High Yield Histology 3rd edition

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Ron Dudek

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Dear USMLE Step 1 students

I am Dr. Ron Dudek the author of High Yield Histology 3rd edition. I just what to let all of you know that the 3rd edition is excellent and here are the reasons. As you know, there are not many pure histology questions on the USMLE. However, there are cell biology , histopathology, histophysiology, and histopharmacology questions. In this regard, I have written the 3rd edition to include pathology, physiology, and pharmacology as they relate to histology. All of it is high yield and is the result of student feedback over the years. In addition, High Yield Histology 3rd has many light and electron micrographs that appear on the USMLE many of those related to pathology. So, for a good, quick comprehensive review, check our High Yield Histology 3rd edition.
And, as always I am open to feedback and suggestions.
Thanks
RON

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I just spent some quality time with HY Histology (3rd edition).

Since there's very little written about it, I'll add my comments.

It's hefty for a High Yield review guide, but I knocked it out in less than three days (and I admit, the weather was nice, I'm a slow reader, and I had poor focus).

There were many things I liked about this book. It is better organized and more concise than most other resources I have been using for classes and board prep.

It presents a fairly well integrated review of cell biology, tissue biology, and organ systems - in that order. Each of thirty chapters is about six pages long: a couple of pages are devoted to structure and function (anat & phys), a couple of pages are devoted to clinical correlates (path and pharm), and the remaining pages consist of illustrations and images of electron and light microscopy. All figures are meticulously labled, so you don't have to use your imagination to locate the Homer-Wright pseudorosettes in the micrograph. There are embryology, microbiology, and biochemistry correlates scattered throughout the text.

The book sells for the same amount as other High Yield review guides, but I would have been willing to have forked over more cash in order to have looked through color images.

The book is extremely ambitious in that it serves as sort of a crash course through many of the ultra high yield topics from first and second year; however, it spares many details. I suppose this keeps the book from becoming unwieldly. It nonetheless helped me to identify my own weaknesses so that I could refer to the appropriate authorities (i.e. Lippincott's Biochem and Lippincott's Pharmacology/Pharm Recall).

I'm a couple of weeks away from hitting the books hard and this guide was perfect for prefacing my study period while delivering a solid review of histology as promised.

I'm not sure where to rank this book along side of other board prep resources, but I'll be in a better predicament to make that distinction in about a month and a half. I'm probably going to become as familiar with first aid as possible in the weeks to come, and this book is probably far from necessary for board preparation, but I am happy to have read through it because I enjoy seeing material presented from a variety of perspectives (sort of analogous to how everyone listens to their school lectures and then run home to listen to the old Goljan recordings).
 
Psychopathology said:
I just spent some quality time with HY Histology (3rd edition).

Since there's very little written about it, I'll add my comments.

It's hefty for a High Yield review guide, but I knocked it out in less than three days (and I admit, the weather was nice, I'm a slow reader, and I had poor focus).

There were many things I liked about this book. It is better organized and more concise than most other resources I have been using for classes and board prep.

It presents a fairly well integrated review of cell biology, tissue biology, and organ systems - in that order. Each of thirty chapters is about six pages long: a couple of pages are devoted to structure and function (anat & phys), a couple of pages are devoted to clinical correlates (path and pharm), and the remaining pages consist of illustrations and images of electron and light microscopy. All figures are meticulously labled, so you don't have to use your imagination to locate the Homer-Wright pseudorosettes in the micrograph. There are embryology, microbiology, and biochemistry correlates scattered throughout the text.

The book sells for the same amount as other High Yield review guides, but I would have been willing to have forked over more cash in order to have looked through color images.

The book is extremely ambitious in that it serves as sort of a crash course through many of the ultra high yield topics from first and second year; however, it spares many details. I suppose this keeps the book from becoming unwieldly. It nonetheless helped me to identify my own weaknesses so that I could refer to the appropriate authorities (i.e. Lippincott's Biochem and Lippincott's Pharmacology/Pharm Recall).

I'm a couple of weeks away from hitting the books hard and this guide was perfect for prefacing my study period while delivering a solid review of histology as promised.

I'm not sure where to rank this book along side of other board prep resources, but I'll be in a better predicament to make that distinction in about a month and a half. I'm probably going to become as familiar with first aid as possible in the weeks to come, and this book is probably far from necessary for board preparation, but I am happy to have read through it because I enjoy seeing material presented from a variety of perspectives (sort of analogous to how everyone listens to their school lectures and then run home to listen to the old Goljan recordings).


Thanks Ron! Good self-review.
 
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Thanks Psychopathology for a good review of the HY Histology book. Thisbook is a sleeping giant that most stuents pass up buying and reading in their preparation for the USMLE Step 1 because there is not much pure histology on the test. That is why I used histology as a springboard into pathology, pharm, and physio.
I am working on the next edition and will probably re-titled the book to High Yield Histopathology just to get students to take a first look at the book and not dismiss it too quickly.

RON
 
Absolutely a great review book! Probably the best in the HY series. I've been using it for the last two years and I plan on reading it again as I prepare for Step 1 this June.
 
Ron Dudek said:
Thanks Psychopathology for a good review of the HY Histology book. Thisbook is a sleeping giant that most stuents pass up buying and reading in their preparation for the USMLE Step 1 because there is not much pure histology on the test. That is why I used histology as a springboard into pathology, pharm, and physio.
I am working on the next edition and will probably re-titled the book to High Yield Histopathology just to get students to take a first look at the book and not dismiss it too quickly.

RON

I enjoyed reading the book and felt it was a great book to read in the last week before the exam. I couldn't believe the price though (way too high for a book I'd read in one day and never touch again) and instead checked it out of the library.
 
Those here at Columbia who have used it so far (myself included) have found it to be really amazing. Many might pass up a Histo review book because the subject may be seen as low-yield, but this book is sooooo much more than a Histo review book. I have recommended it to everyone.

I ended up using it because I thought I would start studying for the lower-yield info first. It was the first review text I used in my Step 1 studying. It turned out to be a wise choice, because the text really delved into many more topics (arachidonic acid pathways, for instance). It will definitely serve as a wonderful introductory piece to other review books that focus more on these tangential subjects.
 
I go to Brody and had Dudek as a lecturer 1st year, he knows what to focus on!!

We had Histo during the 1st semester of 1st year and didn't have any idea what to focus on or what would be important for Step 1. He made a point to highlight certain facts and said we would see them on boards. I am now preparing for boards and basically everything he said has been in Qbank someway or another. It is on my short list of books that I must get through before June 9th.
 
i have one question....i have the 2nd edition of HY Histo and i think its great. it does a great job of integration. is there much difference between 2nd and 3rd edition?
 
I have the 3rd edition, and let me tell you...this thing is MONEY for the NBME histology/cell bio exam. although it wasn't my only source for histo, I did quite well on the NBME and I tell all the first years to use this book.

Thanks for a great book! It will be my histology resource as I prepare for step 1.

:thumbup:
 
twintiger32 said:
I have the 3rd edition, and let me tell you...this thing is MONEY for the NBME histology/cell bio exam. although it wasn't my only source for histo, I did quite well on the NBME and I tell all the first years to use this book.

Thanks for a great book! It will be my histology resource as I prepare for step 1.

:thumbup:

Honestly, Dudek's HY Histo didn't help me with any "histology" on the Step 1 exam. I don't even remember any histo questions. It might not have helped me at all. Like I said previously, it seemed like a good solid wrap-up/review of a number of topics: pharm, path, biochem, molecular bio, etc. To say I learned anything "extra" or new might be pushing it. Sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear. Overall, though, I still give it a thumbs up and recommend you read this, though only if you have enough time. :thumbup:
 
Dear Malaise

Yes the 3rd edition is very different and better than the 3rd.

RON DUDEK
 
I like the book a lot - it's very concise and I like how it wraps together an overview of basic histo with path and pharm and biochem and cell biology. I'm reading it along with BRS path and it fits together nicely.

I think I found a little mistake though: In the Respiratory chapter (3rd edition on P. 169) there is a graphic that shows a respiratory SM cell with beta-2 receptor being innervated by a postganglionic sympathetic neuron. The graphic shows NE as the neurotransmitter.

I think this is incorrect for two reasons:
1) Sympathetics don't directly innervate SM cells in humans (even though they do in other mammals)
2) NE doesn't have (much of a) an effect on beta-2 receptors

The ligand for those beta-2 receptors is circulating epinephrine, not NE supplied directly by a neuronal synapse.
 
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