Harrison's for clinical rotations?

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I'd like to hear more about this as well. I heard Robbin's was great for 1st 2yrs of medschool (never touched it) and my friends who read it generally did well in classes and boards. Is Harrison's similar for 3rd year? Thanks
 
Frank Nutter said:
Good idea, bad idea?

I think Harrison's + Case Files + UWorld is my 3rd yr recipe.
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Have you seen Harrison's? It's not something that can be read over the course of a rotation. Use Step Up to Medicine and MKSAP. Those were the only 2 sources I used, and I scored 94th percentile on the shelf.
 
happyfeet123 said:
I'd like to hear more about this as well. I heard Robbin's was great for 1st 2yrs of medschool (never touched it) and my friends who read it generally did well in classes and boards. Is Harrison's similar for 3rd year? Thanks
Click to expand...

I think that it is hard to make this comparison: For second year, you have ~7-9 months to get through the 800 pages of Medium Robbins (what I actually used). I prefer reading texts rather than bulleted/ outline format texts or sometime watered down review books full of typos/ out of date information, but I do not think it is really feasible to read Harrison's over the course of 8-12 week IM clerkship. Harrisons is a 3,000 page book with relatively tiny font compared to Medium Robbins. I do think Harrison's is useful as a REFERENCE; I reference Harrison's online occasionally when I have to give a presentation or want to learn about the nitty gritty details of a dz one of the patient's I am following has.
 
I bought Harrison's and opened it once the first week of IM clerkship- never again and sold it before year ended... I stuck to Case Files, Pre Test, and then some blueprints or kaplan throughout year depending on subject.
 
Along this topic, how often do you guys look up journal articles and read them? I always hear residents citing random studies in their presentations, but I'm just working my butt off to learn the basics of everything and can't even begin to think about going on pubmed.

Also I haven't the faintest idea how all these docs keep abreast of all the "new and happening" studies that are coming out each month. Anyone have insight into how they do that?
 
Frank Nutter said:
Good idea, bad idea?

I think Harrison's + Case Files + UWorld is my 3rd yr recipe.
Click to expand...

Following the same principles of basic science will help

1. Skeleton Book - the review book. Read it once to start to know what's important, or read it once at the end to remind you of the things you absolutely need to know. This is your Goljan from pathology, and likely your pocket medicine or first aid for medicine / step 2

2. Flesh book - fills out the outline in the skeleton book. Its the meaty book. You sit down and read it. Full sentences. Full paragraphs, but without all the detail. This is ACP essentials and MKSAP 5 for medicine.

3. Skin Book - complete the body. It is your reference book. You should never be reading the reference book. Only when the flesh book doesn't give a good enough explanation, or when you have to do a presentation on a topic, do you go to the more, in depth, skin book. Harrison's is a skin book. You wont finish it. Even if you do, you wont remember it. Even if you do, you will know so many inane useless details that you won't be any use to anyone.
 
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Aclamity said:
Along this topic, how often do you guys look up journal articles and read them? I always hear residents citing random studies in their presentations, but I'm just working my butt off to learn the basics of everything and can't even begin to think about going on pubmed.
Click to expand...

Residents only know about certain studies because someone much higher up in the chain told them about it. They tacked it away and use it often. Very few residents read very few of the studies cited. Personally, I get the gist of a paper, and then use it. When confronted by someone who is a specialist in the area, I usually end up saying "oh, ok," because its always "controversial."

Focus on the books, not the papers. Papers come later, when you are in or getting ready for your chosen field. Fellowship is about research and knowing what's going on in your community. Residency starts that process. Medical school is learning the basics.

Aclamity said:
Also I haven't the faintest idea how all these docs keep abreast of all the "new and happening" studies that are coming out each month. Anyone have insight into how they do that?
Click to expand...
Magazines are circulated with new updates in their practice. National conferences often have "game-changing studies this year." Some really responsible people read journals like JAMA or NEJM.

Most, dont. There's still a rheumatologist in the area who uses Gold to treat rheumatologic conditions. Hes 84. I think he just quit this year.
 
OveractiveBrain said:
Residents only know about certain studies because someone much higher up in the chain told them about it. They tacked it away and use it often. Very few residents read very few of the studies cited. Personally, I get the gist of a paper, and then use it. When confronted by someone who is a specialist in the area, I usually end up saying "oh, ok," because its always "controversial."

Focus on the books, not the papers. Papers come later, when you are in or getting ready for your chosen field. Fellowship is about research and knowing what's going on in your community. Residency starts that process. Medical school is learning the basics.


Magazines are circulated with new updates in their practice. National conferences often have "game-changing studies this year." Some really responsible people read journals like JAMA or NEJM.

Most, dont. There's still a rheumatologist in the area who uses Gold to treat rheumatologic conditions. Hes 84. I think he just quit this year.
Click to expand...

Thank you, this makes me feel so much better about myself haha. I'm at a very large academic institution so I think people here are particularly concerned/passionate about research, which made me feel like a slacker. I'm glad that's not the case everywhere
 
OveractiveBrain, you usually have very informative posts; in your opinion, what are the respective skeleton, flesh, and skin books for rotations like peds, surgery, and neuro?

OveractiveBrain said:
Following the same principles of basic science will help

1. Skeleton Book - the review book. Read it once to start to know what's important, or read it once at the end to remind you of the things you absolutely need to know. This is your Goljan from pathology, and likely your pocket medicine or first aid for medicine / step 2

2. Flesh book - fills out the outline in the skeleton book. Its the meaty book. You sit down and read it. Full sentences. Full paragraphs, but without all the detail. This is ACP essentials and MKSAP 5 for medicine.

3. Skin Book - complete the body. It is your reference book. You should never being reading the reference book. Only when the flesh book doesn't give a good enough explanation, or when you have to do a presentation on a topic, do you go to the more, in depth, skin book. Harrison's is a skin book. You wont finish it. Even if you do, you wont remember it. Even if you do, you will know so many inane useless details that you won't be any use to anyone.
Click to expand...
 
CuriousGeorge2 said:
OveractiveBrain, you usually have very informative posts; in your opinion, what are the respective skeleton, flesh, and skin books for rotations like peds, surgery, and neuro?
Click to expand...

I'll speak only to medicine, since its been a bit a while from my 3rd year MS experience, and I have little experience in coaching people through anything but Step/Medicine.

Medicine:
1. Skeleton - Pocket Medicine or USMLE Secrets... I felt the skeleton books for the clerkships were rather weak. Case files could work for this purpose also, but it is too much reading on too few topics.
2. Flesh - Step Up to Medicine or ACP essentials
3. Skin - Harrisons or Currents
4. Questions - MKSAP 5 or any Qbank (UWorld > Kaplan in my opinion for Step 2)

My med students have had success with www.onlinemeded.org
 
Hi Everybody!

Could anyone tell me what they call students in the last year of the medical school in US? is it "intern"?
 
Ben Casey said:
Hi Everybody!

Could anyone tell me what they call students in the last year of the medical school in US? is it "intern"?
Click to expand...

No. Interns are 1st year residents. You call 4th year med students "MS4's"
 
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