Strategy for reading Harrison's?

[MGoBlue13]

As I'm about to start internship in medicine, I'm wondering how I'll go about reading Harrison's during my residency, because it seems large and intense. How did you all approach it? Did your program provide you with a syllabus, or did you basically start at one end and read right through it? This is, of course, assuming that I'll get time to read during internship (i sure as hell am not starting before... gotta enjoy the rest of 4th year bliss).

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[Mumpu]

I personally think Harrison's is one of the worst, least reader-friendly books ever written. So my strategery was to not read it. Besides, given the dynamic nature of medical knowledge, any textbook is by definition obsolete when it comes to diagnosis and management. You are much better off with UpToDate and review articles.

 

[MGoBlue13]

I personally think Harrison's is one of the worst, least reader-friendly books ever written. So my strategery was to not read it. Besides, given the dynamic nature of medical knowledge, any textbook is by definition obsolete when it comes to diagnosis and management. You are much better off with UpToDate and review articles.

That sounds like good advice. How did you come up with an exhaustive list of topics? I always find that I tend to read the subjects that I know best and leave the others aside.

Thanks!

 

[orientedtoself]

go blue!
don't read harrison's. you don't have time to read harrison's. i got as a gift this year and i have opened it up one time this year for a presentation. when you get an admission, read your pocket medicine, that will give you a good place to start on management, and then up to date it if you have time. you will cover many topics that way over the course of an im internship.

 

[Hernandez]

As I'm about to start internship in medicine, I'm wondering how I'll go about reading Harrison's during my residency, because it seems large and intense. How did you all approach it? Did your program provide you with a syllabus, or did you basically start at one end and read right through it? This is, of course, assuming that I'll get time to read during internship (i sure as hell am not starting before... gotta enjoy the rest of 4th year bliss).

Link

I made a journal to keep track what I've read. I found that going straight through got old. I try to read at least 10 pages a day. that will get you a read through in less than a year. If I have questions about what it says, then I'll go to OVID and look for a review article and primary articles.

Just a personal preference, but I dislike up-to-date. I find it difficult to find new topics to read with up-to-date. and most things with the classic dz's haven't changed in years, especially the clinical picture and basic diagnosis.

 

[tibor75]

As I'm about to start internship in medicine, I'm wondering how I'll go about reading Harrison's during my residency, because it seems large and intense. How did you all approach it? Did your program provide you with a syllabus, or did you basically start at one end and read right through it? This is, of course, assuming that I'll get time to read during internship (i sure as hell am not starting before... gotta enjoy the rest of 4th year bliss).

Stop being a nerd.

 

[MGoBlue13]

Link

I made a journal to keep track what I've read. I found that going straight through got old. I try to read at least 10 pages a day. that will get you a read through in less than a year. If I have questions about what it says, then I'll go to OVID and look for a review article and primary articles.

Just a personal preference, but I dislike up-to-date. I find it difficult to find new topics to read with up-to-date. and most things with the classic dz's haven't changed in years, especially the clinical picture and basic diagnosis.

Thanks! That should help.

M

 

[Mumpu]

Your patients will dictate what you read about. I will not voluntarily learn anything about GI, endo (beyond basic inpatient diabetes management), or rheum, but I run across these in teaching conferences and patients so I'm forced to read up on them. Besides that, get into the habit of following a few journals (I do NEJM, CID, Annals and Archives of Infernal Medicine, and Journal of Hospital Medicine, plus JAMA that I flip through in 10 minutes and toss ... the AMA won't stop sending it to me despite not getting any money from me) -- most will let you subscribe to a free email table of contents.

 

[carrigallen]

I personally like the section topics of "What's New?" in UptoDate. I can't read unless there is some controversial issue that is being discussed, ie whether direct thrombarterectomy really works, etc. Then with my interest engaged, I will follow the link to a more conventional topic.

 

[Fenrezz]

As I'm about to start internship in medicine, I'm wondering how I'll go about reading Harrison's during my residency, because it seems large and intense. How did you all approach it? Did your program provide you with a syllabus, or did you basically start at one end and read right through it? This is, of course, assuming that I'll get time to read during internship (i sure as hell am not starting before... gotta enjoy the rest of 4th year bliss).

My program makes me read 40 pages of Harrison's every week where we are grilled on what we read. Personally, if you're not forced to read it, why would you? I would read only the subjects on patients you've seen in the hospital. It's the only stuff that you'll remember anyway. And even then, I would rather read uptodate instead.

Harrison's is the perfect cure for insomnia.