Kaplan Physio vs BRS Physio

[socrates89]

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I know this has been asked before but with the new series out and Conrad as a professor of physio is Kaplan worth it or, just stick to BRS.


Kaplan teaches you for the exam while BRS teaches you physio and is good for the exam as well, but kaplan tends to give some high yield points that might not be stressed in BRS. I do want to do both (skim stuff here and there in kaplan) but would that be overdoing it? What to do?

 

[kryptik]

Stick with BRS and if there are topics you are having difficulty with you can read kaplan for another perspective.

 

[Cochan]

I like BRS physio. Stick with one source definitely. You can always learn from doing questions and adding notes into BRS or FA if you are using FA.

 

[Beardswirl]

It is a much longer read, but has helped me immensely especially in CVS. I don't think boiling physio down to the bullet/point format like the way BRS does is beneficial unless everything is very fresh in your mind.

Reading through BRS I still had to refer back to my Ganong. Kaplan's physio book is probably the largest one in the series (maybe 2nd compared to the anatomy) But to be fair the size of kaplan's physio is misleading because most of it is A LOT of empty space for you to write, and many many things that are explained in texts and small diagram are re-illustrated again and again in larger full page diagrams (that imo u shud feel free to skip if u get it) as you'll see in the Adrenal chapter.

Also, there are some mistakes in BRS such as the normal anion gap (it says 8-16, which is based on out of date methods).

If you're pathophys is strong, BRS should be fine. But if you need to brush up on it, i think it's too terse and doesn't help you apply it to the problems you'll face on step 1.

 

[Sam212]

If you are gonna read Kaplan, might as well read purple cover Costanzo

 

[MossPoh]

Also, there are some mistakes in BRS such as the normal anion gap (it says 8-16, which is based on out of date methods).

First aid has 8-12, but it is honestly kind of a moot point for these tests usually. They usually put the calculations so it is sufficiently out of the questionable range. Whenver I get practice questions that require calculations, the answers are usually decimal point differences or different combinations of the numbers given. You will usually have an anion gap that is 20+ (and probably 30+).

I haven't used Kaplan, but I'm sure there are random little things like that in there too.

BRS is more than fine for me personally. I have the full book (and the internet) for more reference, but the point is for it to be a quick review to me. I can read a chapter fairly quick in BRS and be fully refreshed on the topic.

 

[21CentSouldier]

If you have time to read the kaplan physio, DO IT. If you have time to watch the vids too, even better. The book looks daunting, but like someone else mentioned, it's a lot of empty space. There are certainly some nice tidbits in there to pick up. Then again, if your foundation in phys is pretty good, BRS should be enough.

Speaking of phys, anyone know a site that has practice renal and resp math problems to do?

 

[TheLoneWolf]

BRS Physio seems to be the standard that everyone uses for the step. However, I had noticed that it was not adequate for the physio shelf.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

BRS Physio seems to be the standard that everyone uses for the step. However, I had noticed that it was not adequate for the physio shelf.

I agree. I rocked most of my shelves and did pretty good on physio (~730) but it was my lowest shelf score and I only used BRS. I didn't feel fully prepared and did notice a few errors. BRS cell bio/histo, on the other hand, was superb. But yeah, BRS phys is more or less the standard for step 1 as far as I've heard, and it's probably still the best commercial board review book out there. I figure, though, that if you have more time to do something even more extensive like Kaplan, it can only help. Thats my plan.

 

[Dissected]

Speaking of phys, anyone know a site that has practice renal and resp math problems to do?

I would be highly interested in something like this too.

 

[warriordoc911]

i read both kaplan and brs physio. I liked BRS. Go with BRS.

 

[Dissected]

i read both kaplan and brs physio. I liked BRS. Go with BRS.

x2

I've found the kaplan text to be way too in depth for me. The lectures are good and cover high yield topics..but for a study resource BRS is the bomb.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

x2

I've found the kaplan text to be way too in depth for me. The lectures are good and cover high yield topics..but for a study resource BRS is the bomb.

ORLY? Hmmmm...it's definitely way shorter too...maybe I'll re-examine my BRS before diving into Kaplan

 

[bbydoc]

here is what I would do:
- stick with BRS and know it well
- go through the tables in Kaplan Physio if you have it
this way you get the best of both worlds.

let me repeat again, the kaplan tables are money and there are only a few per chapter.
just go through the ones in the endocrine chapter and you will know what I mean.