Do I Read The Entire Path Book This Summer?

[RaistlinMajere]

---

Members don't see this ad.

A few friends and I are mulling over how to best prepare for second year and the boards. They are seriously thinking about reading the Robbins and Cotran's Pathological Basis of Disease book that my school uses for much of the pathophysiology that we'll have next year. I'm guessing it would be good for the boards too. The book is basically 1400+ pages, which would be like 50 pages a day.

Has anyone done something like this during the summer after their first year? Is this madness or brilliance or just an inefficient use of one's time or is it all of the above?

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Long Dong]

A few friends and I are mulling over how to best prepare for second year and the boards. They are seriously thinking about reading the Robbins and Cotran's Pathological Basis of Disease book that my school uses for much of the pathophysiology that we'll have next year. I'm guessing it would be good for the boards too. The book is basically 1400+ pages, which would be like 50 pages a day.

Has anyone done something like this during the summer after their first year? Is this madness or brilliance or just an inefficient use of one's time or is it all of the above?

Thanks for the replies.

This is utter madness, if anything just get goljan path lectures and listen them while working out over the summer. I didn't even open big robbins in second year let alone would want to read it over the summer. I did read goljans review of path during the summer, but that was because I was doing path research at the time, and I didn't want to seem like a complete idiot when my PI would pimp me on path stuff during autpsies and path slide sign out.

 

[outofhere]

I bought Big Robbins to read over the summer after my MSI year. Then, I decided I was out of my mind. I put it away, went to the beach, hung out with friends, and never looked back. I read that monster my second year, and then I losted it when I moved for residency...very sad. Anyway, enjoy your summer. You will learn plenty during the year, and in some ways, you will learn better because you will be guided...

 

[lord_jeebus]

Insanity. Enjoy your summer.

I read Big Robbins cover-to-cover during my second year. Use it to complement your path course.

Enjoy your summer.

If your purpose for reading Big Robbins is just to improve your boards score, it is a very inefficient way to do so. Much of what makes it "big" is details that would never be on the boards about variant microscopic morphologies, rare diseases like Naxos Syndrome and the genetics of pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism inheritance. Read it if you're interested in path (it's a great read), but if you just want to know path really well for the boards, get the medium sized Robbins and a good review book. Even in this case, you have no reason to read path before your path course.

Enjoy your summer.

 

[ddmo]

That would be a complete waste of time. This is your last summer of freedom for the rest of your life, enjoy it.

 

[ddmo]

If you don't heed our advice, at least go get the Baby Robbins and read that, it's the same stuff with much less filler.

 

[Diceman M.D.]

Read it during the year, covering the appropriate sections at the pace that your classes are doing it. It will really enrich your understanding of path as a whole and as a means of board prep it's absolutely priceless. I read it cover to cover during second year and path is second nature to me now. I didn't memorize every fact and obscure disease in the book - what it did for me was grant me like a Zen instinct about the subject, kinda like Buddhist enlightenment. Seriously, I'm not kidding.

Anyway, if you try to read it over the summer you'll get bored and frustrated with it and you'll never open it again.

 

[lord_jeebus]

Read it during the year, covering the appropriate sections at the pace that your classes are doing it. It will really enrich your understanding of path as a whole and as a means of board prep it's absolutely priceless. I read it cover to cover during second year and path is second nature to me now. I didn't memorize every fact and obscure disease in the book - what it did for me was grant me like a Zen instinct about the subject, kinda like Buddhist enlightenment. Seriously, I'm not kidding.

Yeah, the cool thing about Big Robbins is that, somehow, reading any chapter makes every other chapter make a little more sense. It even improves your understanding of non-path subjects.

When you finish the last chapter, damn! It becomes a cohesive whole.

 

[71263]

If youre going to read anything over the summer, read the BRS or another condensed review book, not a 1400+ page text.

On a side note, heres what Baka Raptor has to say about it:

http://www.baka-raptor.com/Slacker/index.php

 

[tinkerbelle]

If youre going to read anything over the summer, read the BRS or another condensed review book, not a 1400+ page text.

Actually, I think it would be more interesting to read big Robbins over the summer instead of a short book like BRS. BRS is a bunch of boring facts, and not that great for learning something for the first time. That being said, if I was going to read Robbins this summer, I would focus on the chapters that cover material stressed in BRS. This way, you're not reading *all* of Robbins, but only the most important parts.

 

[excalibur]

This idea is truly stupid. If you really want to learn about medicine this summer, come trade places with me. Work my medicine rotation, and I will gladly take your 2 and 1/2 months of freedom.

 

[medgirl20]

MADNESS sleep eat hang out with non medical friends do anything to give your brain a holiday.

 

[beastmaster]

day-2 lecture-3 minute-22 of goljan for what he thinks of this idea

 

[Wrigleyville]

The idea that someone would spend their LAST SUMMER OFF, EVER studying pathology is madness. Do nothing, or at the most pick up some research experience.

 

[erin682]

I'm studying for my boards right now. I'm having trouble remembering stuff I studied a week ago much less something from last summer. You are going to cram so much information into your head 2nd year that any boards advantage you would get from reading Robbins ahead of time is marginal at best. Studying hard for your second year is the best boards prep you can do.

 

[OmahaMX80]

Clearly the first year of medical school at the OP's school needs to be a lot friggin' harder so that they're all sufficiently drained, exhausted and muted... and won't think about reading books like Robbins over the summer.

 

[lord_jeebus]

I took the boards today.

Out of 350 questions, I had exactly 2 questions that I was able to answer only because I had read Big Robbins.

I'm still glad I read it, but it's not for someone who has USMLE as their #1 priority.

 

[bmcgilligan]

Obviously you need to read big Robbins at least twice this summer. Personally, I plan to do 200 pgs/ day, therefore reading it 4 times this summer. Otherwise I will not be making good use of my time. I also plan to read 50+ pages of micro and pharm this summer.

WTF!!! Enjoy the summer. Get drunk. Read fun books. There is no way you should read big robbins this summer. If med schools meant for us to study over the summer after 1st year they wouldn't give us a break!

Enjoy the time we have!!!

 

[ddmo]

I took the boards today.

👍 👍 👍 Nice! It must be really nice to be done. I've still got one more week until D-Day. Enjoy the freedom.

 

[beastmaster]

I say, try attacking the entire Harrisons this summer. It rewards a careful reading.

 

[Pewl]

Good lord, i'd just want to prepare for boards as my main target. I figure the mini robbins book should be sufficient.

 

[Medical123]

If you really want to start preparing for boards and 2nd year, get something like First Aid. It is a fairly easy read and highlights a lot of the important concepts that you will see in your classes next year. Plus, it will give you an opportunity to review some of the stuff that you have already had.

In the meantime, take time to enjoy your summer! It is probably the last big break that you will get for the next few years.

Good luck with 2nd year! 🙂

 

[Firebird]

Actually I think you would be better off reading it twice before MS-II begins. That's only 100 pages a day, and it's really good reading. Especially when you get to the part about the kidneys. That's really thrilling.

Anyway, if you do that, you'll really have covered a lot of information. And you'll have learned none of it. Take everyone's advice--relax during the summer. If you study all summer long you'll be burned out and when class starts and studying really matters, you'll end up playing Xbox instead.

 

[Callogician]

Pfft...amateur.

This summer, I plan to read first aid ten times, develop romantic relationships with three chairs, use computer hacking to boost my first year grades, and establish a faux research project as a front for my residency app.

Now that is how you gun down the competition, b*tches!

 

[njbmd]

Is this madness or brilliance or just an inefficient use of one's time or is it all of the above?

Thanks for the replies.

Hi there,
Reading any textbook over a summer vacation is a waste of time. You REVIEW for USMLE/COMLEX and STUDY for your cousework exams. You cannot review what you have not learned in the first place.

Use your vacation to rest and recharge. That way, you will be in the best condition to learn your coursework during second year. When second year is over, you will have more than enough time to review for your boards. I took USMLE far earlier than any of my classmates (second week in May after classes ended April 28) and still had plenty of time to get the job done well.

Study hard during the year and master your coursework. Then review smart and take the exam. You will be fine. Don't let your anal classmates spoil the last summer that you can really enjoy yourself and do something that is fun and relaxing.

njbmd 🙂

 

[Firebird]

Pfft...amateur.

This summer, I plan to read first aid ten times, develop romantic relationships with three chairs, use computer hacking to boost my first year grades, and establish a faux research project as a front for my residency app.

Now that is how you gun down the competition, b*tches!

If you're able to do all that, why bother reading first aid?

 

[Callogician]

If you're able to do all that, why bother reading first aid?

Because I want to learn some medicine on the side so that I can take care of my future patients. Also, I plan on getting my high step I score laminated and framed so that I can jerk off to it in the shower.

 

[beastmaster]

You can also tattoo it on your forehead so that others can jerk off to it.

 

[Blue Scrub]

Those who say to enjoy your last summer ever are WEAK. NOT REAL MEDICAL STUDENTS. If you made it into med school, you go HARD or you GET THE HECK OUT...MEDICINE ISNT FOR THE WEAK....read every damn book on path you can in the summer, and you'll be a SUPERSTAR come 2nd year and everyone in your class will envy you b/c all they did was sit on their ace all summer, what a freakin waste....I say read every path book you can get your hands on at least twice, if not 3x at least, and you'll be the ultimate 2nd year med student that everyone wishes they could be....thats my advice

I, on the other hand, am pretty weak so I will be wasting my summer away in alcohol and envying the person that takes my above advice come next school year