Starter kit for GEM

WoolahUrma

I'm trying to get my gear together for first year GEM.

What do I need?

Does anyone have any ideas on what books should be bought?

I know I could spend millions on a massive library that can be just found in the library. I need to know what books are are vital for the year. I've seen a few anatomy books being mentioned. Is the mcat one the best of the lot? Is there a particularly good place to get second hand books? Do the past pupils put them someplace?

Is there anything else med specific that I could get in advance?

Any ideas are greatly appretiated!!!

etymon

A hip flask and a large amount of Lidl vodka. And the Oxford Handbook. Nowt else.

WoolahUrma

etymon wrote: »

A hip flask and a large amount of Lidl vodka. And the Oxford Handbook. Nowt else.

Concise, insightful. Did you take down the blog?

etymon

Yeah, Ireland's too small to be talking about patients. I mean say a surgeon let me carry out a circumcision on my surgery rotation. Which actually happened. There's probably about five people who got that done on the same day in an RCSI hospital, all of whom might want to sue when they see the results :-)
I am actually serious re: the above. Don't buy anything except Oxford Handbook. I never bought an anatomy text. No need. And the hip flask is still serving me well to this day.

WoolahUrma

etymon wrote: »

Yeah, Ireland's too small to be talking about patients. I mean say a surgeon let me carry out a circumcision on my surgery rotation. Which actually happened. There's probably about five people who got that done on the same day in an RCSI hospital, all of whom might want to sue when they see the results :-)
I am actually serious re: the above. Don't buy anything except Oxford Handbook. I never bought an anatomy text. No need. And the hip flask is still serving me well to this day.

I know you stopped writting it but you went and took the whole thing down. I recommended it to someone who wanted to know what being a med student is like (my mom) but its not there. Ill look into the oxford text. I suppose Ill pick up a second hand one handy enough

pc11

etymon wrote: »

A hip flask and a large amount of Lidl vodka. And the Oxford Handbook. Nowt else.

Etymon, when I google Oxford Handbook I get a lot of results. Can you specify which one exactly? Ta muchly.

Biologic

Oxford handbook of clinical medicine.

WoolahUrma

Book ordered! 8th edition new, 30 squid to the door on amazon

caroline1111

I find it hard to believe they would go straight into using the oxford handbook of clinical medicine... surely you have to know about the workings of the body before diseases...
Sherwoods physiology, netters atlas, lasts anatomy and lippincotts biochemistry would surely be more appropriate..
certainly at undergrad you wouldnt start using clinical books until around 3rd year...

beardedmaster

I'd go with Berne & Levy's Physiology above Sherwood's, tbh.

PeadarGalway

WoolahUrma congrats on getting your place!
Im guessing you're headed for RCSI? As a newly minted GEP2 I can say that Etymon is spot on, that book will be YOUR SAVIOUR from week 2 onwards for case of the week.

With regards to other books I'd hold off. I know its difficult. I KNOW YOU GOT IN AND WANT TO BUY ALL THE THINGS RIGHT NOW! But don't. Wait until classes get started and you have had a few lectures and a chance to nose around the library. The GEPS get back earlier than the undergrads so you'll have a chance to experience a very quiet Mercer library for a while. Everybody has different preferences for books - personally loved Sherwood (its the most popular and is generally hard to get in the library during term.Its also the book that a lot of lecturers will steal their slides from) and used Grey's anatomy to top up on extra details that I wanted to know. Berne and Levy is the devil's work in my opinion, especially for nonscience grads - its badly organised, assumes knowledge and often doesn't explain what you actually NEED to know in a straightforward manner. You'll learn this year that you want books to get to the point quickly! But again, thats just my opinion.

All of the books you will ever need are available as pdfs and will be circulated amongst your class - one of us will throw you guys a USB key with them all on there at one of the GEP1/GEP2 intro meetings.

If you REALLY want to buy a book, might I suggest the Monkhouse master medicine anatomy book - it was written by a former prof of anatomy in RCSI and it follows the course that you will have this year pretty much to the letter. (FYI some people love this book, and some people hate it - either way EVERYBODY uses it come exam time, for the affectionately known "Green book questions", and for 'card signings' - ooooh the joys )

Be excited, enjoy the rest of your summer, and dont worry about this stuff yet