Does the edition of the text matter....

[gioia]

....when purchasing our textbooks?

I understand that a 10 year-old biochem book can be outdated, but what about gross anatomy atlas' and the like: can you get a 4th ed. if the requ'd book list states 5th or 6th ed. and not be wasting money on it?

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[sophiejane]

yeah, human anatomy hasn't changed much in the past few thousand years , so an older edition is okay, but I'd get the latest physiology and pathology texts. above all, i'd wait to buy anything until you start school. You can often get old textbooks from upperclassmen or at booksales, and some books may only have a chapter or two assigned and you can just get them from the library.

 

[gioia]

Thanks Sophie .. I was curious because every once in a while I will find a really cheap deal on line (something like 1/5 the cost of full price), see the edition, and then question the purchase.

Of course, twenty minutes later the book is gone and I realize that it probably wasn't such a bad buy....

 

[sophiejane]

I did that last semester. Paid $6 for a 3rd edition physio book that we were supposed to get the 6th edition of. It's making a nice bookend for the books I did use!

If you see a Gray's Anatomy or something classic like that--or a Netter--at a used book store--snatch it up. Those are pretty timeless. Just make sure the Netter doesn't have anyting funky sticking to it from the lab...

 

[Fizix2DO]

Don't forget to check eBay. I bought several books, most of them the current editions, for a fraction of the price!

 

[Green912]

The majority of my texts are 1-2 editions old, depending on how quickly new ones come out. Except for fast movers like cell/molecular biology, the differences are minimal.

 

[DrMom]

I wouldn't mess with a Gray's anatomy, but any edition of Netter would be sufficient.

 

[gioia]

That's great advice. I started recieving used books via amazon and BN.COM since I first posted this thread and everything is fine. Even the editions are okay (I did get an old Netter's ) and you guys are right, IT'S CHEAP! My dissector was 10$ with shipping (no, it hasn't been in lab).

What about physical examination books (Bates is rec, at our school). How much does that info change w/ new editions?