Best medical encyclopedias according to redditors

• Maxwell Quick Medical Reference
  
  
• WhiteCoat Clipboard
  
  
• Multiple small notebooks
  
  
• Pen light
  
  
• Cheap decoy pens for the attending who asks to borrow one and never returns it

Pocket Medicine by Sabatine

I just ^(downloaded the book from) ^(libgen.io) purchased the book, and I didn't feel that it adds much compared to Pocket Medicine. Long answers to vague questions are not ideal to flashcard formats, IMO. Some of the frameworks are good, but he says in the preface (excerpt below) of the book that he didn't like a long list of differential diagnosis:

>I realized that having an approach to a problem in many cases is as simple as constructing a framework that divides the long differential diagnosis into shorter sublists, which are easier for our brains to store and process. Rather than memorize a long list of diagnoses, it is sufficient to remember the headings of a framework, from which many of the diagnoses can then be generated.

It turns out that the book just became another long list of diagnoses unless you use only the tips of the frameworks. Check this sample framework from the preface. Now check the same section from Pocket Medicine. As you can tell, very different approaches to clinical medicine. Getting a correct diagnosis (even a tough one) is not a heroic act; it is standard-care, evidence-based medicine. It doesn't matter if you memorize all causes of monoarticular inflammatory arthritis, because you'll most likely get a tap + pain characteristics + clinical epidemiology and get your diagnosis and treatment plan (often gives you the diagnosis in a retrospective manner). Being able to create differentials is one of the most important goals of medical school, and listing a long list of diagnosis based on simple frameworks sometimes is suitable for learning, but challenging to apply in a real-life scenario.

Having said all that, it only matters what you like and where you learn most from. The best Internal Medicine/Clinical Medicine is the one that teaches you most and makes you comfortable working and treating your patients. If there are no decks for this book, start slowly creating cards for you, as your necessity. In the preface, the author said that there were <8 frameworks that he had to use with a very high frequency (dyspnea, acute kidney injury, anemia, hypoxemia, diarrhea, fever of unknown origin, and syncope). Maybe starting with those will help you start building. All the best,
-Nick

There are 300 drugs on the NCLEX.

I haven't picked this up, personally, but I've seen this linked numerous times.

https://www.amazon.com/NCLEX-RN-Drug-Guide-Medications-Kaplan/dp/1625231148/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1482275083&sr=1-1&keywords=NCLEX-RN+Drug+Guide

Hello! I have lots of recommendations for you, though, I can't think of much for ethics off the top of my head, except for textbooks. I did take an online class that teaches students about genetic counseling offered by South Carolina and some ethical issues were discussed there. Like you, I also love reading and have found a variety of resources. For starters, this subreddit posts decent articles from time to time, so lurk here!


Textbooks
A Guide to Genetic Counseling: This is like the book for genetic counseling programs. It offers a comprehensive overview of counseling and most ethical things I've read about are through this text.


Facilitating the Genetic Counseling Process: This book is designed to help you learn how to communicate effectively with clients/patients.


There are more textbooks to read about genetic counseling that you can find via Amazon. If you want to learn more about diseases, maybe check out Smith's Recognizable Patterns of Human Malformation.


Online
I have found a few things to read online. In case you haven't heard of it The DNA Exchange is excellent. The writers are great and they tackle a whole host of issues. Two magazines I really enjoy are Genome and Helix.


Also, if you're not familiar with GINA, the National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics (NCHPEG) has a web page that explains it nicely.


Also, Unique has the cutest comic ever that explains rare diseases to siblings. Not to mention, that website has a lot of handouts on rare disorders!


Books
I found out about 90% of these books through the online class I took, which I mentioned at the beginning of this comment. I decided to link and give a few lines of each Amazon description to you so you don't have tab fatigue. Of these books, I have read Waiting with Gabriel and Before and After Zachariah. Both are excellent and raise great discussion points.


Choosing Naia: A Family's Journey by Mitchell Zuckoff - A dramatic and carefully detailed account of one family's journey through the maze of genetic counseling, medical technology and disability rights.


Babyface: A Story of Heart and Bones by Jeanne McDermott - When Jeanne McDermott's second child, Nathaniel, was born with Apert syndrome-a condition that results in a towering skull, a sunken face, and fingers webbed so tightly that hands look like mittens-she was completely unprepared for it. In this extraordinary memoir, McDermott calls on her dual roles as science journalist and mother to share her family's traumatic yet enriching experience.


Waiting with Gabriel by Amy Kuebelbeck - This memoir is the true story of parents who were told that their unborn baby had an incurable heart condition, confronting them with an impossible decision: to attempt risky surgeries to give their baby a chance at a longer life, or to continue the pregnancy and embrace their baby's life as it would unfold, from conception to natural death.


Expecting Adam: A True Story of Birth, Rebirth and Everyday Magic by Martha Beck - Expecting Adam is an autobiographical tale of an academically oriented Harvard couple who conceive a baby with Down's syndrome and decide to carry him to term.


Spelling Love with an X: A Mother, A Son, and the Gene that Binds Them by Clare Dunsford - Spelling Love with an X is the first personal memoir about living with fragile X and a reflection on the fragility of human identity in the age of the gene. Recalling the psychic wound of learning that she is genetically "flawed," Dunsford wonders: What do you do when you discover that you are not who you thought you were?


The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman - The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down explores the clash between a small county hospital in California and a refugee family from Laos over the care of Lia Lee, a Hmong child diagnosed with severe epilepsy. Lia's parents and her doctors both wanted what was best for Lia, but the lack of understanding between them led to tragedy.


Give Me One Wish by Jacquie Gordon - This is the story of a remarkable mother and daughter and their love as they make sense of life, and their relationship, in the face of a deadly disease. Jackquie Gordon cannot cure her daughter Christine's cystic fibrosis, but she can teach her to follow life's gifts wherever they lead so that she grows up eager to discover the world and her place in it.


Before and After Zachariah by Fern Kupfer - The heart-wrenching story of one couple's courageous decision to have their severely brain-damaged son cared for in a residential facility.


Anna: A Daughter's Life by William Loizeaux - Born with a number of birth defects known as VATER Syndrome, Anna Loizeaux’s chances for survival were uncertain.


Old Before My Time by Hayley Okines - In medical terms her body is like that of a 100-year-old woman. Yet she faces her condition with immense courage and a refreshing lack of self-pity.


Pretty is What Changes: Impossible Choices, the Breast Cancer Gene, and How I Defied my Destiny by Jessica Queller - Eleven months after her mother succumbs to cancer, Jessica Queller has herself tested for the BRCA gene mutation. The results come back positive, putting her at a terrifyingly elevated risk of developing breast cancer before the age of fifty and ovarian cancer in her lifetime.


There's also Lisa Genova's books. You've probably heard of Still Alice, which is about a woman who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. That was a good read! Her other books also deal with various medical diagnoses and I've heard Inside the O'Briens is quite good as well.


I hope this all helps. I apologize for the length, but I really wanted to share what I could! If you're interested, I could give you some ethical dilemmas to think about. I remember a few from interviews and reading about genetics. Good luck. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions about applications/interviews!

Mass General Handbook of Internal Medicine. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1496349482/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499773424&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Mass+General+Handbook+of+internal+medicine&dpPl=1&dpID=41vuJ2bQXNL&ref=plSrch

I've worked with two pharmacist for over 2 years now and they have over 20+ years of experience. I'm always in awe of them being able to immediately answer questions given from patients. So when floaters come by that are always new grads. I wouldn't expect them to know the same information as a pharmacist that has 20+ years of experience. Things get replace by other information all the time it's pretty normal, but you should always be studying as new drugs, laws, regulations keep coming out as the world of medicine keeps changing.

Something I always recommended floaters take with them is this book that has all the drugs in it. My pharmacy manager has an older copy that's half the pages of this one and he told me he used it diligently before all the options of technology rised. It's neat thing it fit in my coats pocket perfectly as I got one myself cause why not.

Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia 2017 Classic Shirt-Pocket Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/1284118991/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kI2szbCAYQVM3

Smith's Recognizable Patterns of Human Malformation

The most recent edition is only 3 years old.

Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopiea is what I used back in the day before smart phones were ubiquitous. If I remember correctly its more for dosing than mechanism or indications, but it's been a while since I cracked one open.

Don't buy anything until you talk to the class ahead of you. You won't need it on day 1. Once you know what you need, use amazon, it'll show up tomorrow.

The only things I use regularly are my stethoscope, pen light, $1 reflex hammer, and the Snellen chart on Maxwells.

Buying a PB cuff, otoscope, various other tools really is a waste of money.

Not dick-waving, just establishing credentials: I taught a neuroanatomy lab at Berkeley for three semesters, two with Marian Diamond, and won a teaching award for my efforts, so at least hear me out.

First, have your students buy the Human Brain Coloring Book. It may sound cheesy but it really does help and Dr. Diamond put together an amazing resource.

Second, have plenty of brain specimen (human if you can get them) on hand to let students do some hands-on dissections or viewings of what a real messy organic brain looks like.

Third, most undergrads learning neuroanatomy will be pre-med, so I like to roll in a lot of case studies with MRI/CT scans, videos, etc. Blumenfeld's clinical book is great for this.

Fourth, connect the anatomy to real research going on right now. Talk about how we now don't really think Broca's area is the actual spot for the motor aspects of speech (a la Dronkers). Show DTI images, etc.

Finally, something I've been doing for public outreach seems to be a great draw and works for a first class lecture: the zombie brain. It gets students thinking about how function and behavior link to the brain using something ridiculous, but not-as-boring (you can see me give a half-drunk lecture to a few hundred people at bar at the bottom of that page... it held their attention for 30 minutes).

Good luck!

I'm not a doctor, so this might not be helpful, but the pocket guide to the operating room is popular for surgical techs in the OR I work at, and it's a required book for the surgical tech program I'm in.

I have a PDF of if you're interested. Or use google, that's how I found it in the first place. :)

By far the best resource you can have. Never a time when PANCE Prep Pearls isn't relevant. All of my classmates have it too as a supplement, and my professor just said it is "worth its weight in gold" at the end of lecture today. I also will second UpToDate as a great online and app resource.

I also have Sanford's Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy and [Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia 2017 Classic Shirt-Pocket Edition] (https://www.amazon.com/Tarascon-Pocket-Pharmacopoeia-Classic-Shirt-Pocket/dp/1284118991/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510030082&sr=8-1&keywords=pharmacopeia+2017+pocket) as a prescription resource I can keep in my white coat.

Maxwell's is a must.

These clipboards are also extremely useful on the wards.

Towards the end of my third year I began to REALLY value my kindle. The 6" e-ink one fits easily in a white coat pocket. You can upload pdfs (i.e. relevant papers) and books to study from (i liked pretest).

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.

Start here: https://www.amazon.com/60-Second-EMT-Assessment-Diagnosis-Triage/dp/0801678129

The basics? Head to toe. Work your way down. Think ABC'S and life threats. You're trying to answer the question "what kind of thing is wrong."

Larone’s Guide to Identification

Medically Important Fungi by Larone

An awesome book for identifying fungi! Helped me a lot with the diagrams

Yes! 1) PANCE Prep Pearls, 2) Step-Up To Medicine, 3) First Aid for the Psychiatry Clerkship, 4) Pathophysiology Made Ridiculously Simple, 5) Clinical Neuroanatomy Made Ridiculously Easy.

2) Don't be afraid to change your study habits. You probably won't study the same way you did in undergrad or even post-bacc. It's a whole new ballgame.

the Maxwell quick reference is handy from time to time. otherwise, i use uptodate or epocrates on my phone.

Pestana's surgery review or the more recent book form

You should probably start with a couple of chemistry (intro and organic) and physiology courses. If you don't have a good science foundation, you won't be able to fully understand how all of these things work together in the body. Not to scare you away, but to get to the point where I think I understand the things you want to know, I had to take 5 semesters of chemistry (probably 2 were unnecessary), physiology, genetics and normal biochemistry plus 2 semesters of grad-level metabolism courses.

If you do already have a science background, then I recommend Lippincott's biochemistry text. We used it in my intermediate nutritional biochemistry course.

If you still have questions after that, then hit the literature. It's sometimes hard to get your questions answered if they're broad, but just look at the background section of related studies, see where they reference something you want to understand, go to their relevant source(s) and repeat the process. Eventually you'll find a paper where they lay it all out.

Our upper level metabolism courses don't use text books solely because there aren't any good ones out there for the level of biochemistry we study in the context of consumption.

This one
https://www.amazon.com/Robbins-Basic-Pathology-STUDENT-CONSULT/dp/1437717810/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481910284&sr=8-1&keywords=robbins+basic+pathology

MD here. Practical advice...don't get a bag. Carry as little as possible.

I would talk to her and see if her med school provides a copy of Pocket Medicine. If not I would recommend that.

Alternatively a small tablet like [this] (http://www.lg.com/us/tablets/lg-V400-Black-g-pad-7.0) was invaluable to me as a med student on rounds. It's small enough to fit in your white coat pocket and you can put UpToDate on it to quickly reference something without using your phone (some older docs do not like it when you take out your phone).

I would look to maximize her white coat and pants pocket space over getting a bag. If she matches into a specialty like ophtho or neuro where they carry a bunch of shit with them every day then consider investing in a nice bag.

Medical Spanish Made Incredibly Easy

It's a nice simple workbook that can make your conversations a bit easier. Another thing I did to help teach myself medical Spanish, was to listen to anybody speaking medical Spanish . . . other doctors, nurses or interpreters. I think the translators are the greatest resource in learning medical Spanish. Really listen to them. They are repeating exactly what you say, after all.

Every hospital microbiology lab I've worked at agrees that this is the best book for identification :

https://www.amazon.com/Medically-Important-Fungi-Identifi-cation/dp/1555816606

Don't know if it will be as relevant in the food micro world... It explains a lot about how to do a slide culture or LPCB prep. We typically use Sab-dex or PDA for good sporulation, otherwise what you're looking at can lead you off in the wrong direction.

There are medical flash cards for EMT courses that are pretty great. And once they give you your protocols start memorizing them.

After you finish your course check out [The 60 Second EMT] (http://www.amazon.com/The-60-Second-EMT-Assessment-Diagnosis/dp/0801678129/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368979070&sr=8-1&keywords=60+second+emt). Your assessments are very important as and EMT and more so if you become a medic. This book shows you how to get the most important information you need as quickly as possible.

If you're as hopeless with meds & dosing as I am, Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia has come in super handy! There are always apps like micromedex and epocrates for the same purpose, but whipping out my phone during rounds for a quick reference doesn't go over well...

I second every single one of those recommendations (with special emphasis placed on the blood bank and micro texts), but I do want to recommend a different text for Hematology/Hemostasis.

To fill in some other gaps:

This is what we used for Immunology/Serology.

Mycology and Parasitology. Virology was covered using online materials. I honestly found all of those materials a bit underwhelming. Abbott provides a pretty decent PDF on the Hepatitis Virus though.

BioChemistry. Though, the only reason I don't necessarily recommend it over the initial suggestion is because this book is so loaded with information it's honestly overwhelming; however, very very thorough.

Finally, I don't know what other review books people used for the ASCP, but this book's^^[1] publisher^^[2] guarantees you'll pass or your money back. I'm not sure if that information is actually listed on their website or not, it's just something to look into.

https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Guide-Operating-Room/dp/0803612265
great for looking up your upcoming cases. Has a good amount of cases and lists the steps, common equipment, etc. The book is great to keep in your locker but, if you dont want to spend money on a hard copy, you can find the pdf online

I found the Pocket Medicine MGH handbook to be very helpful for the situation you're describing. I would carry it down with me to the ED, quickly review the pertinent topics before seeing the patient, then have it in front of me while formulating my plan to cover my bases. Supplement with UpToDate if you have time to digest.

https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Medicine-Massachusetts-Hospital-Handbook-dp-1496349482/dp/1496349482/ref=mt_looseleaf?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1568137845

If you google sculpting the human figure in clay you will get quite a few hits.

My personal favorite is anything by Bruno Lucchesi. You can find a few of his videos on YouTube. His book "Modeling the Figure in Clay", while a bit sparse on details, served me very well in college.

For anatomy, a copy of "Grays Anatomy" would not be remiss, however, I prefer Stephen Rogers Peck's "Atlas of Human Anatomy for the Artist"

http://www.amazon.com/Maxwell-Quick-Medical-Reference-Robert/dp/0964519135

Yes, we did our fellowship together. She knows I say dude a lot. :)

If you need more info on neuroanatomy, here's a good reference. Though if the other books don't bore you, this one might!

Welcome. I started off for 5 years as an EMT, and now work as a Physician Assistant. Developing good assessment skills and clinical intuition from my days on the ambulance has been invaluable in my career. Also learning to handle stress situations and not freeze or freak out. I highly recommend the book The 60 Second EMT. Book on Amazon

Personally I love Rosens Emergency Medicine and Huszar's Basic Dysrhythmias and Acute Coronary Syndromes. Unfortunately Rosens is frightfully expensive, however Huszars is pretty cheap and you can pick up 2nd hand ones even cheaper.

This is what I use to study for pharm
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1625231148?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

A lot of the everyday knowledge needed to be an internal medicine doctor is contained in Harrison's http://www.harrisonsim.com/ Similarly, a lot of the knowledge needed for emergency medicine is contained in Rosen's http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1455706051?pc_redir=1397068775&robot_redir=1 or Tintinalli's http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0071484809?pc_redir=1397103426&robot_redir=1 however I completely agree with the people saying that this is just a fraction of what you learn in medical school and residency. The experience is at least as important, if not more so, than memorizing this info. There are similar books covering every specialty, but for surgical specialties I'd say the experience is even more important than for medicine specialties.

I've been using Tarascon pocket pharmacopoeia shirt-pocket edition and it has been great for looking up dosages, warnings, etc. it also has some nice reference charts at the beginning of each section.

What I really, really need are my textbooks that I can't afford for my upcoming internship starting in July. This mycology text currently has a used one for $16 plus 4 shipping.

Or what I also really need is a new flash drive. After 2 years of college I seem to have lost the one I had, and as I still remain a student I definitely need a new one! Right now I have one the campus library gave me, but it's less than a gig.

Thanks for the contest and Goodbye Eleven

Hey OP, I am browsing this sub for help to make sure this is the right book. is this the Pestana book everyone is referencing?

https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Pestanas-Surgery-Notes-Vignettes/dp/1609789164?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

I wouldn't pay as a student to get the advanced version of Epocrates. If the hospital has access to UpToDate and/or Lexicomp I would use those if you need more information. You could also purchase this pocket guide (https://www.amazon.com/Tarascon-Pocket-Pharmacopoeia-Classic-Shirt-Pocket/dp/1284095290/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1467399861&sr=1-1&keywords=tarascon+pocket+pharmacopoeia+2016) if you really like. However, as a student you won't be prescribing medications so I would just save your money.

UK/EU student? I feel like pocket medicine is the US equivalent.

Bu Oxford Tropical Medicine was clutch on my Africa rotation..

Maxwell Quick Medical Reference: http://www.amazon.com/Maxwell-Quick-Medical-Reference-Robert/dp/0964519135

Buy it, keep it in your pocket.

That's what I'm saying. OTC meds that anyone can get almost anywhere. There's a small book I've been using since my early Medic days at my first duty station. It's up to you but get the Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopia : http://www.amazon.com/Tarascon-Pocket-Pharmacopoeia-Classic-Shirt-Pocket/dp/1284095290/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450207414&sr=8-1&keywords=tarascon+pocket+pharmacopoeia+2016
I would put it in a heavy duty ziplock back for your BoB. If you've got more BoBs and medical kits, get one for each. It won't tell you which drugs to use for what ailments. It has route of admin, min/max dose, Brand/Generic names, etc.
It is small lettering for a good reason. This can go in your pants pocket. It's smaller than an empty wallet. This has been a highly valued item in my BoB and medical kit.

So not spiral bound but fairly compact Tarascon makes two sizes of pocket drug reference. Might be what you're looking for.

Doctors may occasionally call on an understanding of social science, art and philosophy. However suggesting these plays as greater role than science does in their field is plainly wrong.

Surgeons and physicians don't quote philosophers when providing care. The surgeon has his fine tools but it isn't art. The physician may have a empathic beside manner but it isn't anthropology.

I suggest you dump your "literature" and consult a medical textbook because, you won't find much philosophy there.

If you are open to an app, Epocrates and Nursing Central are my recommendations.

They cost money, I think $180?

If you want a booklet, Tarascon is great. I have an older edition, but a new one will only run you ~15. My husband is a PA and has found that this gives him a great summary of what you "need" to know.

https://www.amazon.com/Tarascon-Pocket-Pharmacopoeia-Classic-Shirt-Pocket/dp/1284118991/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505328174&sr=1-1&keywords=pocket+pharm

I personally use epocrates, or the drug info in the MAR. Chances are, your system you use in the hospital will have a drug information sheet available (usually via a right click over the drug) in the MAR. You could always wait and see if it suits your needs.

Biology is nothing without chemistry so you need to know the basics of chemistry as well. My favourite book is the Color Atlas of Biochemistry by Jan Koolman, K. Rohm.

Another very useful book is Biochemistry (Lippincott Illustrated Reviews Series) by R. Harvey.

Many past participants recommend the Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, however, this book may be too detailed for olympiads.

GENETICS TEXTBOOKS|

Genetics: Analysis and Principles (WCB Cell & Molecular Biology) by Brooker presents an experimental approach to understanding genetics and what I like most is that there are plenty of problems with explanations and answers. Another good textbook for genetics is Genetics: From Genes to Genomes, 5th edition by Hartwell. Genetics: From Genes to Genomes is a cutting-edge, introductory genetics text authored by an unparalleled author team, including Nobel Prize winner, Leland Hartwell.

GENERAL BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS|

It is not a secret that the Bible of Biology is Campbell Biology (11th Edition). It is a good book and it covers all fundamental biology topics, nevertheless, some topics are discussed only concisely so some good books in addition to Campbell’s could come in handy.

HUMAN ANATOMY |TEXTBOOKS

For human body anatomy and physiology great books are Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach (7th Edition) by Dee Unglaub Silverthorn or  Vander’s Human Physiology. 

MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY|TEXTBOOKS

My top choice for molecular biology is Molecular Biology of the Cell by Bruce Alberts, et al. This is book is a big one, a hard one, an interesting one, a useful one. From my point of view, current and upcoming IBOs are focusing on molecular and cell biology because these fields are developing so rapidly and thus these branches of biology are perfect source for olympiad problems. So try to read it and understand it. If you want something cheaper than Alberts but equally useful, try Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fifth Edition: The Problems Book

PLANT BIOLOGY|TEXTBOOKS

Many past biology olympiad questions contain quite a lot of problems about plant anatomy and physiology. Thus, I suggest to read Stern’s Introductory Plant Biology.  Another amazing book for plant biology is Biology of Plants by Peter H. Raven, Ray F. Evert, Susan E. Eichhorn.

​

TEXTBOOKS FOR AND PROBLEM SOLVING|TECHNIQUES

Science competitions test a student’s level of knowledge, power of scientific reasoning, and analytical thinking outside of the regular school curriculum. A systematic approach and smart study regimen are both required to get good results in science competitions. This is where my book How To Prepare for the Biology Olympiad And Science Competitions by Martyna Petrulyte comes into the picture.

this is big: http://www.amazon.com/Robbins-Cotran-Pathologic-Disease-Pathology/dp/1455726133/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454033899&sr=8-1&keywords=robbins+pathologic+basis+of+disease

this is medium: http://www.amazon.com/Robbins-Basic-Pathology-STUDENT-CONSULT/dp/1437717810/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454033924&sr=8-1&keywords=basic+robbins

https://www.amazon.com/NCLEX-RN-Drug-Guide-Medications-Kaplan/dp/1625231148

I studied the crap out of Lippincott's Illustrated Review: Biochemistry.

I still think I could have done better on the MCAT if I had taken both classes in addition to studying from that book, but even then, I think the book covered more material and gave me a better understanding. My genetics class had also covered enough biochemistry that it actually ended up being more useful in the long term... not that that helps you if you don't have time for a genetics class, but it might be a good idea to include genetics material in your biochem studying.

Ochem II was pretty unnecessary/useless for my mcat, but then again, not everybody gets the same questions, and more importantly, not everybody covers the same information in an Ochem II class. If I made a list of all the Ochem II topics that I wish I had studied going into the test, I think only about one or two of them even ended up being covered in my actual Ochem class... it was just a very low-yield class IMO.

SUTM?

I used this book when I had to learn medical spanish: link

Interesting that this seems to be the general consensus. I was expecting to hear that Harrison's or Davidson's is a must. I'll trust you guys, since so many times the book that my university chooses is just way of the mark, it seems they're really just picking on name alone then the actual content. Btw, I'm a European student, and the course will last for around 3 months every day. Is this it http://www.amazon.co.uk/Step-Up-Medicine-Steven-Agabegi/dp/1496306147/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457975056&sr=8-1&keywords=step+up+to+medicine ?