Should I sell my books from first year?

[sambo]

I'm about to be an M2 and I have have a huge stack of textbooks from my first year. Will I need these to study for the USMLE or can I sell them and use review books?

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[Samoa]

The only books I'm keeping are Netter, Moore, my neuro texts and a review book for each subject.

 

[ericdamiansean]

you should keep them...you can never ever remember everything forever,so, keeping them for future reference is good

 

[medstudent2008]

I'm planning on keeping EVERYTHING. I kept all my undergraduate texts too.

 

[Smurfette]

For the most part, there are very few texts that I got for first and second year that I used once that class was over. Review-type books and boards books I have only rarely used outside of studying for the boards as well. You will not read entire physio or anatomy textbooks to study for step I since that would be really inefficient and time-consuming---that's why there's all those review books out there!

Once you start clinical rotations, you will probably purchase books that are "keepers" and that you will usually use as references. And for Step II, I will use different review texts than for step I...

To give you some reference as for what from the first two years I've kept...of course everyone has different opinions, especially given what specialty they ultimately will go into....but just for an idea...

1st year:
Netter
Moore's Clinical Anatomy
Robbins--Path
2nd year:
Lilly---Pathophys of Heart disease
Dubin--Interpret. of ECGs
Clinical Micro Made Ridiculously Simple (I've actually seen this on some MDs shelves!)
I also kept BRS Path for sentimental reasons, though I've never used it since Step I, and the Andreason Psychiatry book, cuz I thought it was a good reference even though I will not be going into psych.

 

[azzarah]

I am actually selling all of my first year textbooks as soon as the MSIs arrive here. I figured I can always look things up online or at the library. I will probably keep my review books and my second year books though.
Edited to say--I am keeping Netters and my neuroanatomy atlas.

 

[Bobblehead]

When it comes time to move are you willing to pack the hundreds of pounds of textbooks you'll likely accumulate, carry them down the stairs, pay potentially by the pound to move them to your new place, carry them back up the stairs and put them on a bookshelf? If no, sell them now while they're still worth money.

Review books are generally better for the USMLE. Only if you find yourself turning to something every few days is it worth keeping imo. Otherwise it's just gathering dust on the shelf and taking up space.

 

[mward04]

you are going to have more books than you know what to do with. Plus they are all so damn expensive. I rarely bust out the anatomy book any more and I definitely don't look at my physio book. I was nervous about getting rid of these but if you hold on to them for too long, a new version will come out and your book will be worthless. Keep the books that you used all of the time, sell the rest...that way you can buy more

Half.com has been a great way to sell my books.

 

[Entol]

I don't have any advice on whether or not to keep your books, but as for the old editions thing, I can definitely agree with mward04. As soon as a new edition comes out, the price of a book you paid $100 originally will suddenly be $20 or less for the old edition.

At worst, sell your new edition book, wait for another edition to come out, and buy it back at 1/5 the price 🙂 Shipping books is next to free (I mean like $4 for a textbook max) so you should clean up with this method.

you are going to have more books than you know what to do with. Plus they are all so damn expensive. I rarely bust out the anatomy book any more and I definitely don't look at my physio book. I was nervous about getting rid of these but if you hold on to them for too long, a new version will come out and your book will be worthless. Keep the books that you used all of the time, sell the rest...that way you can buy more

Half.com has been a great way to sell my books.

 

[mward04]

I am actually selling all of my first year textbooks as soon as the MSIs arrive here. I figured I can always look things up online or at the library. I will probably keep my review books and my second year books though.
Edited to say--I am keeping Netters and my neuroanatomy atlas.

don't do it!!! You'll never use them (unless you go into surgery) 😀

BTW-if you do sell your books, make sure to send them "media mail" it saves you a lot of money 😉

 

[azzarah]

don't do it!!! You'll never use them (unless you go into surgery) 😀

BTW-if you do sell your books, make sure to send them "media mail" it saves you a lot of money 😉

Hehe, I might go into surgery (although I hated anatomy)....I sold lots of books on half.com too...media mail all the way! 😀

 

[omarsaleh66]

Does half.com take alot of commision. I sell it on amazon, and it takes 15% of sales and gives like 2.25 bucks credit to ship.

Is half.com better or do that charge that much commission too?