Must have resources for M2 year?

[olemissbabydoc]

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So we got our "required" book list for second year, and although it is much shorter than the first year list I'm still quite sure that the resources you all knew and loved to hate are probably not on there. Please share your pearls of wisdom for the new M2's 🙂

(This is our req'd list, btw, and I'll be buying BRS for each class)
Medical Microbiology (Murray)
FA for the Step
Case Studies in Infectious Diseases (lydyard)
Case Studies in Immunology (Rosen)
Robbins Basic Pathology
Sharpi's Art and Science
Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Pharmacology
Pretest Physical Diagnosis

 

[justdoit31]

I am just starting MSII but I have heard RR: Pathology is a must have.

 

[DrDrToBe]

(This is our req'd list, btw, and I'll be buying BRS for each class)
Medical Microbiology (Murray)
FA for the Step
Case Studies in Infectious Diseases (lydyard)
Case Studies in Immunology (Rosen)
Robbins Basic Pathology
Sharpi's Art and Science
Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Pharmacology
Pretest Physical Diagnosis

Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple is an excellent resource for microbio, and it has a couple chapters on bug pharm also. Pharmnemonics is also a great set of flashcards if you're the flashcard type (which I totally am). I also have Robbins Question book, it's a good review to use along with the text.

 

[Instatewaiter]

So we got our "required" book list for second year, and although it is much shorter than the first year list I'm still quite sure that the resources you all knew and loved to hate are probably not on there. Please share your pearls of wisdom for the new M2's 🙂

(This is our req'd list, btw, and I'll be buying BRS for each class)
Medical Microbiology (Murray)
FA for the Step
Case Studies in Infectious Diseases (lydyard)
Case Studies in Immunology (Rosen)
Robbins Basic Pathology
Sharpi's Art and Science
Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Pharmacology
Pretest Physical Diagnosis

FA for step 1, MMRS, Robbins review of pathology, and Goljian path (rapid review) are the ones I would recommend.

 

[DrBowtie]

LOL @ using Baby Robbins.

CMMRS, First Aid, Rapid Review Path should get it done.

 

[turkeyjerky]

RR Path is the only must have, in my opinion. Robbins review is very useful, as is webpath. First aid is near worthless for coursework.

 

[GoSpursGo]

A lot of my classmates loved Clinical Micro Made Ridiculously Simple. I personally didn't use it that much, but our syllabi were generally pretty good and the exams were right from them, but if you want something to help with that class, I liked what I did see.

I've heard lots of good things about Goljan, so I guess we'll see how that goes.

 

[Rollo]

I will be starting 2nd year soon though our school is systems-based and we've already covered cardio, renal and pulm.

Resources I personally used and have been great help are:
BRS Physio
Robbins Basic Pathology
Robbins Review Book
Rapid Review Path (and the audio)
Webpath qbank
Clinical Micro Made Simple
Lippincotts Pharm

I agree with someone who said FA is nearly useless. I only use it to review material when the block ends.

I'm thinking about adding another qbank to the mix this year...perhaps Uworld. Other than that, I can't really think of much else to add.

Our neuro block will be in winter so I might have to get a HY neuro book. And possibly a HY behavioral science book later in the year.

 

[C5toC9]

So is M2 similar to M1 where getting the required textbooks is unnecessary? I thought it'd be different where I'd actually have to get the required books this year, but I would be glad to be wrong.

 

[olemissbabydoc]

So is M2 similar to M1 where getting the required textbooks is unnecessary? I thought it'd be different where I'd actually have to get the required books this year, but I would be glad to be wrong.

I've heard this... I usually buy the required ones, simply because I get something out of reading textbooks.. but it's widely known that the review books, etc, are sooo much more high yield.

 

[BigRedder]

Big Robbins can be hard to read, but if you just mentally gloss over the parts with lots of genes and acronyms it can actually be very helpful. I kind of regret not having a better micro book than Ridiculously Simple. As far as pharm, it depends on your notes.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Big Robbins can be hard to read, but if you just mentally gloss over the parts with lots of genes and acronyms it can actually be very helpful.

Or you could allow Edward Goljan to do the glossing over for you and buy his book instead (and only).

 

[BigRedder]

Or you could allow Edward Goljan to do the glossing over for you and buy his book instead (and only).

The lack of narrative is draining by itself. My most successful strategy was reading Robbins then reading Goljan. It is meant to be a review book, after all.

 

[MilkmanAl]

I guess I don't see the sense in that if you're skipping over the "extra" stuff in Robbins, anyway. You're basically just making yourself work harder to get the same information, but to each his own, I suppose. I've never been and never will be a textbook fan. If you can get what you need with a third of the effort, I don't see why you'd do anything else.

 

[BigRedder]

It is completely fair to start out with just Goljan, but if you find that you aren't getting it then don't be afraid to pick up Robbins. Some of the writing is almost pleasurable.

One compromise is to go through Goljan with the audio. That supplies the narrative to link facts together, while focusing on the most important bits. However, that was a session based on integrating material, so some topics might seem out of place. Also, it can be kind of annoying when he goes on about how easy it is.

 

[XRanger]

yea i was wondering the same thing..if it's worth it to get textbooks case our school provides syllabus for every course. I got few textbooks first year but ended up never reading them because the syllabus alone is a lot of reading, so towards the end I just bought some board review books and use that instead.

I wonder if I can get by the same thing with M2...just using class syllabus and board review stuff (planning on just using FA, goljan path, pharmcards and microcards+qbank)

 

[BigRedder]

A ton of people do that. Just be ready to buy real books if you realize you aren't getting it.

 

[naseeha]

Does CMMRS cover immunology? If so, is it enough for the step?

 

[KeyzerSoze]

Does CMMRS cover immunology? If so, is it enough for the step?

FA says it requires a supplementary source for immunology.

 

[SlickNickMD]

Kaplan Q Bank
USMLE Rx
UWorld (later)
First AID
Rapid Review Path + audio
Microcards and Lange's pharm card
Robbins question book

 

[DrDrToBe]

Does CMMRS cover immunology? If so, is it enough for the step?

I don't think the CMMRS should be your source for immunology; there is very little immunology in it. Also, the little that's there is presented in the context of bugs, so anything outside of that isn't covered. There is also a bit of bug pharm in it which is useful, but the real benefit of CMMRS is the microbiology and the awesome mnemonics.

I also agree with the previous posters that think Goljan is hard to read on first past; I just think it's hard to wrap your head around bullet points if you don't have the context to put them in. I have big Robbins and read as much of it with classes as I can; it really helps me to get a solid understanding of the concepts. Before exams I quickly skimmed Goljan, at which point the bullet points made sense. I'm sure Goljan will be great for boards also, but for classes I'll stick with Robbins.