Do you use the previous First Aid or get the new one?

[Pewl]

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I know that a new First Aid comes out every December. However, some of us want to purchase one prior to that. Do you guys typically get the earlier one and just stick with that or do you wait until the December prior to your exam to get the new one?

Thanks

 

[Long Dong]

I know that a new First Aid comes out every December. However, some of us want to purchase one prior to that. Do you guys typically get the earlier one and just stick with that or do you wait until the December prior to your exam to get the new one?

Thanks

Get the earlier one and stick with it. I bought one in first year and used it to follow with class. Then in dec/jan second year I was ocd and bought the new one, hardly anything changed and if it did they just rearranged things. It's just a gimic to sell another edition every year. On top of that I wasted alot of time transfering my notes from the older one to the new one.

 

[UCLAstudent]

Yeah, not much will change. I'm using the 2006 version.

 

[Pewl]

Heh, cool, if two ucla students say stick with the old one then it's probably ok to do so. 🙂

Was Qbank or Qbook your main source of practice problems?

 

[UCLAstudent]

QBank + USMLE World for me --- and now the NBME practice exams as my test date approaches. 🙂 I think this is a good combination.

 

[Pewl]

QBank + USMLE World for me --- and now the NBME practice exams as my test date approaches. 🙂 I think this is a good combination.

Everyone keeps bo uncing around all these "great" texts to use for reviewing but the reality seems to be that you ultimately don't have enough time to use everything. It seems that First Aid, High yield anatomy, BRS physiology, BRS pathology, seem to be the main ones. Are there any others in particular that you highly recommend?

 

[txguy]

Get the earlier one and stick with it. I bought one in first year and used it to follow with class. Then in dec/jan second year I was ocd and bought the new one, hardly anything changed and if it did they just rearranged things. It's just a gimic to sell another edition every year. On top of that I wasted alot of time transfering my notes from the older one to the new one.

I second this. Don't fall for the trick!! Just buy it now so you can follow along during 1st and 2nd year, make notes, be anal, etc lol

-tx

 

[doctorp82]

I second this. Don't fall for the trick!! Just buy it now so you can follow along during 1st and 2nd year, make notes, be anal, etc lol

-tx

Everyone will call you "that guy/girl" who quotes First Aid all the time. But, come boards everyone will wish they were "that guy/girl" who hammered FA from the start.

 

[domer621]

Derm Res 2008

Yeah, I would definitely listen to this guy! 😱 👍

 

[Pewl]

I didn't use First Aid at all during first year and I did great. Is it too late to start using First Aid for second year?

 

[UCLAstudent]

I didn't use First Aid at all during first year and I did great. Is it too late to start using First Aid for second year?

Definitely not. I didn't start using it until March of 2nd year!

 

[sga430]

if u had a 10 year old edition it may be worth changing. otherwise not.

 

[ginger60]

Agree with the above posts. I didn't start using FA til part of the way through second year, and I was considering waiting to buy it til the new one came out but I'm glad I didn't wait--the 2006 edition was perfectly fine for me, and I should have probably started using it even earlier. Besides, the only thing that really changes significantly is the format, and most factual changes can be found in errata for that edition, so unless you know that you will greatly prefer the format of the upcoming edition its not worth it to wait.

 

[Pewl]

How exactly did you guys "follow along" with first aid. Would you bring it to lecture or would you find the corresponding part or write stuff in it? Or is it more of a familiarize yourself with the format kind of thing?

Which areas would you say that First Aid was most deficient in? So far I've heard that you should go elsewhere to review biochem and immunology.