Nelson's Essentials of Pediatrics?

[dividedsky]

This is not the full Nelson's text, but a 900+ page pediatric textbook that I saw in the bookstore today.

anyone use it? for 4th year? or for intern year? looks pretty good to me.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Medical123]

I used this book for my 3rd year clerkship and loved it. I found it good for answering pimp questions on rounds and I did really well on the Peds Shelf. I was recently assigned to Peds Neuro for my required 4th year Neurology Clerkship and I found this book to be useful there as well.

 

[NWgal]

I also used this book for 3rd year clerkships - in my opinion, that's the year it's best suited for. It's a little light on details, especially as a resource for intern year. The full Nelsons would be best once you start residency, I think.

Not to steal your thread, but on the book subject, do others think Harriet Lane is *mandatory* for intern year, or can you get by with PDA resources? I just don't really want to carry it around all year! I see low back pain in my future...

 

[KidDr]

I also used this book for 3rd year clerkships - in my opinion, that's the year it's best suited for. It's a little light on details, especially as a resource for intern year. The full Nelsons would be best once you start residency, I think.

Not to steal your thread, but on the book subject, do others think Harriet Lane is *mandatory* for intern year, or can you get by with PDA resources? I just don't really want to carry it around all year! I see low back pain in my future...

I'm not a big fan of Harriet Lane and never have been. I own one but I never carried it around as an intern (or during 2nd/3rd year either). I think I might be in the minority on this though---others seem to love it. For whatever reason, I've always had a hard time finding the info I need in HL (imo, I think the index is bad)....and because of that I just got used to finding the info in other places that worked better for me (and kept a really heavy book out of my pocket). Fwiw, I have the blue one...maybe the pink is better, I don't know.

 

[dr. maybe]

Harriet Lane is a glorified pharmacopeia (sp?). I also use it for lab/vital "normals" for age. With so many resources available on the internet/uptodate, Harriet Lane is really not necessary. Just my two cents.

 

[kellsmd]

I bought (the full version) Nelson's during my 4th year of med school and now as an intern use it as a good reference book. I've read many of the chapters when I've encountered diagnostic challenges and also when I want to brush up on different areas.
IMO, I'd consider it a good buy if you're planning to go into Pediatrics!

Oh, and regarding Harriet Lane - I agree with the previous post, it is most helpful for the drug references and vital signs for age, esp. nice to have lying around when you are working in the busy ER setting. Otherwise I use a more extensive pharmacopeia when I'm working on the pediatrics wards.

 

[edmadison]

I'm a 3rd year peds resident and own both the essentials and the big nelson. I must admit that I have used them less than half-a-dozen times during my residency. I use my harriet (or my program's pearl book) when on call. For looking stuff up, I use Up To Date and emedicine, combined with a fair number of pubmed and ovid searches. I don't really see great value in those text books anymore.

Ed