First Aid 2013

[Acoustic]

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Thought I would offer a bit of info on the 2013 First Aid edition if people were wondering whether to get it. So far, biggest things I've noticed is that embryology is not a separate chapter - it's folded into the respective organ system. There seems to be slightly more pages, some new stuff some old stuff was taken out.

The biggest thing I've seen, though, is the index. Maybe I'm just an index nerd, but the 2013 is vastly superior, which means that using the book will be much more effective and easier. It is twice as many pages as the 2012 edition (~25 vs ~50), and there is also an additional column for every page (3 vs 4). The font itself is also smaller (12 vs 10?). This means the new index absolutely dwarfs the old one.

Oh and the cover feels like a playing card

 

[BlackSwan]

Thought I would offer a bit of info on the 2013 First Aid edition if people were wondering whether to get it. So far, biggest things I've noticed is that embryology is not a separate chapter - it's folded into the respective organ system. There seems to be slightly more pages, some new stuff some old stuff was taken out.

The biggest thing I've seen, though, is the index. Maybe I'm just an index nerd, but the 2013 is vastly superior, which means that using the book will be much more effective and easier. It is twice as many pages as the 2012 edition (~25 vs ~50), and there is also an additional column for every page (3 vs 4). The font itself is also smaller (12 vs 10?). This means the new index absolutely dwarfs the old one.

Oh and the cover feels like a playing card

All that is great. But is this the year they finally fix all those recurring errors? The errata for 2012 was ridiculous--I suppose they think the lack of competition means hiring editors is an optional luxury.

Sent from mobile

 

[NickNaylor]

All that is great. But is this the year they finally fix all those recurring errors? The errata for 2012 was ridiculous--I suppose they think the lack of competition means hiring editors is an optional luxury.

Sent from mobile

If you look at the Amazon reviews, several people have verified that the errata from last year have been corrected.

(sent from my phone)

 

[BlackSwan]

If you look at the Amazon reviews, several people have verified that the errata from last year have been corrected.

(sent from my phone)

 

[chronicidal]

The biggest thing I've seen, though, is the index. Maybe I'm just an index nerd, but the 2013 is vastly superior, which means that using the book will be much more effective and easier. It is twice as many pages as the 2012 edition (~25 vs ~50), and there is also an additional column for every page (3 vs 4). The font itself is also smaller (12 vs 10?). This means the new index absolutely dwarfs the old one.

I predict someone will eventually get fed up with having to use the index, cut the spine of their FA 2013, feed it into a scanner, create a searchable PDF, and if they're generous, upload it to shady file-sharing sites. Any bets on when that time comes? The 2012 one was floating around on the internet last April.

I got the 2013 hard copy but would love to have a PDF even more.

 

[BlackSwan]

I predict someone will eventually get fed up with having to use the index, cut the spine of their FA 2013, feed it into a scanner, create a searchable PDF, and if they're generous, upload it to shady file-sharing sites. Any bets on when that time comes? The 2012 one was floating around on the internet last April.

I got the 2013 hard copy but would love to have a PDF even more.

If you're looking for searchable text, you can always buy the Kindle version.

Sent from mobile

 

[NickNaylor]

I predict someone will eventually get fed up with having to use the index, cut the spine of their FA 2013, feed it into a scanner, create a searchable PDF, and if they're generous, upload it to shady file-sharing sites. Any bets on when that time comes? The 2012 one was floating around on the internet last April.

I got the 2013 hard copy but would love to have a PDF even more.

I'm sure someone will do it. Why someone would likely spend a couple of hours to do so is beyond me.

 

[Acoustic]

If you're looking for searchable text, you can always buy the Kindle version.

Sent from mobile

I've heard the kindle edition is ridiculously slow. And I can't understand why anyone would ever buy First Aid for kindle. I mean isn't the point of the whole book to write in it? Wouldn't get nearly that same effect on any PDF.

 

[OneMoreRound]

I'm sure someone will do it. Why someone would likely spend a couple of hours to do so is beyond me.

Good scanners can do that in 10-15 minutes.

 

[GalenAgas]

I predict someone will eventually get fed up with having to use the index, cut the spine of their FA 2013, feed it into a scanner, create a searchable PDF, and if they're generous, upload it to shady file-sharing sites. Any bets on when that time comes? The 2012 one was floating around on the internet last April.

I got the 2013 hard copy but would love to have a PDF even more.

So I did that for 2012 and honestly studying off a PDF is a major pain in the ass.

Unless you're working from an external monitor, my laptop does not have a screen large enough to display an entire page at a reasonable size. You then lose that "where on the page it is" type memory.

How did you feel about working off a PDF? Did you just use it because it was searchable?

Honestly, after you've been through FA once and you've been annotating UW you end up knowing where everything is.

 

[NickNaylor]

Good scanners can do that in 10-15 minutes.

The average person owns an autofeeding scanner that can scan 700 pages in 10-15 minutes?

I agree about reading stuff off of computer screens. I'd much rather read from physical paper than screens when possible.

 

[chronicidal]

So I did that for 2012 and honestly studying off a PDF is a major pain in the ass.

Unless you're working from an external monitor, my laptop does not have a screen large enough to display an entire page at a reasonable size. You then lose that "where on the page it is" type memory.

How did you feel about working off a PDF? Did you just use it because it was searchable?

Honestly, after you've been through FA once and you've been annotating UW you end up knowing where everything is.

Yea I just used it because it was searchable.

I do suppose though, that the extra effort of flipping through pages trying to find something allows you to develop a mental map of the book. I'm not convinced (but am open to hearing anecdotes) that this 'where on the page' memory contributes significantly to your memory of the facts/concepts. That said, I do try to use an external monitor (at home) rather than studying on my laptop at school in order to see full pages.

 

[Acoustic]

Yea I just used it because it was searchable.

I do suppose though, that the extra effort of flipping through pages trying to find something allows you to develop a mental map of the book. I'm not convinced (but am open to hearing anecdotes) that this 'where on the page' memory contributes significantly to your memory of the facts/concepts. That said, I do try to use an external monitor (at home) rather than studying on my laptop at school in order to see full pages.

I've definitely had times where I've gotten something right on a test because I could remember where the info was on the page. I can't remember any particular anecdotes now, but it isn't uncommon to remember writing a particular word or concept in a note and then remember that it was placed in a certain spot in relation to a particular looking set of printed notes (i.e. the way the lines all lined up). Sounds weird, but the overall picture definitely helped, particularly when written notes aren't all over the place.

 

[OneMoreRound]

.

 

[Cinclus]

Thought I would offer a bit of info on the 2013 First Aid edition if people were wondering whether to get it. So far, biggest things I've noticed is that embryology is not a separate chapter - it's folded into the respective organ system. There seems to be slightly more pages, some new stuff some old stuff was taken out.

The biggest thing I've seen, though, is the index. Maybe I'm just an index nerd, but the 2013 is vastly superior, which means that using the book will be much more effective and easier. It is twice as many pages as the 2012 edition (~25 vs ~50), and there is also an additional column for every page (3 vs 4). The font itself is also smaller (12 vs 10?). This means the new index absolutely dwarfs the old one.

Oh and the cover feels like a playing card

I really like this feature for some reason.

 

[NickNaylor]

I've definitely had times where I've gotten something right on a test because I could remember where the info was on the page. I can't remember any particular anecdotes now, but it isn't uncommon to remember writing a particular word or concept in a note and then remember that it was placed in a certain spot in relation to a particular looking set of printed notes (i.e. the way the lines all lined up). Sounds weird, but the overall picture definitely helped, particularly when written notes aren't all over the place.

Yeah, this exact phenomenon has saved more than a few times. Sometimes I don't even remember what the fact itself is but can guess at what it was based on where I remember it being on a page.

(sent from my phone)

 

[Cinclus]

I've definitely had times where I've gotten something right on a test because I could remember where the info was on the page. I can't remember any particular anecdotes now, but it isn't uncommon to remember writing a particular word or concept in a note and then remember that it was placed in a certain spot in relation to a particular looking set of printed notes (i.e. the way the lines all lined up). Sounds weird, but the overall picture definitely helped, particularly when written notes aren't all over the place.

I've also done this many times on tests. If you know it, you know it, no matter how you know it.

 

[Frazier]

The "i got an answer correct because i remembered its spot on a page" phenomena sounds a lot like mind mapping (technique used by memory world champs).

 

[YiSheng]

I really like this feature for some reason.

Me too. For some reason I want to feel the cover everytime I see it.

 

[MedPR]

The "i got an answer correct because i remembered its spot on a page" phenomena sounds a lot like mind mapping (technique used by memory world champs).

Idk about mind mapping, but I've relied on knowing where things are on a page before. Sometimes just remembering the heading of a paragraph is enough to give you the answer you need.

 

[DreamingTheLive]

Little advice from an M4.

I was in your shoes before. Did well on Step 1 and 2 (250's/270's).

Get the newest FA. Don't think twice, don't be cheap and try and bootleg a 2011 or 2010 edition. Get it in "book" format. Read it. Many times. Highlight it. Write in it. Edit it. "handle" it. Earn some dog-eared corners. Earn some "wear and tear" on that beauty. Do it all over again. and again. Know it as well as you possibly can. Then try and know it even better.

 

[Geekchick921]

If you look at the Amazon reviews, several people have verified that the errata from last year have been corrected.

(sent from my phone)

This alone makes me want to buy the 2013 edition.

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

This alone makes me want to buy the 2013 edition.

Seriously. I'm just waiting for further confirmation of this (and maybe the first errata to come out) before switching over. I still haven't corrected all the errata in FA2012...

 

[swamprat]

Oh and don't throw it out when ur done there's been several times in third year I needed to look something basic sciencey up and found finding it in first aid a lot easier then searching the web

 

[thedoctor8706]

I'm pretty sure favorite part is the new cover material haha