What textbooks will I 100% need for medical school?

[LuluLovesMe]

Mostly prompted because I need to spend $30 more to qualify for free Amazon shipping so I figured I could buy some textbooks now. -.-

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[Mansamusa]

You get 6 months of amzon prime free when you sign up woth your student email......most schools also let you have multiples emails.

(There are also textbooks you can find online. If you absolutely insist on buying a book- get Rohen's anatomy atlas, Netter's anatomy flashcards, Grant's dissector, or something for anatomy)

 

[LuluLovesMe]

You get 6 months of amzon prime free when you sign up woth your student email......most schools also let you have multiples emails.

(There are also textbooks you can find online. If you absolutely insist on buying a book- get Rohen's anatomy atlas, Netter's anatomy flashcards, Grant's dissector, or something for anatomy)

I find it much easier learning from a physical textbook rather than a PDF. For anatomy textbooks, everyone has suggested something different. Some people say Netters but I've also heard of Thieme, Grant's and now Rohen's. Not sure which to get.

 

[Mansamusa]

I find it much easier learning from a physical textbook rather than a PDF. For anatomy textbooks, everyone has suggested something different. Some people say Netters but I've also heard of Thieme, Grant's and now Rohen's. Not sure which to get.

You should still use the free student Amazon prime if possible. I'm pretty sure you need to have Grant's in anatomy lab with you and I've never seen a school that doesn't require it. Al the other books are "recommended" for anatomy

 

[LuluLovesMe]

You should still use the free student Amazon prime if possible. I'm pretty sure you need to have Grant's in anatomy lab with you and I've never seen a school that doesn't require it. Al the other books are "recommended" for anatomy

One of the items I want is an add on item too so just Prime won't work either.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

 

[neekzg]

Am interested in this as well as I need to use a $50 educational stipend within the next two weeks.

 

[Crayola227]

I find it much easier learning from a physical textbook rather than a PDF. For anatomy textbooks, everyone has suggested something different. Some people say Netters but I've also heard of Thieme, Grant's and now Rohen's. Not sure which to get.

Sometimes you need more than one.

Grant's is not detailed enough for learning all the anatomy you need. It is literally a step by step guide on how to dissect a cadaver.

Netters & Grey's are hand drawn illustrations. Which someone prefers is largely a matter of taste but you don't need both. I prefer Netter. Get whichever your school recommends. I think it's great to be familiar with one or the other because they are quintessential and tend to be used over and over.

Rohen's is unique and most people I have talked to preferred Grey's or Netter. Rohen's is actual photographs of professionally dissected cadavers, some illustrations, and some imaging. Most people need the conceptual images of Grey's or Netter as their primary text. You can totally skip Rohen's. I dont' regret having it on my shelf (I've shown it to non-medical people, lol).

You don't need Clinically Oriented Anatomy by Moore.

I don't know Thieme.

 

[Crayola227]

I think a histology book if your school requires/suggests it. The book by Ross.

A book for neuroanatomy.

You'll need something for biochem. What your school suggests or Lipponcott's.

I find Bate's Guide to Physical Exam awesome, but many will say you can skip.

One day, First Aid.

 

[ortnakas]

This is really variable depending on your school. Ask the second years what you need.

 

[MedNation907]

Make sure you know what's included by your school first. Do not even consider Thieme, especially if you're spending your own money. It's garbage in comparison to the others suggested. Rohens, by experience, is pretty good.


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[MedNation907]

I'd suggest a path book. Robbins and Coltran is good, medium sized (there's a super large one that's IMO too much)


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[FindMeOnTheLinks]

Make sure you know what's included by your school first. Do not even consider Thieme, especially if you're spending your own money. It's garbage in comparison to the others suggested. Rohens, by experience, is pretty good.


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This is blasphemous.



OP: BRS physiology is indispensable. Absolutely no reason not to have that book.


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[MedNation907]

This is blasphemous.

Not sure which part.

 

[Ismet]

Mostly prompted because I need to spend $30 more to qualify for free Amazon shipping so I figured I could buy some textbooks now. -.-

I used Netter's (illustrated anatomy) and Rohen's (labeled images of cadaver tissue) for anatomy and both were super helpful. I also got Rohen's flashcards for signing up for AMSA and those were great for some quick review before our practicals.

Other than those two, you should really wait until you get to school and hear from upperclassmen. Our lecture notes were more than enough for the majority of pre-clinical classes and Netter's was the only book I purchased in the first 2 years (used library copy of Rohen's). Also upperclassmen may hand down books or sell them for super cheap.

Maybe spend your $30 on other books (I suggest When Breath Becomes Air, anything by Atul Gawande) or something for yourself and hold off on buying books until you know what your school offers. Might be able to grab a lightly used Netter's off an upperclassman for $10.

 

[darkjedi]

Pocket Medicine is pretty great on the wards too. It's invaluable even to interns.

 

[Ismet]

Pocket Medicine is pretty great on the wards too. It's invaluable even to interns.

But by the time OP is on wards they'll probably be 2 editions newer on Pocket Medicine

 

[Law2Doc]

Bear in mind that a lot of the medical organizations give out free books to entice you to join, and a lot of books you "need" can be picked up from upperclassmen for pennies on the dollar, so you might end up overpaying if you get it too soon. I'm pretty sure I came away with a Netter and a Stedmans just by joining the AMA and AMSA for a year when I was in med school.

Most med schools use a "syllabus" these days -- hundreds and hundreds of pages of home generated text (probably online these days)as the primary "text book" so it's not really like college where you'll buy something from an actual publisher for each class.

 

[f4reignbeauty]

Do not buy anything until you start! Your school will let you know what books are required/recommended etc. The second years will also tell you which books were the most helpful.

 

[Taddy Mason]

I agree with waiting. Upperclassmen might have school specific recommendations, you might be able to buy books dirt cheap from upperclassmen, you might get free access to texts via online services or the library etc. That said here are some recommendations - I understand the urge to look into things/purchase things prior to matriculation despite being told to wait (which you should)...

Anatomy - Netter's Atlas of Anatomy, Rohen's (invaluable IMHO), Acland videos, and UMich anatomy website for questions

Biochem - BRS, Lippincott, and/or Rapid Review

Phys - BRS (aka Skinny Linda), Costanzo Physiology (aka Fat Linda), and Guyton and Hall review/question book; some people highly recommend Dr. Najeeb videos, but I never used them. Kaplan videos are also good for supplementation.

Neuro anatomy - Haines atlas

If micro is part of 1st year - Sketchy Micro (online video subscription); Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple was the go to before Sketchy and is still a decent source if you don't mesh with Sketchy.

Embryology - I just brute forced it with lectures which in retrospect I don't recommend. Some people in my class really liked High Yield Embryo, which I used while studying for Step and liked, and wish I had used it first year. I discovered the Kaplan videos while studying for step, wish I would've known about them 1st year.

Immunology - Abbas; a lot of people also recommend How the Immune System Works

Path (not needed until 2nd year unless path is integrated with phys) - Pathoma or Goljan Rapid Review (I used both and they're both good, but ultimately I preferred Pathoma and dropped Goljan) and Robbins Review of Path for questions

Pharm (likely not needed until 2nd year) - Sketchy Medical and/or Kaplan pharm videos along with pharm sections at the end of each organ system chapter in FA.

Clinical stuff - Bates is definitely worth getting if you don't like relying on the internet to figure stuff out. For preclinical my school's attitude was to follow Bates to a T - if you didn't you lost points. So if your school recommends a different text I'd get that instead; but I'm definitely of the camp that feels getting whatever is recommended for clinical medicine/physical exam is probably worth it in the long run.

UpToDate is awesome if your school has a PBL type curriculum and you have to do presentations or group discussions.

 

[claduva94]

The only books I used are Rohen+Thieme, BRS physio, Robbins and Cotran, Pathoma, First Aid, and First Aid Cases.

 

[futuremdforme]

None are guaranteed. I didn't buy a single one.

 

[caffeinemia]

First aid was really all I needed for the first two years. Too bad it's about 20 bucks.