Customer Reviews

Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary with CD-ROM, 31e (Dorland's Medical Dictionary)

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a medical textbook author, I felt a need to add Dorland's to my increasing collection of medical dictionaries, so I ordered a copy from Amazon.com. Now that I have used it for a couple of weeks, I can remember why I chose Stedman's back when my budget was more limited and I compared the two dictionaries with an eye to buying just one of them. I am repeatedly disappointed when I look up terms in Dorland's. Pronunciations are often lacking (e.g., for the cranial foramina and skeletal muscles), the illustrations are meager and inferior to Stedman's, and many terms are missing. Dorland's doesn't even define first-, second-, and third-degree burns, for example, and the levator labii superioris muscle and levator labii superioris alaeque nasi are completely missing from both the body of the dictionary and the appendix of muscle tables. Such omissions reflect either inexcusable carelessness or inexplicable editorial caprice. A professional writer or physician should have Dorland's on hand as a backup source. I find it useful for corroborating some facts and getting alternative meanings of words. But I still go to Stedman's as my first resort; it does a far better job. For a student or professional person with budget for just one good medical dictionary, I recommend Stedman's or the more economical but very good Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary.

Dorland's and Stedman's are the two premier medical dictionaries. Any physician or other person who requires frequent reference to medical definitions should probably own both (I do). Both books have occasional errors; each book has terms that the other lacks; and each book has some definitions that are superior to the those in the other. However, if you purchase only one, I recommend Dorland's. In my opinion, Dorland's has definitions for more terms, better definitions and fewer errors.

I'm not in a position to criticize anyone who prefers Mosby's or Stedman's dictionaries; however I have used all three and found the 30th ed. of Dorland's to be my personal favorite.

1. Anyone who uses books regularly knows the importance of a dictionary's binding and printing. Dorland's has a beautiful layout, easy-to-read font, and subtle and effective illustrations. The paper is top quality, and few books these days are so well bound. The book stays open at any page and when shut feels like a brick. The binding doesn't flex and the pages don't sag.

2. I am not a specialist, but I haven't found any word from a medical textbook that wasn't easy to locate and very well defined. The quality of the illustrations is really striking--particularly for anatomical terms. I find an excess of pictures and photographs distracting in a dictionary, and Dorland's are always well-chosen and relevant.

3. The CD-ROM/registration code is a nice plus. I can't comment on the PDA feature, but the access to the internet version of Dorland's is an incredible time saver if one happens to be working at the computer.

I love this dictionary. If I had time I'd read it cover to cover. The only downside is the size. There's definitely a place for Taber's or some other compact dictionary for travel, etc.

P.S.-- Thanks to Ken Saladin for his excellent critical review. The editors at Dorland's must have been listening too, since the 30th edition has all the terms he listed as missing (and hopefully others as well!)

I have used the Dorland's Medical Dictionary for 25 years working in a hospital transcription position. This dictionary makes looking up words easy and in most cases I could find what I was looking for in here when I could not find it in the Stedman's. I am buying books for working at home and this is one of my first choices.

I have been a medical transcriber for years and Dorland's far surpasses any other dictionary I have used. The layout is that of a common dictionary, which we're all accustomed to using, and it is easy to find the word you're looking for. Compare Stedman's: the layout is confusing in that there are are often many subcategories to one word, and I often cannot find a word I'm looking for, only to find it another day under some heading where I never dreamed it would be. When reading Dorland's, it is clear that the dictionary is geared to the medical professional, with its concise, scientific definitions and detailed illustrations. It is expensive, but well worth it.

As a medical transcriptionist, I have used many different medical dictionaries, but for me, Dorland's has always been regarded as the "Bible." I can always count on it to be accurate in listing all variations and extensions of words. To the person who complained about the quality of the paper of the dictionary and all sorts of "non-essential" things, I can only say look to the essentials of what a dictionary is supposed to be -- accurate, informative, easy to use, and a source you can rely on it -- and Dorland's provides all of those things.

At the medical publisher where I work, there is not a single desk without its own copy of "Dorlands," as we all call it. Those who have been editing medical books and journals a long time, like me, know it's a tool that is essential to our job. Those who are new to the profession find out quickly!

Every possible medical condition is described in this easy-to-read, easy-to-navigate treasure. Some of the peskiest problems in medical editing, knowing when to italicize a genus and/or species, and even identifying which IS a genus and/or species, is a quick page away with Dorlands. Therefore, I no longer fear the mention of pseudomonas (if I haven't spelled this right, forgive me...my Dorlands is back at the office!)

There are many other medical dictionaries, but most medical editors in the know use this one. And I imagine most medical students to as well. It's simply one of a kind.

As a medical transcriptionist for over 25 years, I would have to say the Dorland's has it all. I always reach for the Dorland's. Teaching at Vo-Tech I let my students know that I believe Dorland's is the best when searching for information. It always has anything I need and has the most informative definition for the word. Anyone who wants to suceed and not spend hours looking other places for medical information, should buy the Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary

Greek, Latin, and so on and so forth! If the issue concerns your understanding of all those strange, jaw-breaking medical terms; weep no more! Dorland's is your friend in need.
The 29th edition of this Illustrated Medical Dictionary is at the moment, (among) the best on clinical definitions. The only blemish though, is that anatomy and histology diehards would frown at the many black and white figures that have persisted for a hundred years!
Yes, there is need for colourful illustrations, but that does not take away much from the lexicon.
The CD-ROM version is particularly cute. It offers extreme flexibility to the user, without compromising any of the extra features that make e-books more attractive.

I found Dorland's Medical Dictionary to be an excellent reference source. I have been in the medical field for twenty-five years and always reach for Dorland's now when I have a question regarding a definition of any medical term. Excellent reference material!