First: The Need.
Many people begin medical school with very limited knowledge of all things needed to be successful in medical school.
This is further complicated by a lack of an immediate support network of older colleagues and medical personnel to help give direction in these periods of confusion.
The key difference between success in the medical field and simply surviving is access to essential materials and an understanding of how to use these materials in a way that works for you. One of the quintessential books we love to use to study is First Aid for USMLE.
First Aid for USMLE (2021)
At some point in your life as a medical student, you might hear about First Aid for Usmle (not to be confused with a first aid box oh. Even though it may very well be one. I first came across the First Aid for USMLE textbook in the few weeks leading up to the krok 1 exams (a general science exam taken by all Ukraine medical students after completing all basic fundamental science courses in 3rd year). While my initial experience with the book was that of being overwhelmed, I soon saw it as the perfect summarized volume. Trust me if you need to know the basics of just about everything in the core medical subjects, this is the book for you.
Why We Love This Book:
1. Pretty Handy Mnemonics.
SAD PUCKER anyone? Needless to say that this book was a lifeline with its timely mnemonics crafted to help you remember very important information. While some of them are quite clunky, a number of them are effective in directing effective memorization.
2. Comprehensive Notes.
This textbook does a great job of providing concise information on a wide range of subjects. Many a night, I revised these when I needed to get some quick information on some topics I was interested in. These notes are good for spaced repetition, quick memorization. It is truly remarkable how much information they capture in so few words.
3. Medical Compass.
This is not an advertisement for First Aid (But I’m sure it sure seems like it), but perhaps the best quality of this book is the sense of direction it provides to medical students. It has earned all the gushing over for the years of value it has provided to the millions of students who have used it. First Aid provides a structured approach to studying medicine and allows students to define how they want to distribute their time between subjects. This sense of direction is no doubt important for students to develop a sense of confidence in their abilities.
Conclusion.
While First Aid is not the end all be all, it is a good place to start. We encourage students to take the time to look into the promise this book holds. We are very confident in the return for investment if the student applies himself to studying with this book. We could go on and on about this book, but instead, we’ll love to hear from you.
Which resource do you love to use to study and why do you love to use this resource? Please let us know that in the comments section below.
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By the way you can rent some hard copy medical books here.
