Robbins set for Pathology

[Entol]

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I've been searching the threads for the past hour and a half trying to find the best book list for pathology in my class (which is organ-based). There are 4 books that people talk about: Big Robbins, Intermediate Robbins, Baby Robbins, and Robbins Review book.

The problem with searching the forums is when people say "Baby Robbins" some are referring to "The Pocket Companion to Robbins" while others are referring to "Robbins Basic Pathology." I know everyone and their mother has a varying opinion on which books are important to use in pathology, but the consesus on these forums seems to be the following 3 books:

1) Big Robbins (called "Robbins and Cotran's Pathological Basis of Disease")
2) Robbins Review book (new edition due in November)
3) BRS pathology


so my question is as follows: Do I need a 4th book for Pathology? If yes, should I buy "Robbins Basic Pathology" or "The Pocket Companion to Robbins" ?

-Entol

 

[omarsaleh66]

Hey there:

I am using BRS path, Goljan Rapid Review, Robbins review question book and its working out pretty good so far. I kinda need something to see the pictures. But these 2 review books and class notes, slides really helped with answering the questions for the review book. I dont know about u, but we were assigned to read 120 pages last week in Robbins, ahahah Im just gonna stick to the review books and lecture notes and hopefully it will be enough.

 

[Sage880]

Davidson's Pathology!

Whooo!!!

 

[Mumpu]

As a general rule, textbooks are not worth it in med school. Review books and class notes have much higher yield at a fraction of the price and without all the crapola.

I got by just fine with BRS Pathology, Step-Up, and Webpath.

 

[Long Dong]

As a general rule, textbooks are not worth it in med school. Review books and class notes have much higher yield at a fraction of the price and without all the crapola.

I got by just fine with BRS Pathology, Step-Up, and Webpath.

I hate textbooks to and did not us any during first year just notes, review books and an atlas. Did fine and plan on doing the same for second so listen to the advice from this post: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=141548

 

[ericdamiansean]

Davidson's Pathology!

Whooo!!!

Enough for pre-clinical?

 

[phinicky]

The Robbins' textbook was probably the only textbook that I found worthwhile during 2nd year. Its very dense, but also very helpful. I also found the Robbins' review book (the question book I believe) VERY helpful as well. I also used BRS to study for the boards and for the shelf exam. Mini/Pocket Robbins was a waste IMO.

 

[ericdamiansean]

Mini/Pocket Robbins was a waste IMO.

Yup, I agree with you..unless you're a gunner and you need to have it in your backpack all the time..along with a pocket dictionary, pocket clinical medicine etc

 

[Entol]

Phin, which Robbins textbook? The huge one called Robbins Pathological Basis of Disease or the smaller one called Robbins Basic Pathology?

The Robbins' textbook was probably the only textbook that I found worthwhile during 2nd year. Its very dense, but also very helpful. I also found the Robbins' review book (the question book I believe) VERY helpful as well. I also used BRS to study for the boards and for the shelf exam. Mini/Pocket Robbins was a waste IMO.

 

[Entol]

This totally makes sense, but according to other posts, you can treat the huge Robbins like a picture book and just explain the pictures in your mind to do well in Path.

As a general rule, textbooks are not worth it in med school. Review books and class notes have much higher yield at a fraction of the price and without all the crapola.

I got by just fine with BRS Pathology, Step-Up, and Webpath.

 

[ericdamiansean]

Phin, which Robbins textbook? The huge one called Robbins Pathological Basis of Disease or the smaller one called Robbins Basic Pathology?

I'm not Phin 😛 , but we use the huge one. Apparently, the thinner one is for pre-clinical whereas the huge one is for clinical and pre-clinical as well. The huge one is also more indepth
We call them Papa Path and Mama PAth

 

[aus1ander]

I used Basic Pathology throughout the 2nd year and found it quite enough to do well on the exams/Step 1. I actually never sat down and read it--i used it only as a reference book and a source for images. Its the only textbook I ever bought in medical school, and its the only textbook I'd ever recommend owning.

I also used BRS Pathology throughout the 2nd year, annotating notes in it along the way. I found BRS to be the most useful for studying for Step 1 and the NBME Shelf Exam since its already in outline format and fairly easy to cram after you've mastered the material once.

I used the Robbin's Question Book only for Step 1 preparation and I highly recommend that book. It gives a very representative array of clinically oriented questions in Pathology that can help you score highly on Step 1. The Robbin's Question Book + an annotated BRS Pathology are a must for Step 1. BRS Pathology alone (and without your annotated notes) is not sufficient to do well on Step 1.