Is textbook reading a must in med school?

[SpicyCheeseEL]

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Currently in undergrad but I would like to adjust early on to how you would study in medical school. I much prefer lecture, youtube/internet, and Ai (for filling in gaps), but would this be feasible for all of medical school and beyond? Would I need to learn how to read the dense medical textbooks to understand lectures? Should I start reading my undergrad textbooks to be more prepared?
Thank you.

 

[AJS59]

Currently in undergrad but I would like to adjust early on to how you would study in medical school. I much prefer lecture, youtube/internet, and Ai (for filling in gaps), but would this be feasible for all of medical school and beyond? Would I need to learn how to read the dense medical textbooks to understand lectures? Should I start reading my undergrad textbooks to be more prepared?
Thank you.

Medical education has changed since the old days...by quite a lot.

I'm only a 2nd year, but now almost halfway through clinical rotations I can say that you can probably go all through your med school days without cracking open a single textbook. However, that doesn't mean that the workload is any easier, rather, it just means there are more effective study tools.

The holy trinity of studying in med school I would recommend is:
1. Some method of spaced repetition that promotes active recall. Anki is a go to.
2. Some form of practice question. UWorld, Amboss, etc.
3. Some form of 3rd party material. Boards and Beyond, Pathoma, Sketchy, etc. First aid could technically be classified as a textbook, but I view it more as a really detailed medical encyclopedia that is boards focused - something you'd never read cover to cover, but something that can make finding information in a pinch easy.

*NOTE* what I say here is most applicable for 3rd party/NBME style examinations; for in house/professor written examinations, their powerpoint are king. I'd still encourage 1 and 2, but 3rd party resources become less important

The good news about this study strategy is I believe it is transferrable to almost any subject, medical or otherwise.

 

[Goro]

Maybe Netter's Anatomy, but I'm biased.

 

[operaman]

Definitely don’t have to plow through large textbooks. Probably won’t have enough time in preclinical years and the other resources will teach you more high yield info in less time.

I did find textbooks somewhat helpful in clinical years, not so much for shelf prep but for my own personal general understanding. I probably read through most of Harrison’s eventually, just a chapter at a time here and there starting with the most common diseases first.

Did the same in residency with our big multi volume texts over a couple years each. As a junior, it felt like way too much detail in each chapter; as a chief they seemed woefully basic and incomplete. Probably how Harrison’s would read to a practicing internist. After writing a few book chapters in training I realized that most of these chapters are written by trainees anyhow which may explain their limited usefulness.

Nowadays it’s mainly journals and CME conferences to try snd keep up with what’s new. I do keep a couple anatomy atlases to brush up whenever I’m operating somewhere unusual, and especially love YouTube videos of surgeries for picking up tips from other surgeons.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

At many medical schools, orientation and the first weeks of school will heavily push discussion of learning habits and study skills, akin to what @AJS59 has mentioned. No doubt your peers will also crowdsource advice from their elder students and all of us online folks, just as you all probably did when applying to medical school. You'll also be introduced to medtech companies that will also share their resources (for a subscription or fee).

And you'll learn how to speed up your lectures and podcasts and understand them at 3x speed; you'll use genAI agents or modules to summarize notes and make them into flashcards. And whatever else your med faculty will allow regarding proper AI use and oversight.

Very commonly cited resource: Make It Stick. You'll read it, and you'll discuss it. You might even watch videos summarizing it.

Anatomy: depends on your school and how much they include VR and Anatomage, but there are plenty of resources. The Netter coloring book should be good for meditation/wellness. 😉

 

[SpicyCheeseEL]

Medical education has changed since the old days...by quite a lot.

I'm only a 2nd year, but now almost halfway through clinical rotations I can say that you can probably go all through your med school days without cracking open a single textbook. However, that doesn't mean that the workload is any easier, rather, it just means there are more effective study tools.

The holy trinity of studying in med school I would recommend is:
1. Some method of spaced repetition that promotes active recall. Anki is a go to.
2. Some form of practice question. UWorld, Amboss, etc.
3. Some form of 3rd party material. Boards and Beyond, Pathoma, Sketchy, etc. First aid could technically be classified as a textbook, but I view it more as a really detailed medical encyclopedia that is boards focused - something you'd never read cover to cover, but something that can make finding information in a pinch easy.

*NOTE* what I say here is most applicable for 3rd party/NBME style examinations; for in house/professor written examinations, their powerpoint are king. I'd still encourage 1 and 2, but 3rd party resources become less important

The good news about this study strategy is I believe it is transferrable to almost any subject, medical or otherwise.

Thank you for the insight!.
May I ask, I understand for 3rd party resources its good if the exams are NBME and not in house, but for in house exams would reading facilitate better understanding of the professors' powerpoint, thus making studying easier?
Thank you

 

[AJS59]

Thank you for the insight!.
May I ask, I understand for 3rd party resources its good if the exams are NBME and not in house, but for in house exams would reading facilitate better understanding of the professors' powerpoint, thus making studying easier?
Thank you

It's up to you. But generally in most cases I find that preclinical curriculums align somewhat closely to 3rd party resources; for the extra details, I simply would rely upon what your professors lecture on/discuss