lot. furthermore...check out this website : www.radiologyeducation.com. there's plenty of links you can read every night. good luck with everything.

 

[eddieberetta]

It just isn't that fruitful to try to study radiology to impress attendings in radiology. You are not put on the spot that often, and when you are, it is often a side issues (like some medical/surgical question targetted at you after the resident answered something), or a detailed issue beyond the scope of a medical student. General knowledge of medicine helps a lot more than specific rads reading.

Having said that, if by some fluke you nail something the residents haven't even heard of (and you do not do it arrogantly), that's great

I suggest focussing your reading on radiology issues that will help in other rotations. Consider Felson's for CxR and the ...ridiculously simple book.