Textbook for 1st Yr

[Tiger1]

I am getting ready for the next stage of the vet school entrance process. For the current vet students, where did you guys buy your textbooks. What are some good 1st yr. reference books to have? Thanks in advance.

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[Capella]

Your school will probably send you a list of required and recommended text books. Most people buy their books on-line, but some people buy them through Elsevier so they can get a fancy electronic version that is searchable on their computer.

Due to their cost, I only buy a few of the books, because our library has them all on reserve.

So in case you are ambitious, and have extra $$$ to spend, here are a few of my favorites:

Anatomy of Domestic Animals: Systemic & Regional Approach by Pasquini I would have gotten an A in dog anatomy if I had known about this book sooner...

Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals, 12th Edition Oldie but goodie.

Guide to the Dissection of the Dog

Textbook of Veterinary Anatomy 3rd edition (Hardcover)
by K. M. Dyce I just use Dyce for the pictures - I hate the text

How the Immune System Works Immune system for dummies - like me.

 

[Habibti]

Despopolous Color Atlas of Physiology

This isn't specifically veterinary-related, but is both cheap and has answered every phys question I've had.

 

[freyamaxine]

Capella you bought both Pasquini and Dyce for Anatomy? I have ordered Dyce off amazon (will hopefully come next week before classes start). I had ordered Pasquini as well, but I canceled it this morning. I was worried about getting two Anatomy texts when I should be getting texts for other subjects.

So far I have been very ambitious and ordered books for every subject so far except Biochem. Does anyone have any opinions about the following books?

Mathews, C (2000) Biochemistry, 3rd ed, San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings

Zubay, G (1998) Biochemistry, 4th ed, Dubuque: WMC Brown Publishers
Voet, D & Voet, J (2006) Fundamentals of Biochemistry, 2nd ed, New York: Wiley & Sons

Berg, J (2007) Biochemistry, 6th ed, New York: Freeman & Co

Devlin, T (2006) Textbook of Biochemistry with Clinical Correlations, 6th ed, New York: Wiley-Liss

Elliott, William (2004) Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 3rd edition, Oxford Press

Crowe, J (2006) Chemistry for the Bioscience, Oxford, Oxford University Press

Lodish, H (2004) Molecular cell biology, WH Freeman & Co

 

[AuburnPreVet]

I would really wait and see what your school recommends, whats on reserve, and what other students say they actually used (not just bought). For our cell phys/molecular genetics, neuroscience, histo -- I never opened a book. It'll take 500 years to read through all of the powerpoint slides, you won't really have time to cross reference with a dozen other texts. Granted, different schools may teach differently but I would talk to the sophmores before getting cray-cray with the book buying.

PS- anatomy on the other hand.... I think I have a half dozen books for, they're all good for different things. Big Millers, Dyce, Pasquini, the Color Atlas series -- all amazing. Guyton & Hall is an amazing Physio text.

 

[pressmom]

I'll have to look and see what I've bought, but some I use, others I don't. Like so far, I'm regretting buying that "required" virology book, since we haven't used it yet and it was $115. Yikes! You're big sib (if your school does that) is your best reference as far as what to buy. I emailed mine and asked what he had bought and what he wishes he had/had not bought. It got me down to some pretty good books.

The ones I can remember:

Guide to Dissection of the Dog

Tizzard's Immunology

Duke's Physiology

Some bacteriology/microbiology book (have to look it up)

Those are the ones I used the most. Plus, if you're not understanding something, don't be afraid to ask your prof to lend you a book on the subject. It will probably help!

Here at Tennessee, we have a veterinary bookstore which generally has a lower price than ordering online, so I've bought most of my books from there. Some people do order online though because they don't sell used at the bookstore and sometimes you don't find out you need the book until later in the semester.

But either way, I'd wait.

 

[Electrophile]

Two things you really should get: a Merck Vet Manual (this can also be found online for free) and a medical encyclopedia. It doesn't have to be a vet one, but that's pretty helpful.

Like others have said, talk to your "big sib" (if your school has them) when you get to that point late summer before school starts and see what you really actually need. You'll definitely need a dog dissection guide (the Evans, De La Hunta, Miller's with the paw print on the front is probably the most commonly used). A color atlas may be helpful too. I suck at histology big time, so the veterinary histology atlas to have on hand is nice.

 

[freyamaxine]

School starts in about a week (3rd of March).

 

[Tiger1]

Although I have not decided on the school yet...it is so exciting to surf Amazon for the name of textbooks (anatomy, histology, all veterinarian-related). Now, I am addicted to reading about other vet students experiences wherelse before I dared not to hope too much. I just started to surf this forum versus the preveterinary. I can't wait to buy a dissection kit, boots and overalls for classes. I want to smell like formaldehyde!

 

[fargeese]

It is so funny, yesterday I was out working for my cow vet ( Penn VMD '58) and he gave me some books to start studying, one of which was Guide to the Dissection of the Dog. He kept his older edition and lent me the revised reprint--from 1971!

 

[PAThbrd]

I know you guys are excited to start, we all were. But the best advice is to wait. Wait until July/August when your school tells you what they want you to have. Wait until school actually starts to start studying.

You are going to miss the time you have right now once you start! The best time of undergrad is your last semester, you're already in vet school, that stress is over, and you don't even have to think about retinaculums, the medial geniculate nucleus, the cranial tibial nerve, the blah, blah, blah yet. ENJOY IT!

 

[Monkey85]

First PAThbrd is right in waiting to see what your school says you should get. But I just wanted to recommend getting a membership at Barnes and Nobles. Its like $25 a year and you get a pretty good discount even on textbooks. We have a medical bookstore in Philly that gives us a discount but I get better deals on BN.com even with shipping. You could even look into go in on the membership with a classmate to cut the cost.

Another thing to consider is to even wait to get to school before buying books. At Penn we (couldn't help adding our catch phrase) get emails a lot about 3rd and 4th years selling the textbooks they'll never use again. Its a good way to pick up some books at a cheaper price.

 

[soxbox]

don't forget about ebay and/or half.com... i found a bunch of my books through there... oh yeah, and dont discount older editions of books... I found a few of mine pretty cheap because they were the last edition... and most of what changed was addition of color to a few of the pictures!!! We found out I think in May what books were recommended/required which gave my plenty of time to scour the net for good prices 🙂

Also, I am not sure how it is at other schools, but our vet bookstore (different from the whole campus bookstore) has pretty good prices, often cheaper than amazon (especially with our 10% SCAVMA discount... though you have to pay in cash/check to get that full discount)....

And one more thing... don't get too carried away with buying books unless you have lots of money... they add up really fast and for a few classes I NEVER opened the books... and if you find out that you do want the book after class starts, you can always buy it then!!

 

[dyachei]

don't forget about ebay and/or half.com... i found a bunch of my books through there... oh yeah, and dont discount older editions of books... I found a few of mine pretty cheap because they were the last edition... and most of what changed was addition of color to a few of the pictures!!! We found out I think in May what books were recommended/required which gave my plenty of time to scour the net for good prices 🙂

Also, I am not sure how it is at other schools, but our vet bookstore (different from the whole campus bookstore) has pretty good prices, often cheaper than amazon (especially with our 10% SCAVMA discount... though you have to pay in cash/check to get that full discount)....

And one more thing... don't get too carried away with buying books unless you have lots of money... they add up really fast and for a few classes I NEVER opened the books... and if you find out that you do want the book after class starts, you can always buy it then!!

Totally agree. I'm really upset I bought a few books. Like Virology, immunology, and Dyce's anatomy.

Most classes, at least here, are based on lecture material or a very few specific books (i.e. Miller's Guide to the Dog and Orsini's horse anatomy). The only class I actively use books in are anatomy and histology.

As others have said, they will tell you in class what books you need. At the very least you can fake it for a week or two. Also, take the time off. I know it's hard, but i didn't take the time off and really regret it. Christmas break is really not enough to keep you from going crazy and constant work through the previous summer is making me feel a little burnt out (and it's only Feb)

 

[Electrophile]

I want to smell like formaldehyde!

No, you don't. TRUST ME. Our dogs first semester were apparently not soaked in water after they were embalmed and our group's dog was the strongest smelling of the entire class. We'd be sitting there cleaning and picking on stuff with tears running down our face and I'd have to go out in the hall way or I'd start to feel my throat close up. By second semester, we were warned that the cows and horses would be much stronger than the dogs. But it was like a break to me! I wouldn't be surprised if it permanently damaged my sense of smell. Seems duller than it used to be.


Oh yeah...don't go out and buy a beautiful new crisp $40 lab coat. They just get yellow and nasty pretty fast in between blood from fresh specimens and digging out the rumen from the cow. I permanently borrowed an old lab coat from my old research lab that no one wanted any more instead of buying one and I'm glad I did. Save the pretty one for your white coat ceremony! 👍

 

[ri23]

At OSU the class above you does a survey about which books were helpful and which weren't for each class. They rate the books on how much they used them and how useful they are, so that is really helpful when it comes to picking out books to buy.

Also, as others have said, most schools have a special vet school bookstore which is usually cheaper, and sometimes big sibs/older students will sell or let you borrow books.

 

[Orthonut]

Don't forget VIN-you get a discount using their online bookstore (cheaper than amazon.com

 

[delusion]

freya, imo you do not need a biochem textbook. Your lecturer, Ian Walker, will provide notes that is very comprehensive. It's so comprehensive that you can almost skip every lecture and still pass the exam. It's excellent notes and very easy to understand😀

 

[spikey]

I know you guys are excited to start, we all were. But the best advice is to wait. Wait until July/August when your school tells you what they want you to have. Wait until school actually starts to start studying.

You are going to miss the time you have right now once you start! The best time of undergrad is your last semester, you're already in vet school, that stress is over, and you don't even have to think about retinaculums, the medial geniculate nucleus, the cranial tibial nerve, the blah, blah, blah yet. ENJOY IT!

oh yes! and what a change it is from last year where i couldn't wait to start. now i can't wait for spring break so i can sleep. 😛

 

[JIKJen124]

Wheater's Functional Histology is a safe bet... Even if your school doesn't require it, both the pictures and text is quite helpful. Probably the most valuable book I bought all year. Secondly, I would buy Pasquini - especially the one that covers all domestic animals. I have used Dyce 2 times all year, the dissection guides minimally...

 

[Habibti]

oh yes! and what a change it is from last year where i couldn't wait to start. now i can't wait for spring break so i can sleep. 😛

Ditto. 😛

 

[RazorDoc2010]

I can't wait to buy a dissection kit...I want to smell like formaldehyde!

haha I just wish I could find half of my dissection kit. I always end up with 4 of the same thing and absolutely nothing useful at the end of every day. And it's not so much formaldehyde...more like death in general (by the way, you get used to it and then when you're walking around after class, it's fun to see the faces people give when they smell the death on you...ahh, the cheap thrills.)