Undergraduate Textbooks

[Member244322]

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I was wondering if there is any benefit in keeping some of my undergrad science textbooks? Will they be any help once I start medical school? I have a few I haven't sold back, like my Genetics and Microbiology book, and just wanted to get an opinion on this.

 

[sliceofbread136]

I'm keeping all my books so I can put them in my office when I'm a super important doctor and everyone can be amazed at how many books I have read.

 

[235788]

no.



sell them all. I have doubts that even your biochem book will help.

 

[Member244322]

Thanks for the input. I was thinking it was probably best still to resale them when they're still new but just making sure I wasn't making a mistake.

 

[AestheticGod]

No. In my opinion, you should rent your textbooks. It's cheaper and sometimes the previous owners will highlight important stuff for you

 

[JESSFALLING]

From what I've heard, most med students hate text books......too much non-essential information. They mostly learn from lecture notes and high-yield review books.

 

[penndoc]

I held onto a couple textbooks. I cracked open my physiology textbook a few times, just to see different diagrams than the ones we were given. I also used a book that I had from an undergrad cancer course I took. That was helpful for when did a few lectures on cancer during Biochem. In short, you don't need them, but they might help as a secondary source every now and again.

 

[mapandterritory]

I kept all of mine, except the "social sciences."

If you feel like you'll use them again, hold on to them. It's cheaper to rent textbooks, I've only bought books for classes that really interested me.

 

[NightGod]

The faster I can sell them off, the better. Ideally I walk past the bookstore after the final and dump the damn things so I don't have to carry them any longer than necessary~

 

[lobo.solo]

I don't think they will help, but I am keeping some of my books. I want to have my own library when I get old. I love the smell of an old book. One thing I have thought about is that with the pace of technology, all books will be electronic, so it will be sort of a luxury to have printed books... Think about how it will be in 30 years from now.

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

I'm keeping all my books so I can put them in my office when I'm a super important doctor and everyone can be amazed at how many books I have read.

Like we all haven't fantasized about it before. 😉

 

[Neurosis]

No. In my opinion, you should rent your textbooks. It's cheaper and sometimes the previous owners will highlight important stuff for you

I absolutely loathe when people do this when I'm buying a used copy, because the information pertinent to them for a certain class/professor, doesn't necessarily apply to me. Sometimes people write in the book, and the information could actually be wrong...defacing a book that you're just going to return in the end is a giant middle finger to the next user IMO.

 

[Beekachu]

At first I thought I would want to keep all of my science textbooks, but once I graduated and actually looked at the massive stacks of thick books I realized I would never open any of them again. I ended up donating all but my general bio book (because I really liked that book and it has some awesome pictures throughout).

 

[Ruminate]

I think Molecular Bio of "The Cell" by Alberts is a good reference that you should keep. It covers the basics including the prereq material and more so when you research and whatnot, you can come back to it.

 

[JJMrK]

Get rid of them. You won't use them, they're a pain to move, and anything you want to look up will be easier to find on wikipedia. I hung onto a few and right now they are sitting in a box in a closet at my parent's house.

 

[Buzz Me]

You will never use them again.

In med school I threw away all my undergrad textbooks.

In residency I threw away all my med school textbooks.

And recently I threw away all my residency textbooks (save for two, which were staples in my fellowship field, but they were purchased with that intent).