oudoc08,
Put your wallet away NOW! I think you're buying too many books and by the end of your second year, you'll regret the enormous amount of money you have already and will continue to spend on books you'll barely use.
TEXTBOOKS to study for class in the first year:
- An anatomy atlas (Netter is best. Grant is okay. Rohen is very cool but isn't as complete as you may need.)
- A simple embryology text. High Yield is good and re-usable for the Boards. Our school's assigned text was Larsen -- pretty clear, but long and not re-usable for the Boards.
- A histology text/atlas. Junquiera is good -- best part are the pictures. A combined text/atlas is cheaper than buying both. Wheater's is also a popular atlas (but the text leaves something to be desired -- in the way of British academic writing, it's very murky).
- BRS Physiology AND/OR another physiology text (STAR Physiology by Constanzo, Guyton's mega-textbook, or Berne & Levy). If you can read BRS and understand it without additional paragraphs, I'd say stick with it, because you can re-use it (and save $$$) while preparing for Step I. The others are too long for boards prep. However, many people cannot read BRS Physio and understand it the first time around, so in that case a real textbook would be useful.
- Robbins Pathology, the FULL text. If you have an old version, don't worry too much -- what's important for you to know is more or less the same in every edition. (And for a note, hardly anyone ever uses Rubin no matter what edition of Robbins is out.) Some people use "baby Robbins" which is like Robbins but in outline format, but I think the big Robbins has important pictures and can be used as an atlas.
- A microbiology/immunology text. Do not get both BRS and CMMRS -- pick one or the other, and return the extra one! You only need one or the other for the Boards. For class, any textbook or CMMRS will do (BRS if you can understand outlines the first time through the material).
As for an anatomy textbook, I find these painfully incomprehensible and would just use a review book to supplement class notes and atlas. Many recommend BRS, which is probably fine for class.... For the Boards (Step I), BRS is a little too long and I'd prefer High Yield. Either will probably be fine AS LONG AS you pay attention to what's covered in your class notes.
Edit: We had to buy a dissection manual for anatomy lab as well. I think we used Moore, but am not sure. If you need this, I'd buy whatever is assigned at your school.
REVIEW BOOKS for the USMLE Step I -
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=1161640#post1161640
Go through your pile of books. Return four or five of them and get your $150 - $200 back. Don't waste any more money. You'll kick yourself in a year's time.