Question Concerning Review Books

[Domek]

I have a question; a question concerning review books.

I know that they usually don't cover everything you need to know for class (and it's better to use the syllabus, lecture notes, etc), but are review books sufficient for learning a subject for the USMLE?

Let's say, for example, that my school doesn't have a physiology course, so I'm responsible for learning it on my own. Using a review book (say, BRS Physio), could I teach myself enough physiology for Step 1? Or do I need to read something heavier (say, Guyton) to build a foundation first?

Tl;dr: If my school is missing a course, is covering the material in a review book sufficient for the USMLE?

Thanks for your input, team.



P.S. My school has a physiology course.


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[OlgaW007]

BRS Physio is enough for physiology.

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[ridethecliche]

I'd probably end up using something like costanzo's physio.

It really depends on how you learn though.

I love sketchy for bugs, but the drugs bit isn't working well for me. I'm having better luck with Katzung's board review book. I stopped watching lecture and going to class and looking at notes for our main course. Instead, I watch pathoma, then read organ systems, then read robbins. It still ends up taking way less time than going to class would, so I have time for anki/qbank ish.

I know you're asking about review books, but I have to add that it really depends on which books you're using. Something like First Aid isn't enough. It's just a collection of important facts, which makes for a great study guide but a terrible primary source. I wasn't a huge fan of BRS stuff, but that's just like my opinion man.

 

[slowlybutshelly]

love your ravatar") stay well

 

[chromuffin]

I'd probably end up using something like costanzo's physio.

It really depends on how you learn though.

I love sketchy for bugs, but the drugs bit isn't working well for me. I'm having better luck with Katzung's board review book. I stopped watching lecture and going to class and looking at notes for our main course. Instead, I watch pathoma, then read organ systems, then read robbins. It still ends up taking way less time than going to class would, so I have time for anki/qbank ish.

I know you're asking about review books, but I have to add that it really depends on which books you're using. Something like First Aid isn't enough. It's just a collection of important facts, which makes for a great study guide but a terrible primary source. I wasn't a huge fan of BRS stuff, but that's just like my opinion man.

Not to hijack this thread, but how the hell do you read Robbins and it take less time than watching 1 hour lectures? Robbins is so dense. My school is essentially pathoma + important points in Robbins as I'm sure most schools are. So I don't see how reading Robbins isn't taking up your entire week. Maybe I'm just a slow reader.

To chime in on the topic, what topic does your school not teach/do you need more review in? If it is a "derm" class or something, then no I would just use first aid, but if it is basic sciences then I would use a textbook (e.g. Robbins, Costanzo). I'd also highly use this forum and many other resources to make sure you're not deficient in something overtly obvious to people who are taught something by a PhD.

 

[TheOther]

Not to hijack this thread, but how the hell do you read Robbins and it take less time than watching 1 hour lectures? Robbins is so dense. My school is essentially pathoma + important points in Robbins as I'm sure most schools are. So I don't see how reading Robbins isn't taking up your entire week. Maybe I'm just a slow reader.

To chime in on the topic, what topic does your school not teach/do you need more review in? If it is a "derm" class or something, then no I would just use first aid, but if it is basic sciences then I would use a textbook (e.g. Robbins, Costanzo). I'd also highly use this forum and many other resources to make sure you're not deficient in something overtly obvious to people who are taught something by a PhD.

They were using the sequential "then", not the comparative "than".
So they meant watching Pathoma + reading Robbins > going to lecture, which I 100% agree with.

Honestly, there are so many resources (especially excellent video lectures) apart from just review books that it's no problem if your med school doesn't cover a course. It's more a matter of whether your schedule will yield you the time you need to cover those missing subjects along with your normal schoolwork.

 

[ridethecliche]

Yup. I found that I understand the cohesive story better if I read robbins. I'm actually moving to little robbins (basic) instead of big robbins because big robbins has a ton of ish that isn't useful at this point.

 

[Domek]

I'd probably end up using something like costanzo's physio.

It really depends on how you learn though.

I love sketchy for bugs, but the drugs bit isn't working well for me. I'm having better luck with Katzung's board review book. I stopped watching lecture and going to class and looking at notes for our main course. Instead, I watch pathoma, then read organ systems, then read robbins. It still ends up taking way less time than going to class would, so I have time for anki/qbank ish.

I know you're asking about review books, but I have to add that it really depends on which books you're using. Something like First Aid isn't enough. It's just a collection of important facts, which makes for a great study guide but a terrible primary source. I wasn't a huge fan of BRS stuff, but that's just like my opinion man.

I know what you mean. Review books have been working for me so far, and whenever I feel like I don't fully understand something I'll just supplement it with a thicker book. Like for physiology I've been reading BRS and referencing Costanzo (or, God forbid, Guyton). I'm just worried that this style of learning won't provide me with as good of a foundation/understanding as a well-structured course would. Either way, The Dude abides.

Not to hijack this thread, but how the hell do you read Robbins and it take less time than watching 1 hour lectures? Robbins is so dense. My school is essentially pathoma + important points in Robbins as I'm sure most schools are. So I don't see how reading Robbins isn't taking up your entire week. Maybe I'm just a slow reader.

To chime in on the topic, what topic does your school not teach/do you need more review in? If it is a "derm" class or something, then no I would just use first aid, but if it is basic sciences then I would use a textbook (e.g. Robbins, Costanzo). I'd also highly use this forum and many other resources to make sure you're not deficient in something overtly obvious to people who are taught something by a PhD.

To answer your question, I'm an M1 at an international med school so basically I need to teach myself pre-clinical medicine throughout these first couple of years.

I know I should probably be reading through a good textbook for just about every course, but we also have a lot of mandatory classes and it's been really hard to find the time...I guess that's why I was hoping the review book strategy would be sufficient.

 

[ridethecliche]

I know what you mean. Review books have been working for me so far, and whenever I feel like I don't fully understand something I'll just supplement it with a thicker book. Like for physiology I've been reading BRS and referencing Costanzo (or, God forbid, Guyton). I'm just worried that this style of learning won't provide me with as good of a foundation/understanding as a well-structured course would. Either way, The Dude abides.

If you're going to be an IMG, you should definitely be reading atleast baby robbins and using pathoma and boards and beyond...

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Yup. I found that I understand the cohesive story better if I read robbins. I'm actually moving to little robbins (basic) instead of big robbins because big robbins has a ton of ish that isn't useful at this point.

My school requires us to read Big Robbins and they test on the most minute points (pull stuff from captions under pictures). It sucks.


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[Domek]

If you're going to be an IMG, you should definitely be reading atleast baby robbins and using pathoma and boards and beyond...

I do have a copy of Baby Robbins and the Pathoma videos sitting on my hard drive for when we get to pathology looking forward to getting well-acquainted with those.

And I haven't heard of Boards and Beyond but I'll check it out. Would you recommend it for first year? Our school offers the full-blown Kaplan course at the end of M2 (and by "offers", I mean "it's mandatory"), which seems like it'll be pretty helpful for Step 1.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

I do have a copy of Baby Robbins and the Pathoma videos sitting on my hard drive for when we get to pathology looking forward to getting well-acquainted with those.

And I haven't heard of Boards and Beyond but I'll check it out. Would you recommend it for first year? Our school offers the full-blown Kaplan course at the end of M2 (and by "offers", I mean "it's mandatory"), which seems like it'll be pretty helpful for Step 1.

I also would start listening to Dr. Goljan's audio. There are 37 audio clips and each of them runs just under an hour, but if you start listening to them now (during down time in the car or at gym) you will be in a good place to listen to his lectures at least 2-3 times.


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[ridethecliche]

I also would start listening to Dr. Goljan's audio. There are 37 audio clips and each of them runs just under an hour, but if you start listening to them now (during down time in the car or at gym) you will be in a good place to listen to his lectures at least 2-3 times.


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Goljan + pathoma seems like overkill. Especially if you're using robbins too. One of my biggest issues this year was too many sources. It really put me in the hole.

I do have a copy of Baby Robbins and the Pathoma videos sitting on my hard drive for when we get to pathology looking forward to getting well-acquainted with those.

And I haven't heard of Boards and Beyond but I'll check it out. Would you recommend it for first year? Our school offers the full-blown Kaplan course at the end of M2 (and by "offers", I mean "it's mandatory"), which seems like it'll be pretty helpful for Step 1.

I like baby robbins for organ system learning too. But I guess it's more relevant second year unless you're doing heme onc/inflammation/etc first year.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Goljan + pathoma seems like overkill. Especially if you're using robbins too. One of my biggest issues this year was too many sources. It really put me in the hole.



I like baby robbins for organ system learning too. But I guess it's more relevant second year unless you're doing heme onc/inflammation/etc first year.

Goljan audio during down time (running, car drives, etc. ).

Not the Textbook.

Not sure how this is overkill?


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[ridethecliche]

Goljan audio during down time (running, car drives, etc. ).

Not the Textbook.

Not sure how this is overkill?


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Because it's yet another source. Take time off when you're exercising.

I listen to boards and beyond on long drives by myself. I'll listen to a lecture I've watched before that's conducive to learning that way.

 

[Domek]

Ain't nobody got time for resource overload. I'd really like to get as much out of as few sources as possible. That being said, I'm not opposed to textbooks if they're really, really good.

Costanzo and Robbins seem to have a consensus going for them. Are there any other textbooks like this for other subjects in the basic sciences, particularly biochemistry? That's another class that I really just want to use BRS for.