gainor848 said:
For anybody who has already gone through first year, which books would you say are definitely needed and which can we get through without buying the books? Here is the list they gave us...most of them offer a choice so if you have any input on which you think is better let us first years know!
Hey,
I'm a third year at Drexel who went through IFM. Here's my breakdown on the books, with the caveat that what worked for me may or may not work for you. Using my system I honored or high passed most of my classes in first and second year, with most of those being honors. Step 1 score was in the 250s. Your mileage may vary, depending on your learning style and background.
99% of what you need to know for the tests is in the module guides that they give you at the beginning of each module. Lecturers generally follow the module guides with some extra info thrown in, but they're usually pretty good about making sure that they only actually test on what's been presented in the module guides. My usual way of dealing with the info was to go to class (or watch the video), and then read/highlight the corresponding lecture notes for each day in the module guide that same day. Then, if there was time, I'd try to hit one of the review sources for the subject, i.e., BRS Physiology, BRS Gross Anatomy, Netter Flash Cards, etc. I'd also do as many practice questions as I could find, either from the course websites or from websites at other schools (e.g., UMich for gross anatomy), while reading the explanations for the right AND wrong choices in each question. Very rarely did I open one of the actual textbooks; nine times out of ten I found that they weren't really needed, or an older version from the library worked fine if I needed further clarification on a topic. Although it would probably have been helpful/useful to read the textbooks, there usually simply isn't time (unless you're a really fast reader), and if it comes to a choice between the lecture notes and the textbook, the lecture notes win, hands down. Again, that's usually what they test from.
By course:
Biochem: Lippincott's if you need clarification of the module guide. The older version in the library is fine for the most part. Online practice questions help a lot too.
Behavioral Science: Get Fadem, because he does test from it, but make sure you focus on the module guide. MEMORIZE IT, because sometimes they test on really random things in the notes. I never actually used the DSM; there's an online version you can use if you need to.
Gross Anatomy: Can't say much about the two textbooks you mentioned; they're different from the one we used. I didn't use our required text much, except that it did have clinical scenarios in it that were helpful to know for the test. Mostly I just spent a lot of time with Netter's Atlas (I'd definitely recommend getting your own; that way you can write in it), the Netter Flash Cards (absolutely key to own), BRS Gross Anatomy, the practice questions on the University of Michigan web site, and the old exams that he posts online. He reuses a lot of questions from year to year, but often puts a twist on them, so beware. Also, Dr. White's Roadmap to Gross Anatomy is good, as he actually teaches several lectures in the course (see Neuro, below). Also make sure you know the stuff presented in conference very very well; it's always on the tests.
Embryology: Get a textbook from the library and study his old tests like mad. Try to hit some websites for review as well; they help a lot with 3D conceptualization and "the big picture."
Genetics: It'd be a good idea to know the clinical cases she's talking about, but other than that, it's all lecture, module guide, AND conference (stuff from conference ends up on the exams). You'd probably be ok getting the reserve copy out of the library (it's usually a 3-hour or overnight checkout, depending on what time of day you do it) and reading the clinical cases that way. Other than that I never opened my textbook.
Immunology: Same as for Genetics.
Microanatomy: Definitely get Wheater's, get Ross if you don't feel like you are grasping the material. See if you can fine a good online practical histology quiz someplace too, or maybe a CDROM. She's good about staying with the module guide, but again, MEMORIZE IT because she can test on obscure items. The practicals can be tough and tricky, so make sure you know the slide review handouts she gives you INSIDE AND OUT, go to the slide review, and definitely hit the laser discs for practice. The slide review handouts, especially, are key for both the written and practical exams; although she'll hit you with more than is listed on the slide review sheets, they're a good framework for study.
Neuro: Get a copy of Nolte from the library, and definitely get a neuro atlas out of the library as well. Do it early when the course starts because these things all get massively checked out at the beginning of the neuro course. The key to Neuro is their website (besides the module guide, that is). They have TONS of practice questions and practical reviews on there, and I found that if you know ALL their practice questions and online brain slides cold, you do very well on their tests. Also, White's Roadmap to Neuroscience is great. He actually teaches several lectures at the school and his module notes are verbatim from the Roadmap...and test questions for his lectures are based on that material as well.
Nutrition: Absolutely get the book because he does test from it. However, remember to make your primary study source the module guide. Most of his test questions come from there.
Physiology: This one is a tough call for me because you guys have a different course director than we did (in the Class of 2008). We had the Boron and Boulpaep book for our class, but we literally almost NEVER opened it. However, the new course director has a reputation for being a stickler, so he could very well test from the book. Perhaps someone in the Class of 2009 can shed more light on this; they had him last year. For me it was all lecture notes, conference notes, BRS physio, and the online practice questions (they were really really amazing, but I'm not sure if they're still available or not. I got the impression that the new course director changed them or took them down).
Hope this helps. Any questions about anything at all, feel free to PM me.
snapdad
