Jensen's BIG BLUE, Central source?

[Oslersghost]

Hi guys,

As a CA-1, I'm already on my 2nd read of Baby Miller and did about half of M&M as a 4th yr med student.

I recently just finished listening to AUdio Blue on my way to work and got a copy of Big blue also.

So much OR work and no time to keep reading test books. I have secrets collecting dust and even bought Faust's A-Review.

I want to know what you guys thought abuot just tacking big blue raw WITHOUT reading Duke's secrets, a reread on M&M or even Faust's key words.

Is it immature? Premature? Too naive?

Please you input and experiences with the "GIANT" is appreciated.

OG

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[usnavdoc]

Hi guys,

As a CA-1, I'm already on my 2nd read of Baby Miller and did about half of M&M as a 4th yr med student.

I recently just finished listening to AUdio Blue on my way to work and got a copy of Big blue also.

So much OR work and no time to keep reading test books. I have secrets collecting dust and even bought Faust's A-Review.

I want to know what you guys thought abuot just tacking big blue raw WITHOUT reading Duke's secrets, a reread on M&M or even Faust's key words.

Is it immature? Premature? Too naive?

Please you input and experiences with the "GIANT" is appreciated.

OG

Why read another review book now in your residency(CA1). Just get big barash, miller or whatever text and tackle that if you are this much of a reader. Save big blue or whatever review source until CA3.

On a separate note how was Audio Blue? I was thinking of the ride into work supplemented with it or osler.

 

[deleted50478]

Big Blue is not very good for the new test or for learning anesthesia. Better to start earlier and read or re-read a real book. M&M, Secrets, Baby Miller are all better than Big Blue if you don't want/have time for Barash or Miller. Big Blue's value in the past was collecting old test questions, which I thought was illegal?, but now that the test has been re-formated, I don't think its very helpful.

 

[2ndyear]

Big blue is an excellent source, but use it as intended. For review your CA-3 year. Get a good cardiac and pedi book now. Read them on respective rotations. Use Miller and/or Barash for neuro and other specialties. I really like Chestnut for OB but I never bought it. It's an excellent book. I also like the Datta OB handbook. It's small but reads like a textbook, not a quick review book. At the beginning of your CA-3 year buy Big Blue. I would hold off for now, especially with the new test formats. I'll bet NFJ is collecting experiences from all Rangers right now, and will do so next year as well. These will most likely be incorporated into a new and improved Big Blue that will be ready for you when the time comes. It's a great primary source, but you can't pick up what is in there unless you have a solid foundation. And plan on going through it 2-3 times for repetition. It really reinforces what you need to know on the test.

 

[CambieMD]

Big Blue is not very good for the new test or for learning anesthesia. Better to start earlier and read or re-read a real book. M&M, Secrets, Baby Miller are all better than Big Blue if you don't want/have time for Barash or Miller. Big Blue's value in the past was collecting old test questions, which I thought was illegal?, but now that the test has been re-formated, I don't think its very helpful.

Morgan and Makhail is a great book and an easy read. As you progress in your training you read the book differently. The book doesn't attempt to spoon feed you for the boards but many concepts that are tested on the boards are covered in M and M. Jensen may retool his book to cover the information tested on the new ABA exam but why spend ten times the cost of M and M to get a book that is inferior to it. A lot of the test was pts with co-existing diseases.

Concepts are concepts. No one has cornered the market in terms of how they should be presented.

Baby Miller is good for fouth year med students or someone taking the recert exam. This is what someone who took the recert exam told me.

CambieMD

 

[Ender]

Hi guys,

As a CA-1, I'm already on my 2nd read of Baby Miller and did about half of M&M as a 4th yr med student.

I recently just finished listening to AUdio Blue on my way to work and got a copy of Big blue also.

So much OR work and no time to keep reading test books. I have secrets collecting dust and even bought Faust's A-Review.

I want to know what you guys thought abuot just tacking big blue raw WITHOUT reading Duke's secrets, a reread on M&M or even Faust's key words.

Is it immature? Premature? Too naive?

Please you input and experiences with the "GIANT" is appreciated.

OG

Wow! That's a lot of reading. Good job! I am currently reading Barash. It is a great book. Every chapter is written by someone different so some read better than others, but it is very thorough. I would definitely recommend it.

Ender
I am currently reading Barash

 

[desflurane]

I teach residents and graduated a few years ago myself. I read everything I could get my hands on, Miller, Barash, Big Blue and Faust. Here is what I tell everyone that asks...

Start with baby Miller and know it. Don't skim it and think you know it, know it. This should be mastered by the end of CA-1 year.

Then either Big Miller or Barash. I preferred Miller but flip through both and decide yourself. Give yourself a year for this book. Make a schedule and stick to it. It's not that hard to do over 52 weeks.

Faust is good for review and for portable reading. I unbound mine and read it while commuting.

Big Blue was great for the written boards. It does what is advertised, helps pass the writtens. I am not sure how different the new test is but my written exam had EXACT questions.

Big Blue will NOT teach you anesthesia. It should supplement, but not replace anything. I know people who are still trying to pass the orals because Big Blue is all they used. The military references are incredibly irritating though.

Your attitude should be that you want to learn anesthesia. Not, how can I pass the exam? You are in a residency because you chose to be. This stuff should be interesting to you and make you want to read. If not, think about another line of work. We don't need more mediocre anesthesiologists out there.

 

[Ender]

I teach residents and graduated a few years ago myself. I read everything I could get my hands on, Miller, Barash, Big Blue and Faust. Here is what I tell everyone that asks...

Start with baby Miller and know it. Don't skim it and think you know it, know it. This should be mastered by the end of CA-1 year.

Then either Big Miller or Barash. I preferred Miller but flip through both and decide yourself. Give yourself a year for this book. Make a schedule and stick to it. It's not that hard to do over 52 weeks.

Faust is good for review and for portable reading. I unbound mine and read it while commuting.

Big Blue was great for the written boards. It does what is advertised, helps pass the writtens. I am not sure how different the new test is but my written exam had EXACT questions.

Big Blue will NOT teach you anesthesia. It should supplement, but not replace anything. I know people who are still trying to pass the orals because Big Blue is all they used. The military references are incredibly irritating though.

Your attitude should be that you want to learn anesthesia. Not, how can I pass the exam? You are in a residency because you chose to be. This stuff should be interesting to you and make you want to read. If not, think about another line of work. We don't need more mediocre anesthesiologists out there.

Thanks, we appreciate the good advice.

Ender