Reading

[EtOHWithdrawal]

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I am a first year path resident, i.e. I spend the majority of my time getting friendly with the gross room group...I had no previous path experience.

Question is, how do you find time to read?

I've been told to read Sternberg, 10 pages a day.
I've been told to read at least 1/2 hour every day.
I've been told to read a histology atlas over the weekend (although I work saturdays too).
I read before I gross a specimen, but that seems to be the most of my reading.

None of these seem to work when I get home at 9:00, eat dinner and go to sleep.

Any thoughts?

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I am a first year path resident, i.e. I spend the majority of my time getting friendly with the gross room group...I had no previous path experience.

Question is, how do you find time to read?

I've been told to read Sternberg, 10 pages a day.
I've been told to read at least 1/2 hour every day.
I've been told to read a histology atlas over the weekend (although I work saturdays too).
I read before I gross a specimen, but that seems to be the most of my reading.

None of these seem to work when I get home at 9:00, eat dinner and go to sleep.

Any thoughts?

I'd rather learn by seeing. Reading supplements that to an extent. And I've seen a lot so I've come to appreciate the practical aspects of pathology...and that covers probably 90% of bread and butter pathology.

Cases don't follow textbooks. And there is an art to pathology which is not covered in textbooks, which seem to simplify things.

Lesson is...when you see some exotic case, you're not gonna say, "I'm gonna sign it out because I read it on page 989 of Sternberg." No, you're gonna consult an expert! Because if you try to be a hero and end up misdiagnosing a case, you can get sued. But if you consult an expert, the prosecution can't say you were negligent. However, reading can help in coming up with differentials and identifying what cases are difficult and need special attention. One thing I've appreciated over the past few years is that you may not pay attention to some details if you're not aware of the existence of some entities. That's where reading can be of some benefit.

I read more now that I'm doing a fellowship but that's more self-motivated because I feel the necessity to develop expertise in my field. I guess I will read a ton more about general surg path when it comes down to cramming for boards. But thank god I don't have to read any CP.

 

[Gut Shot]

Any thoughts?

I tried reading as a PGY-1. Didn't do a single, solitary thing for me.

There are some freaks out there who can pick things up instantly, but the rest of us mere mortals need context, repetition and time for it to soak in. Hence, as a PGY-3 I can read a chapter of Rosai and really get something out of it, whereas two years ago it was laughable floundering.

For now, just survive your days. The rest will fall into place as you go.

 

[Gene_]

I tried reading as a PGY-1. Didn't do a single, solitary thing for me.

There are some freaks out there who can pick things up instantly, but the rest of us mere mortals need context, repetition and time for it to soak in. Hence, as a PGY-3 I can read a chapter of Rosai and really get something out of it, whereas two years ago it was laughable floundering.

For now, just survive your days. The rest will fall into place as you go.

I agree. Learn how to gross well which means knowing the differential as you gross and staging criteria as appropriate. Then read about the stuff you see everyday. Plugging through a major text in my first year was a complete waste of time. As you get more experience reading will be much higher yield.

 

[EtOHWithdrawal]

Glad to hear from the experienced on this one... Of course I'll continue doing what I can, but I think knowledge will come with time. I probably just wanted some reassurance and these forums are good for that.

 

[summertime02]

I am in my second year of residency and still feel like an idiot and surgicals doesn't allow too much extra-curricular reading so I was wondering what advice you have on what should be done second year for acquiring more knowledge? What did everyone do? I can't figure out how to absorb so much information and I still feel like I am floundering...😱

 

[Cloaca]

I am in my second year of residency and still feel like an idiot and surgicals doesn't allow too much extra-curricular reading so I was wondering what advice you have on what should be done second year for acquiring more knowledge? What did everyone do? I can't figure out how to absorb so much information and I still feel like I am floundering...😱

Totally feeling the same way. I was like, ok first year was a wash for reading...as stated above I got very little out of it and therefore did very little of it. Now I am getting a little more but still feeling very much like a first year and totally stupid and kinda panicky. Aaaaarggg!!! I have been reading Robbins...is that a dumb thing to do?

 

[deschutes]

I'm a 3rd year and I still feel that way 😉

But now my approach is to look up PathOutlines whenever I encounter a new entity, or an entity I need a quick refresher on. I used to make a reading list as I went through the day, and then I'd lose the list or forget or be too tired or whatever. It's a lot faster to just look up a quick summary on the spot and read the 1-page blurb than try to read pages and pages of Rosai at the end of the day.

Robbins has a great deal of information. I teach the med student 2nd-year pathology course, and I am beginning to think that Papa Robbins is beyond the level of an introductory text (did you see all the cytogenetics/molecular stuff that's now in there??) - I recommended they get Basic Pathology instead. What I am trying to say is, no - I don't think Robbins is a dumb thing to read for a path resident. I've heard it said that if you know all of Robbins you're set for AP boards; while I think that is a bit of an exaggeration, it pays not to underestimate the volume and depth of that book's content.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Robbins has a great deal of information. I teach the med student 2nd-year pathology course, and I am beginning to think that Papa Robbins is beyond the level of an introductory text (did you see all the cytogenetics/molecular stuff that's now in there??) - I recommended they get Basic Pathology instead. What I am trying to say is, no - I don't think Robbins is a dumb thing to read for a path resident. I've heard it said that if you know all of Robbins you're set for AP boards; while I think that is a bit of an exaggeration, it pays not to underestimate the volume and depth of that book's content.

I agree. Everyone I've talked to who recently took boards read a good chunk of Robbins or in its entirety. And reading Robbins alone is not sufficient for AP boards.