IM text read: Cecil vs Kochar's

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M3 now on IM. Planning to go into IM and want to read a good reference w/ both eye on the shelf exam and to have a good reference for intern year.

I've got 6th edition of Cecil and from talking to some classmates now wondering of Kochar's might not be a better choice. Just wanted to get some feedback from residents and M4s who have already been thru it. Which one is more readable? More illustrative/conceptual graphs or summary charts? Nice clinical correlates?

Also, a new 5th version of Kochar's essentials of IM came out this month, under a title "Clinical Medicine for Students". It's a bit shorter (800pages) and though it's only been out 2 weeks it's got some good press. Worth trying? What y'all think?

http://thepoint.lww.com/titles.asp?productid=4333&browseby=-1&areatype=SRC&specialty=3&courseid=3098

Thanks!!!

 

[codeb1ue]

M3 now on IM. Planning to go into IM and want to read a good reference w/ both eye on the shelf exam and to have a good reference for intern year.

I've got 6th edition of Cecil and from talking to some classmates now wondering of Kochar's might not be a better choice. Just wanted to get some feedback from residents and M4s who have already been thru it. Which one is more readable? More illustrative/conceptual graphs or summary charts? Nice clinical correlates?

Also, a new 5th version of Kochar's essentials of IM came out this month, under a title "Clinical Medicine for Students". It's a bit shorter (800pages) and though it's only been out 2 weeks it's got some good press. Worth trying? What y'all think?

http://thepoint.lww.com/titles.asp?productid=4333&browseby=-1&areatype=SRC&specialty=3&courseid=3098

Thanks!!!

What about the new Harrison's? Most attendings and interns have told me it is by far the greatest resource out there for IM docs. I recently purchased it in hopes to use it in my upcoming sub-i and my *hopefully* IM residency.

 

[mirrortest7]

I'm going into IM, and haven't used any major IM textbooks at all in medical school. For the purposes of the shelf exam, they are WAY more long/in depth than you'll ever need for your 3rd year medicine rotation or sub-i. Maybe if you know which of these textbooks you'll want during residency, you could go ahead and purchase it now so you can refer to it during your rotations, but don't attempt to read one cover-to-cover during your med school IM rotations. Some may disagree, but IMHO, that would be huge overkill. Much more useful to go with a couple nice review books (I used MKSAP and Case Files for 3rd year medicine, and thought they were both good).

 

[codeb1ue]

I'm going into IM, and haven't used any major IM textbooks at all in medical school. For the purposes of the shelf exam, they are WAY more long/in depth than you'll ever need for your 3rd year medicine rotation or sub-i. Maybe if you know which of these textbooks you'll want during residency, you could go ahead and purchase it now so you can refer to it during your rotations, but don't attempt to read one cover-to-cover during your med school IM rotations. Some may disagree, but IMHO, that would be huge overkill. Much more useful to go with a couple nice review books (I used MKSAP and Case Files for 3rd year medicine, and thought they were both good).

I agree 100%. I think we're both planning to get it knowing we'll use it in residency and just decided to purchase it a bit earlier to simply have as reference.

 

[CanIMakeIt]

I agree 100%. I think we're both planning to get it knowing we'll use it in residency and just decided to purchase it a bit earlier to simply have as reference.

I would suggest to buy Step-up to medicine/MKSAP now ... also u can use uptodate ... and then let the program, where ever you match, pay for Cecil (big one) and harrison's (you get $500-1000 per year for educational expense) ... and if you really want REFERENCE textbooks, I have been told NOT to but the "essential" textbook of anything ... e.g. instead of Cecil's essentials of medicine just buy Cecil's medicine etc ...

 

[Tastebuds]

I would suggest to buy Step-up to medicine/MKSAP now ... also u can use uptodate ... and then let the program, where ever you match, pay for Cecil (big one) and harrison's (you get $500-1000 per year for educational expense) ... and if you really want REFERENCE textbooks, I have been told NOT to but the "essential" textbook of anything ... e.g. instead of Cecil's essentials of medicine just buy Cecil's medicine etc ...

What would you recommend for someone starting residency in 5 months...not a reference book but something readable cover to cover?

 

[CanIMakeIt]

What would you recommend for someone starting residency in 5 months...not a reference book but something readable cover to cover?

One of my attendings told me to review physiology, some EKG book, and "The ICU" book before starting in the least ... I think Wash Manual and Sep-up to medicine might be other good books .... I guess current residents can weigh in to say what would be the wise use of time for us who will be interns shortly ....

 

[mentulbloc]

Must haves in your white coat:
Washington Manual (a little bit wordy) or
Pocket Medicine - you would not believe how much stuff is in here.
ScutMonkey Pharmacopea (lists MOA, by alphabetical order)

Recc Reads:
Step Up to Medicine
MKSAP for Students
Can use Pocket Medicine as an outline, and can refer to cited articles to impress
USMLE World Step 2 and 3 +/- Kaplan
Kaplan Live Lectures if you have time (very time consuming about 60-80hrs)

Large all inclusive texts I found to be less helpful then 'gold standard' texts for particular areas of medicine...like primer for rheumatic diseases, the ICU book for ICU etc... give you a more definitive answer for what to do regarding wu and management then a harrisons or cecils, both of which can be a little wishy washy and less concrete.

If you use the above books as outlines and the specialty specific texts to fill in the gaps you more then shine on rotations and in residency.

 

[CanIMakeIt]

Must haves in your white coat:
Washington Manual (a little bit wordy) or
Pocket Medicine - you would not believe how much stuff is in here.
ScutMonkey Pharmacopea (lists MOA, by alphabetical order)

Recc Reads:
Step Up to Medicine
MKSAP for Students
Can use Pocket Medicine as an outline, and can refer to cited articles to impress
USMLE World Step 2 and 3 +/- Kaplan
Kaplan Live Lectures if you have time (very time consuming about 60-80hrs)

Large all inclusive texts I found to be less helpful then 'gold standard' texts for particular areas of medicine...like primer for rheumatic diseases, the ICU book for ICU etc... give you a more definitive answer for what to do regarding wu and management then a harrisons or cecils, both of which can be a little wishy washy and less concrete.

If you use the above books as outlines and the specialty specific texts to fill in the gaps you more then shine on rotations and in residency.

Interesting idea ... will have more books to consult but I guess will have more focused knowledge for the topic of interest ...