Cost of Books

[Sartre79]

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M1 here, wondering if the cost of books budgeted per year is accurate. My school says $3000 for books and supplies, but I've often heard that students spend a lot of money on books that just sit there. Can anyone offer some insight?

 

[leopanther]

Over the whole first year, I bought only 2 books that I actually used - Anatomy Atlas and Neuronatomy Atlas. All the material came from the syllabus. It really depends on the school but most don't expect students to study primarily from books, they provide the required material. You need to ask around the upper classes at your school about your budgest but until you start the courses and find out that some book is absolutely necessary, do not buy anything. Chances are you'll never have time for books. You might have to buy a stethoscope if your school doesn't give them out but most likely none of the other equipment.

 

[sponge]

$3000 ... I spent nowhere near that. certainly much less than a thousand. Granted, I bought many of my books used, but still. I bought a few new ones -- Costanzo Physiology, some anotomy texts and atlases (ok, a lot of anatomy texts and atlases) -- but still it all cost several hundred.

It depends on:
-what school you go to, and how much the school/previous classes/classmates provide in the way of notesets.
-how many books you would like to buy, despite MS2s telling you that books X, Y and Z collected dust on their bookshelves.
-whether you buy used or new (if you buy used, many of the books at the used book sale might be dusty books X, Y and Z, so beware. 3rd and 4th years, if you can get a hold of them, might be willing to get rid of books that 2nd years want to hold on to.)
-whether you figure in selling back books X, Y and Z next year to gullible first years in your budget. (fortunately, used books don't depreciate much.)
-whether you buy from your school bookstore, and how much of a rip off it is there (or whether you're willing to buy online, find the best deals and wait for ground shipping from Canada).
-whether you have some idea in your head that you should build a medical library starting now.

As for supplies, we don't buy till second year...