Step-Up to Medicine, North American Edition (Step-Up Series) Review
‘Blueprints Medicine’ is poorly written and poorly illustrated – its organization isn’t conducive for learning or reviewing: every organ-system-based section begins with verbose description of the differential diagnoses of symptoms, which is a real chore to read; then follows very scant and superficial presentation for just a few diseases – there are glaring omissions of many very hot topics; don’t expect to find detailed explanations of mechanisms of pathophysiology – this book doesn’t even provide clear pathophysiologic classifications – resembling but unrelated disorders are blended together in incomprehensible way; ‘Blueprints Medicine’ is too basic and oversimplified for average medical student, so you’ll be wasting a great deal of your time on reading stuff which you already know.
The USMLE Step 2 CK is a difficult exam and its toughest and most heavily tested subject is internal medicine – ‘Blueprints Medicine’ is absolutely not enough for this exam, as well as for internal medicine clerkship; without any doubt, it’s one of the worst of the ‘Blueprints’ series (together with ‘Blueprints Surgery’).
Instead of ‘Blueprints Medicine’, for the same purposes and the same price, I highly recommend ‘Step-Up to Medicine’ – this gem packed with info tops ‘Blueprints Medicine’ in every aspect – it’s better organized, more readable, more comprehensive and detailed, yet – more concise and high yield; description of pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment is thorough and decent, yet – clear and easily digestible; this is achieved by maximally balanced and efficient use of just 512 pages – only relevant information is presented, without extraneous details; in addition, ‘Step-Up to Medicine’ is much better illustrated than both ‘Blueprints Medicine’ and ‘First Aid for the Medicine Clerkship’ – lots of classic x-rays and ECGs, and the generous use of patient photos; I only suggest adding ample number of USMLE-ish case(vignette)-based MCQs to the next edition.
It’s a pity that books for other clinical subjects from ‘Step-Up’ series aren’t still available at this time, though the publisher – Lippincott Williams & Wilkins – advertised their release on the cover of ‘Step-Up to Medicine’ 2 years ago; maybe this could be explained by the fact that LWW then purchased the rights to publish ‘Blueprints’ series from Blackwell.
‘First Aid for the Medicine Clerkship’ is also better than ‘Blueprints Medicine’, but not as good as ‘Step-Up to Medicine’ – it’s quite readable and well-organized, but too superficial with regard to pathophysiology and weak with regard to treatment and management; many important diseases are barely covered; overall, to the point, but not enough detailed; it would also benefit from case-based MCQs.
So, I’d rate 3 reviews of internal medicine for shelf exam and for the USMLE Step 2 CK in the following order:
‘Blueprints Medicine’ < 'First Aid for the Medicine Clerkship' < 'Step-Up to Medicine'.
‘Step-Up to Medicine’ is an irreducible minimum for above mentioned exams – if you think that you need a more detailed resource (in the middle between mini-reference and a big textbook), then get ‘Andreoli and Carpenter’s Cecil Essentials of Medicine’ or ‘Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment’.
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Product Description:
This book is a primary review tool to prepare students for both the internal medicine clerkship and the end-rotation NBME shelf examination. This logical alternative to several limited-focus books blends a bullet-outline format students prefer in a review book with comprehensive paragraphs, as needed, for optimal preparation. Illustrations, charts, tables, graphs, mnemonics, and “Quick Hits” pearls for the clerkship speed and supplement learning. Ample content without superfluous detail enables students to readily evaluate and expand their knowledge of cardiology, pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, hematology, neurology, endocrinology, rheumatology, nephrology, genitourinary disorders, fluids and electrolytes, dermatology, and musculoskeletal problems. A new section in this Second Edition presents 100 USMLE-style clinical vignette-based questions with answers. A color insert contains over thirty full-color images. A companion Website will offer the fully searchable text and color photographs.
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