Books?

[AnnaLee]

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Hi everyone,
I would like to do a little review before my away rotations in pathology this summer. I have my Robbins text from second year and various review books left over from step 1. Any suggestions for something to read that will help prepare me for my path rotations? I am doing mostly anatomic path, some neuropath. Thanks!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I assume you'll spend most of your time sitting in on signout?

If so, brushing up on some histology would be an idea. Wheater is a good book here. As for pathophys, I found some of the internet sites (such as Webpath...I think it's a Utah site) to be a low-stress way of exposing oneself to some of the histopathology stuff.

 

[cytoborg]

I second the Wheater advice. For neuropath, there are several good picture atlases out there. Check something out from the library if you're very motivated.

Or, just relax and enjoy any time off you might have, and kick it into gear once you start your rotations. They really don't expect you to know much, if anything.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Or, just relax and enjoy any time off you might have, and kick it into gear once you start your rotations. They really don't expect you to know much, if anything.

Agreed! I realize that you may be anxious considering that this is an away rotation...possibly at a place where you might want to end up for residency. Personally, I didn't do any away rotations so I haven't experienced this anxiety (maybe others who went through this can chime in). Nonetheless, this was my experience at signouts. I sat there and saw a bunch of cases where I said to myself, "I have no clue what I'm looking at." Pimping was minimal...if they did pimp you, the questions were more about factual knowledge (such as what would see in a patient with MEN2B). This kind of stuff you learned during your 3rd year clerkships. Occasionally they'll just ask you what you see in which case you can go through a logical progression (what tissue is this? is this likely to be an inflammatory or neoplastic process? what's there that shouldn't be? what is the morphology of the cells in question?). A lot of this involves knowing certain terminology and buzz words that make the language of pathologists quite unique. And you're not gonna know this. And your attendings will understand. And most attendings will be nice, hold your hand, and walk you through things.

If you are to do any reading, I would save the energy for DURING the rotation. What I did during my rotation was write down the diagnoses I encountered at signout everyday. Some of them fell in the same category (such as breast pathology where you can see DCIS, LCIS, fibroadenoma, fibrocystic etc.)...and I'd read a little bit about 'em. Same thing with colon biopsies (adenoma, carcinoma, or hyperplastic polyp). Personally, I don't think reading ahead (except for covering the basics histology) will do you too much good. So as c-borg said, just go with the flow and you'll do just fine.

 

[deschutes]

Sorry to hijack the thread - it is still about books, just not in the context of med school!

I recently acquired a brand-new Rosai set, for half the listed Amazon price. They did not have Sternberg.

Post-purchase dissonance has me wondering: several residents have told me that the younger generation of attendings lean more towards Sternberg, and that it is more useful in the context of the surg path daily grind.

I like my tomes (at least, the little that I have seen of them bricks) and I know I can borrow Sternberg and these things shouldn't matter - I sound such a n00b, but it is one of those things I'd like to hear someone else more senior say.

 

[yaah]

I think Sternberg is just a little bit easier to find the exact information you are looking for - more concise. So in the context of signout and giving you basic info it is a little more straightforward and doesn't have as much peripheral info. But as one who spends his life looking for the peripheral info, I miss it. 😳