BRS Path AND Rapid Review (Goljan)?

[username456789]

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I know there are a lot of BRS vs. RR threads, but I was wondering specifically if anyone would recommend owning BOTH books. I have the new edition of Goljan/RR, and I plan on buying the Robbins Path Review book.

This questions is both for coursework and for boards. We begin Path in November. I've decided that reading Robbins probably won't be the best use of my time, and I know people love Goljan on here. Is it reasonable to have/use both, for M2 coursework and/or STEP I review?

Thanks!

 

[Bonesaw45]

The difference in the two books is pretty vast in my opinion I own both because I was trying to get a feel for what I liked best for boards study but I ended up really liking Goljan for actual course study. The bottom line is that there is more detail and explanation in Goljan, so there are far less notes you will have to incorporate into the book.

BRS reads more like random lists of things to memorize, Goljan incorporates a lot of explanation for a review book which makes remembering the material easier. There are several times where I add notes to Goljan only to find the same point made 1/2 a page later in his outline, BRS just dosen't feel as complete. Just roll with Goljan and use Robbins/Cecil's/Harrison's/Class Syllabus (whatever free internet source your school offers) when there are things that you cannot make sense of based on Goljan, then get the Robbins Q Book for practice Q's before tests. That's my 2 cents anyway.

 

[rock_climber]

save your money. if you want two path books, buy two copies of goljan.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

owned BRS and used it most of second year. Discovered Goljan during board preparation, as very few people in school actually used it. Only one guy I really talked with that often.

Wish I'd only used Goljan.

BRS path is not a bad book by any means, it just pales in comparison to Goljan.

 

[HPSPpayissues]

BRS well summarizes ONLY the topics that are covered in a typical path course. In contrast, RR Goljan includes and incorporates additional stuffs from biochem, neuro, micro, etc. The book integrates various subjects and pathways relevant to path well. You might not have time to go through some of these stuffs that are not tested on your path course.

Personally, I would get both. I would go over BRS along with Robbins to study for your class exams, and I would use RR to study for the board starting around February...

 

[MilkmanAl]

I bought both, but I plan on using the BRS solely for practice questions. Goljan will be my only reading material.

 

[deleted263296]

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[kryptik]

Read RR and use BRS for questions, you can borrow a friends copy and quickly do the questions.
Robbins Review of Path is a better pathology question book than the brs so that might be worth getting than brs to supplement RR

 

[dd128]

Just curious as to if all you guys who used RR for the material also used your class syllabi? I got BRS for the questions, and considered RR, but we have an exceedingly detailed path syllabus (like 350 pgs/block, 4 blocks) and wasn't sure if I'd have time for additional resources...