Iserson's Guide to Residency, First Aid for the Match

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Babycatcher2B

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I was told by a 4th year that Iserson's Guide to Residency was a great book to get and a must have when applying for residency programs. However, I sat in Barnes and Nobles and looked through the book and I decided that it was too many pages and not worth buying. And if I needed to read it I decided that I would just go Barnes and Noble and read the sections I needed to read. Instead I bought First Aid for the Match. My question is what are everyone's thoughts on these kinds of guides to getting into residencies and matching. Should I go to the store and buy Iserson's too? Any preference between First Aid and Isersons? Any parts of either books that you found absolutely necessary. I'd appreciate everyone's thoughts. :)

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I was told by a 4th year that Iserson's Guide to Residency was a great book to get and a must have when applying for residency programs. However, I sat in Barnes and Nobles and looked through the book and I decided that it was too many pages and not worth buying. And if I needed to read it I decided that I would just go Barnes and Noble and read the sections I needed to read. Instead I bought First Aid for the Match. My question is what are everyone's thoughts on these kinds of guides to getting into residencies and matching. Should I go to the store and buy Iserson's too? Any preference between First Aid and Isersons? Any parts of either books that you found absolutely necessary. I'd appreciate everyone's thoughts. :)

I've actually preferred word-of-mouth advice from deans, attendings, residents, etc from my school. This website (SDN) has also been invaluable.

I think it's more relevant, practical, and up-to-date than any published book, but if you still feel the need to read it, go ahead. There are many ways to gather information.

Good luck!
 
I know the man, and I think it is a worthless book. It is very outdated, even the new editions. Someone in the field of your choice is more help than that book could ever be.
 
I have two current goals in medicine:

1. Stop the ED from giving both succ and vec before intubating people for "airway protection" as they ship them off to the MICU (seriously...how paralyzed does somebody need to be to get a tube in their throat?).

2. Halt the spread of Iserson's.

That book is far and away the most dangerous thing ou can read prior to the residency application/interview process. As McNinja points out, even the latest edition is horribly outdated and often just plain wrong. I read the chapter on interviewing the night prior to my first interview and it had my so freaked out that I couldn't sleep. When absolutely nothing that he mentioned happened that day I went home and threw the book out. It had been handed down to me and initially I had planned to pass it on but I couldn't do that in good conscience.

I have no experience w/ the First Aid book but if it's like the First Aid for the Steps it's probably fine. If it's like First Aid for the Clerkships though I'd run far and fast...and the guys who wrote the First Aid for the Clerkships were med school classmates of mine.
 
I ended up with both books(and was anal retentive enough to read most of Iserson's and all of First Aid). I think First Aid is a better book. More updated and and easier format to understand. It has some decent stuff. Ignore Iserson's. It ain't worth the time or money (mine was given to me, but still not worth the time).
 
I agree with the general feeling that Iserson's is completely useless.
 
I just thumbed through First Aid and checked SDN (which was the most useful).
 
I've actually preferred word-of-mouth advice from deans, attendings, residents, etc from my school. This website (SDN) has also been invaluable.

I think it's more relevant, practical, and up-to-date than any published book, but if you still feel the need to read it, go ahead. There are many ways to gather information.

Good luck!

agree that SDN is more valuable than anything in print, along with talking to people. First Aid for Match is OK, Iserson is not worth the paper it's printed on.
 
I recommend "Roadmap to a Successful Match: A Resident's Perspective" by Dallas Wright, D.O. It's a quick read and provides everything you need to know.
 
I'm not sure a book is necessary for this process. Step 1 - pick a specialty or two you like within reason for your stats. Step 2 - find a Mentor in that specialty an see where he thinks you ought to look, given what he knows about the various places, and your credentials. Step 3 -- find out from your school and the web the various deadlines, and get eras out timely. Obviously try to do well in classes, USMLE, on interviews, maybe get some research for certain fields. Is there more to say?
 
I'm not sure a book is necessary for this process. Step 1 - pick a specialty or two you like within reason for your stats. Step 2 - find a Mentor in that specialty an see where he thinks you ought to look, given what he knows about the various places, and your credentials. Step 3 -- find out from your school and the web the various deadlines, and get eras out timely. Obviously try to do well in classes, USMLE, on interviews, maybe get some research for certain fields. Is there more to say?

Thanks Law2Doc! My school doesn't have very good mentors. Our seniors are really good about helping us out though. This site has been super helpful.
 
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