Best medical assistants books according to redditors
We found 67 Reddit comments discussing the best medical assistants books. We ranked the 31 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 67 Reddit comments discussing the best medical assistants books. We ranked the 31 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Disclaimer: Some of this advice I consider 'no duh' but I figured I'd say it just in case.
On shelf exams:
On electronic devices and apps:
On boards:
On wards:
On evaluations:
In general: Third year can be frustrating because it varies so wildly. Some of you will have cush rotations where you're done at 10:30 am. Some of you will enter the hospital before the sun rises and leave when it is setting. Some of you will feel like you're shadowing again. Some of you will be treated like interns (and abused because you don't have work-hour restrictions). Some will find out the thing they thought they wanted they hate and others will find out the thing they want is beyond their reach (because of family obligations, board scores, or another thing all together). Some of you will deliver 80 babies a month and some of you won't even do a Pap smear. Every hospital has a different culture; just be polite, professional, and let yourself be immersed. You'll pick it up soon enough.
TL; DR: Life is short. Be excellent to each other.
EDIT: Added some stuff, found out there's a size limit on comments, made a second part.
As AndroidPolice mentioned, it is still more expensive than the paperback versions, and you don't get to trade it in at the end of the quarter/semester:
Ganong's Review of Medical Physiology, 24th Edition
Katzung Basic and Clinical Pharmacology
Melnick & Adelberg Medical Microbiology
So, would I essentially pay twice as much just for convenience?
In a way, he's not wrong. It is a culture thing but it's a culture that needs changing. The emphasis is on fixing health issues, not preventing them in the first place. There's an attitude that there is a device/procedure/medicine that can take care of anything, which leads to stupidly large sums of money being spent chasing lost causes and ridiculous medicines to the masses.
As for administration, of course the costs are out of control. Each medical facility has to bill multiple (in the dozes if not 100+ in some cases) insurance companies. Every procedure has to be "coded." The current ICD 10 coding book runs to 1250 pages.
Then there are the doctors. Some are people who are in it because they want to help and it's a calling, not a job. In my experience though, most are there purely for the money and prestige. Six-figure salaries is putting it mildly. Most I've known have been making closer to 7 and running all kinds of businesses and ventures on the side. They seem to like to dabble in property and politics mainly.
Of course, there's a fix for all this. Expand Medicare to all. That would take care of a lot of the admin overhead. Make medical school free or highly subsidized and encourage people who want to be in medicine for the right reasons.
Lily's
http://www.amazon.com/Pathophysiology-Heart-Disease-Collaborative-PATHOPHYSIOLOGY/dp/1605477230
Buy Lilly
This book is unequivocally the greatest book I have ever read.
I get a hard on just thinking about it. Probably better than pathoma honestly, it's just a super limited scope of information so it's only good for cardio
https://www.amazon.com/Pathophysiology-Heart-Disease-Collaborative-Students/dp/1605477230
Pocket Medicine is a good one to have, just buy it already you won't regret it!
> I was thinking on drawing 50 arms, 50 legs and so on,
This will accomplish absolutely nothing if you aren't sure what you're doing in the first place. So, let's go over a few things to help you with this instead.
Let me tell you a few things that I picked up as soon as I saw your drawings:
Let's take this apart step by step and see where some progress can be made. First, the face:
Next, the body:
Lastly, your (lack of) shading:
And here's a last:
You're talking about inpatient medicine, right?
Get yourself one of these pocket medicine books if you haven't already.
Don't just read anything for 30-45 minutes a day. Read about your patients. You're going to need to talk about their pathology, possible diagnoses, and treatment options in the coming days.
On presenting your patients - practice, practice, practice. Print out a template of things you want to go over in your presentation so you have something to follow. (I always tended to get off track or out of order if I didn't follow a set routine.)
Here's the one I was talking about:
http://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Certification-Recertification-Examinations-Assistants/dp/1605477265/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1380770283&sr=8-2&keywords=pance+review
Here's the Davis, which has better reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/Daviss-PA-Exam-Review-Focused/dp/0803629516/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380770187&sr=8-1&keywords=pance+review
Here's my personal favorite:
http://www.amazon.com/Step-Up-Medicine-Series-Steven-Agabegi/dp/1609133609/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380770247&sr=8-1&keywords=step+up+to+medicine
Trust the process. You'll learn what you need to learn.
BRS is nice and dense, but somewhat outdated.
Your best resource, by far is going to be Pediatrics in Review (and for NICU, NeoReview). They provide excellent review articles for any topic you might wish to learn about. Read these articles often.
Nelsons is the reference "bible" if you will, but I don't know if I'd drop the dough on paying for a full Nelson's. Nelson's Essentials on the other hand, is quite digestible.
You mentioned Pocket Medicine, and there is a Pocket Pediatrics, but I've never used it. Harriet Lane is definitively the standard reference but a bit thick to stick in a white coat pocket (every halfway decent program has like 4-5 of these strewn about the resident work-room).
The good news is, you can sort of pick and choose what reference texts you want. For board prep you'll get the usual "laughing your way", PREP, and medstudy, etc. I also think it's not a bad idea to pick up a text correlating to your field of interest.
For instance, I like critical care. So I picked up Roger's Handbook of Pediatric Intensive Care (the much more portable version of the larger text).
Hope that helps!!
Wikipedia is a good place to start for inarguable content like basic physiology, pathology, etc. Provincial treatment standards are often in the form of various (often conflicting) medical society guidelines. For Internal Medicine specifically (which is of course most of medicine in the end), Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine (digital version available) is the "next level" and "bible" of internal medical education and for treatment principles. A concise, well-sourced reference like the Washington Manual or (IMHO better) The Sabatine Mass Gen handbook are great. Uptodate is great but expensive.
I'm an Internal Med hospitalist (U.S.) and also in the field of General Preventive Medicine and Public Health.
> Robert S. Lilly
My bad, it was Leonard Lilly.
https://www.amazon.com/Pathophysiology-Heart-Disease-Collaborative-PATHOPHYSIOLOGY/dp/1605477230
Grapfruit and a handful of other things interact with heart drugs, these interactions aren't covered in too much detail in the textbook
A pocket medical guide that she can keep in her coat. AFAIK this is one of the best ones that doctors use.
Dr. John West is a legend in pulmonology. He teaches at UCSD and his lectures can be found here: http://meded.ucsd.edu/ifp/jwest/resp_phys/
Pathophysiology lectures here: http://meded.ucsd.edu/ifp/jwest/pulm_path/index.html
His book: Respiratory Physiology is a great one.
What I started with: Stethoscope, sphygmomanometer or a sphygmomanometer for the lazy, pulse oximeter, reflex hammer, tuning fork, a pen light, notebook, Maxwell, pocket medicine, clipboard, 48 pens (of which I somehow only have 2 left), and finally a pack of decoy pens to hand out to people that need to "borrow" a pen but never give back.
Seriously where do all of my pens go??? It turns out half them went into my gf's bag x(.
What I was given or picked up along the way: scalpel, needle drivers, tweezers, scissors, various types of vicryl, bandages, gauze, alcohol wipes, surgical lube (that I took from the hospital when no one was looking ;) ), and a pocket CPR mask. I took a bunch of normal saline and IV kits as well but they don't fit in the bag.
That's really probably a lot to do/ask, especially before next week. Just as or more important, is to have the right resources to get them quickly. There are a few great medical calculator apps, but just about as fast is getting the "Purple Book" (formerly the green, then red, then blue book) for internal medicine and [Tarascon's Internal Medicine and Critical Care pocket books](Tarascon Internal Medicine & Critical Care Pocketbook). Between those two, I've only needed to look up extra calculators/equations for fairly obscure things.
The Purple book runs $40-60 usually, but I got my Tarascon for like $20-30 a couple years ago. For some reason it's more expensive than rent/a week of medical school/etc at about $485. No idea why.
*edit formatting
All you need:
http://www.amazon.com/Pathophysiology-Heart-Disease-Collaborative-PATHOPHYSIOLOGY/dp/1605477230
This book is excellent.
The uwise modules are designed to go hand in hand with the Beckmann Ob/Gyn textbook. The textbook is excellent and a pretty easy read. I only read the text + UWise questions + UW and did excellent on the shelf.
Link to book: Obstetrics and Gynecology https://www.amazon.com/dp/1451144318/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ElNCxbPM0EJY5
I'll echo what's already been said, don't waste money on an expensive suture kit. [These] (http://www.ethicon.com/healthcare-professionals/education/student-knot-tying-kit) are always on backorder but keep checking and eventually they get more... they are free.
The only thing I can't imagine doing without during my clinical (and something your program won't require) was [Pocket Medicine] (https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Medicine-Massachusetts-Hospital-Handbook/dp/1451193785/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478036929&sr=8-1&keywords=pocket+medicine). I am convinced this book alone can get you through 90% of your rotations... It was the only pocket reference I carried in my white coat for every rotation. It's the only pocket reference I STILL carry from school. I think a new version is coming sometime this month so you could wait for that!
Respiratory Physiology by John B West
http://www.amazon.ca/Respiratory-Physiology-John-West-PhD/dp/1609136403
Its highly recommended by most. I haven't myself read through it but I do intend to. Its a small book and heard its an easy read.
http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Medicine-Massachusetts-Hospital-Handbook/dp/1451193785?ie=UTF8&keywords=pocket%20medicine&qid=1463463929&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1
Could not recommend it more. It has been invaluable so far on my inpatient medicine rotation.
Netter's Atlas if you just want a big book with lots of great drawings of everything.
The text book has all the background information and clinical correlations, but often not as many, or smaller images. Netter's Clinical Anatomy is good if you want something a bit slimmer and simpler that still has all the basic anatomy. If you want something more beefy I highly recommend Moore's Clinical Oriented Anatomy. It's a big book, but it has everything in it you could want.
Netter's Atlas
Netter's Clinical
Moore's Clinically Oriented Anatomy
No problem, I'm glad it was helpful!
This is the book we used in school. I would say it is pretty advanced as far as EMS goes, but if you're think you're up for it, this could be an excellent read for a paramedic looking to really focus on cardiac pathophysiology. Make sure you've got the basics down first, then try it out.
I used the BOC Study Guide (actually I just pulled it out of my trunk and was going to take it to work), 5th edition was the newest then. I also used MediaLab Exam Simulator, we had used it during my program and my subscription was still good (I use it for my CEUs now). I also picked up some review cards (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0803604599) which were helpful, I would take a few with me wherever I went.
Six year program? As in a 3 plus 3 program? Nice!
I too am in the same boat and have asked the same question. From many responses that I've gotten, I'm preparing by by Netter's Atlas, I've heard it's a great supplement to any class.
Netter's Atlas here
If you scroll down you can also see the items that it's frequently bought with...I also purchased the flash cards and the coloring book....when was the last time you could say as in an adult you have an excuse to color in a coloring book!?
There’s a (reportedly good) book about this.
http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Medicine-Massachusetts-Hospital-Handbook/dp/1608319059
This has everything you need to present and treat internal med patients, and that'll cover a large proportion of what you get on other rotations as well.
I'd recommend buying ECG workout
Not an app, but it's a great book. Not too expensive, and it covers lead II interpretation very well.
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Getting-Physician-Assistant-Edition/dp/007163973X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394385772&sr=8-1&keywords=physician+assistant
Start here. It gives a good general background on getting into a school and what to expect.
http://www.amazon.com/Respiratory-Physiology-Essentials-RESPIRATORY-PHYSIOLOGY/dp/1609136403/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
This book has clearly, by far, the highest ratio of relevant medical fact to pages that has ever been constructed. The only problem is: you practically have to know every word.
Also, it principally deals with the adult lung, and the principles that allow understanding of the diseases of middle to late age.
Also it's dense. Chapter 7, innocently titled 'the mechanics of breathing', covers a staggering amount of material.
Best of luck.
Edit: Have to add, West is in my EDC. It is the bees knees.
I would say that if you're really interested I'd start with this or this. Here is one free article on just that specific topic.
But as an anesthesiologist I mostly see it in acute airway obstruction, such as a patient biting down on an endotracheal tube during extubation, a patient with an obstructive mass, etc. It certainly can happen during diving, especially with a kinked hose or breathing far past what your regulator can deliver or something - but I'm really not as familiar with that setting. It's easy to imagine it getting confused with regular drowning or near-drowning.
The best book I found was this one on amazon. It was practice test strips and explanations in the back.
https://www.amazon.com/ECGs-Made-Easy-Reference-Package/dp/0323101062
It was actually a textbook I had when I took an EKG class for my bachelors in exercise science degree.
The BRS books are really good! The newer editions have a bit more colour and fluff and I actually prefer the older ones, but they're still really great. It's written completely in point form, highlights important topics, and has tons of practice questions after everychapter with full explanations.
link
>So, when shooting a gun what muscles in your fingers, arm, shoulder are working?
https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Human-Anatomy-Interactive-Ancillaries/dp/1455704180
>How fast is your heart pumping?
https://www.amazon.com/Mayo-Clinic-Cardiology-Textbook-Scientific/dp/0199915717/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480547395&sr=1-10&keywords=cardiology
>How are your leg muscles prepared for the power of the shot?
https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Anatomy-Plus-Winking-Skull/dp/9380378998
Online Med Ed for everything
Surgery: Pestana notes (or the Kaplan review book written by him)
IM: As many COMBANK questions as possible, Step Up to Medicine
Peds: This PDF and Case files or Deja Review Peds
OBGYN: The Beckmann text has some questions ripped word for word. Otherwise, I liked COMBANK
OMM: Savarese and COMBANK
Psych: This
This is the one I was told about.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0323101062?pc_redir=1406194981&robot_redir=1
I've always understood a stress test to be considered positive if chest discomfort is reproduced or EKG abnormalities consistent with ischemic heart disease develop. Reproducible stable angina is enough to consider the test positive even in the absence of EKG changes.
Tests are considered markedly positive if:
Pharmacologic and nuclear testing are necessary in patients with absolute contraindications to exercise stress testing, such as severe arthritis, lower limb amputation etc.
All this info is from: Pathophysiology of Heart Disease, 5th edition (Lilly).
EDIT: Reading your statement again you are correct in that you cannot make a diagnosis, but you should consider the stress test positive when making your diagnosis.
Check out High Yield Neuroanatomy, this was what most of my class used to learn the basics to pass.
https://www.amazon.com/High-Yield%E2%84%A2-Neuroanatomy-High-Yield-Douglas-Gould/dp/1451193432/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473197204&sr=8-1&keywords=high+yield+neuroanatomy
https://www.amazon.com/ECG-Workout-Exercises-Arrhythmia-Interpretation/dp/1451115539
​
To be honest, I didn't buy this. It was given to me by my roommate, but it has a lot of practice strips with answers in the back if you feel that would help you out. I am a hands on learner, and for some reason it just clicks so much better with me when I am sitting in front of the tele monitor watching the rhythm while looking in my book. It's a big book, and it's nice when I have time to sit with it.. But I really feel like a laminated card you can attach to your badge or tape to your clipboard that has parameters like: "PR interval > .20 = 1st* block ->Asymptomatic" would be MUCH more useful for when you're on the floor.
​
Pumped for you, I'll be there soon.
I won't be taking the exam until June of next year, so I'm interested in seeing the resources that others mentioned, too.
My instructors haven't mentioned using anything beyond the BOC, so I have both that and the downloadable program for my iPhone. I have heard very good things about the Polansky flash cards from others.
It’s $$ but sounds like you’re looking for something like Pocket Pediatrics
These are EXCELLENT books. I bought both.
Cardiovascular: http://www.amazon.com/Pathophysiology-Heart-Disease-Collaborative-PATHOPHYSIOLOGY/dp/1605477230
Nephrology: http://www.amazon.com/Renal-Pathophysiology-Lippincott-Williams-Wilkins/dp/1451173385/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412406478&sr=1-1&keywords=renal+pathophysiology
I tested in Idaho and used these 2 books to study:
CNA Certified Nursing Assistant Exam Cram https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002TF903W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_dTASzb5GFC60T
The Official CNA Study Guide: A Complete Guide to the CNA Exam with Pretest, and Practice Tests for the NNAAP Standard https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015GSEOM0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_VTASzbZMKABYX
Is it this title https://www.amazon.com/H:igh-Yield-Neuroanatomy-Douglas-J-Gould-ebook/dp/B010TREQ6W?
I played the free quiz game on LabCE's website. You get questions from all the disciplines until you miss five questions. There are no limits on how often or long you play.
These cards are awesome and they fit in lab coat pockets so you can review them while you are waiting on timers, centrifuges, etc.
Goodman and Gilman as well as Katzung are both considered standard pharm books for med students:
http://www.amazon.com/Goodman-Gilmans-Pharmacological-Therapeutics-Twelfth/dp/0071624422
http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Clinical-Pharmacology-LANGE-Science/dp/0071764011