Up the Creek with Goljan?

[Batmaan21]

Hey everybody - so question - it seems like everywhere I go, people swear by Goljan Path, RR - I know there are some who say use BRS if that's what you like - but it seems like many, many people who do extremely well swear by this book - anyway, I didn't even know this book existed (and the audio), until now - so I have a question - allt he people who say it's so good/helpful - are you only people that bought it at like the beginning of second year and slowly went throught - I guess what I'm saying is, I didn't realize the book was 768 paqes - I'm taking 7 weeks to study for my boards - if I start going through Goljan now (at teh beginning) is that a bad idea? should I just use BRS path? or is my time frame appropriate and its still a good idea to use goljan......thoughts? thanks guys!

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[tfom08]

I had about 6-7 weeks to study also, began last week. I opened goljan for the first time last week and have been reading 100 pages each day until I finish it for the first time and then I will probably go to a systems based approach. I am rather weak in pathology so I want to get through the book one time by itself before integrating it into my study schedule. 100 pages of that book is a rather quick pace (for me at least) but there are a lot of pictures and it's actually only 595 pages of actual reading. Overall, I've been happy with it so far. He does have some pretty good explanations I haven't seen elsewhere.

 

[SOUNDMAN]

Bite the bullet and do it, you will be happy in the end. Listen to his lectures as well if you can, they are really helpful as well and his correlations are good. He does say somethings that are wrong in his lectures but very few things and you can pick them out pretty quick.

 

[Batmaan21]

the other major question I have - Must you listen to the goljan audio if you use his rr path review book? is the book alone good enough? people out there who used this - is the book alone good? those who used the audio - why did you use it? doesi t make it alot better/easier, or just as a tag along.....I mean if I were to just use the book and not listen to the corresponding audio - would I be at a severe disadvantage?

 

[UCLAstudent]

I did very well on Step 1 without using Goljan --- I used BRS Pathology instead. Goljan works for some people, but it isn't for everybody. The 700+ pages were the main thing that turned me off to Goljan.

 

[TonyDaTigrUprct]

I'm using his book without the audio b/c I just don't have the time to listen to them. I've listened to a couple of lectures in the beginning of the year and the book contains pretty much everything in his lectures and then some. Alot of the points he emphasizes in the lecture are emphasized in the book in blue boxes. So, imo, doing the audio and the book together would be great, but reading the book alone doesn't put you at a disadvantage.

 

[agranulocytosis]

I'm using his book without the audio b/c I just don't have the time to listen to them. I've listened to a couple of lectures in the beginning of the year and the book contains pretty much everything in his lectures and then some. Alot of the points he emphasizes in the lecture are emphasized in the book in blue boxes. So, imo, doing the audio and the book together would be great, but reading the book alone doesn't put you at a disadvantage.

Agreed. I found I spent too much time reading the chapter first then going through with the audio again because the book and the audios aren't quite 1:1. I got through my 2nd reading of Goljan in 9 days without the audio and found that the pace was reasonable (about 3 chapters per day) for my comprehension and absorption.

 

[amic1283]

what do you guys think of his first few chapters/audio on cell injury/repair, inflammation, and fluid and hemodynamics? I am wondering if i should listen to those audios (there are 7 hours worth) and read those chapters in his book along with listening, or should I just stick to the general path section in the first aid?? Basically what I am asking is, do you think his general path audios/book chapters in RR are worth the time?? Thanks!

 

[osli]

Not sure how well FA covers that general aspect of path (haven't taken a look at that section yet really since I haven't started my "intense FA memorization" period), but quite a few questions I've run into in UWorld came straight from those first few chapters/lectures of his.

 

[amic1283]

thanks! ill def stick with doing them then.