iPad/kindle version of textbooks

[skiing]

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Just wondering if anyone has experience with using the kindle/ipad version of textbooks? How easy/similar is it to using real textbooks? I'm matriculating next year and my school has a summer assignment w/ textbooks so I'm trying to decide what version to buy.

Also, how do you choose which textbooks to buy and not to buy? I've heard one doesn't need to buy all textbooks.

 

[IanMalcoRaptor]

That's a good question. I am also beginning this fall and am trying to find out from 3rd/4th years what are good textbooks. Some have said "no textbooks" except for Netter's atlas and Grant's dissector for anatomy. At our school the professor gives you a very thick syllabus which is essentially its own textbook, and for these classes it has been suggested that using another textbook is redundant and less efficient, since the tests will be from the syllabus.

as far as the other part of your question, I have never used tablet versions of textbooks. I doubt you'll want to flip through an ebook in anatomy though...might get messy. and sticky. Personally I like paper versions because you can look at the diagrams and text all at once without having to zoom or flip back and forth

 

[Ironheme]

Just wondering if anyone has experience with using the kindle/ipad version of textbooks? How easy/similar is it to using real textbooks? I'm matriculating next year and my school has a summer assignment w/ textbooks so I'm trying to decide what version to buy.

Also, how do you choose which textbooks to buy and not to buy? I've heard one doesn't need to buy all textbooks.

Easier convenience wise, but keep in mind some books haven't been converted well to ebooks (amazon reviews are a good way to check this). Don't buy any books yet. You figure out which ones are useful via upper classmen and your own needs part way through the semester. Feeling that the immuno syllabus is insufficient? Then you can find a book to supplement for example.

The syllabus for most if not all classes is more than sufficient. You simply won't have time to read ALL the recommended textbooks + the syllabi + powerpoint slides. The best thing that worked for me was using the syllabus as my primary source, then using a textbook as a reference if anything was confusing or not explained well in the syllabus. I'd use lectures to reinforce my knowledge, and add anything from the powerpoint slides to the syllabus that I felt was important.

Usually there's a bit of a margin in the syllabus - so I'd read/skim through the text, then I'd paraphrase/write a quick summary of each paragraph in the margin. For the exams, I'd only read my shortened summaries (instead of the entire syllabus), and by paraphrasing, I'd have committed a lot of the material to memory already, so it really was just a nice light review to read over my notes.

 

[NeuroLAX]

My school provided ebooks to us during orientation. My classmates used iPads or Kindles mostly. They work just fine. If you're being asked to purchase these on your own (vs the cost coming out of tuition), then I would look more at reviews. Honestly, I didn't use the vast majority of the ebooks during M1. Netter's, Bates', and 5-min Consult is what I used most frequently.

Ask your classmates or students above you for their opinion. They will know better than us, since they're going through the same thing you are/already went through it.

 

[mvenus929]

Don't buy any books yet.

You missed the part where this was for a summer assignment.

OP, I'd check to see if you can get access to your school's library website before school starts. Often, all the textbooks you need will be available online through the library (AccessMedicine especially), and you can print chapters as PDFs to look through on your tablet. I love using my iPad in this way, because the diagrams are right there, and you just need to zoom in a bit to see the details. Not sure how well it would work on the kindle, but I don't own a kindle Fire.

 

[bambi]

I have print and iPad versions of textbooks. Some of the digital conversions aren't great, the pictures aren't as clear etc but it's variable. I prefer books but I carry my iPad everywhere so the chance of me actually reading something is better with digital books. I'm revising for post-grad surgical exams and the books are huge, I couldn't carry them all with me but can easily with the iPad. Also the kindle app tell you what % of the book you have read and I set myself targets using that and I like it, you could do the same with pages in a book but it seems to motivate me.

 

[Oo Cipher oO]

I use a textbook app called Inkling for my Ipad. They have a great selection of the most common medical textbooks. I personally have used Harrison's Internal Medicine and Basic & Clinical Pharmacology and really enjoy the interface . The textbooks are really optimized for the IPad and much better than your average ebook or PDF conversion.

 

[DocGraham]

I use a textbook app called Inkling for my Ipad. They have a great selection of the most common medical textbooks. I personally have used Harrison's Internal Medicine and Basic & Clinical Pharmacology and really enjoy the interface . The textbooks are really optimized for the IPad and much better than your average ebook or PDF conversion.

Most of these on Inkling also have a cool feature where you can basically turn off labels on figures in the book to quiz/test yourself. I start this fall as well and have already downloaded Moore's Anatomy and BRS Anatomy on the app. It looks like most all of the BRS books are available for it.

You can also download a chapter of any book for free to check out how it reads and works before you buy it.

 

[Anastomoses]

almost all the medical textbooks are on ebooks now. I would say I use my tablet for studying my books about 70% of the time. Some of the photos are 200% better than the ones in the actual books...but it takes some getting used to. some people would still rather hold an actual book...and the size of how much you can see at a time can be annoying. You can't look at a diagram and read the paragraph if they aren't like...right next to one another.