First Aid for the USMLE Step 2 CK, Seventh Edition (First Aid USMLE) [Paperback]

Tao Le (Author), Vikas Bhushan (Author), Herman Bagga (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 007162354X | ISBN-13: 978-0071623544 | Publication Date: September 30, 2009 | Edition: 7

An indispensable high-yield review for the USMLE Step 2 CK!

The seventh edition of First Aid for the USMLE Step 2 CK is written by medical students who successfully passed the exam and reviewed by top faculty. The result is proven information and strategies that maximize your study time and deliver the results you want!

Features:

• Thousands of must-know facts that summarize frequently tested topics
• Completely updated based on feedback from students who passed
• 120+ photographs similar to those on the exam
• 16 pages of full-color clinical images
• Rapid Review section for last-minute cramming
• Updated ratings of Step 2 CK review resources

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tao Le, MD, MHS is Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics in the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at The University of Louisville. He is the founder of USMLE Rx.com, an online subscription database of USMLE review questions.

Vikas Bhushan, MD is a practicing diagnostic radiologist in Los Angeles.

Herman Singh Bagga, MD, Resident, Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco

Product Details

• Paperback: 606 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Medical; 7 edition (September 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007162354X
• ISBN-13: 978-0071623544
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Medical Books > Medicine > Test Preparation & Review

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not good enough, December 7, 2009

By 

Tina Wu "MS4" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Aid for the USMLE Step 2 CK, Seventh Edition (First Aid USMLE) (Paperback)

While there are not very many resources out there for Step 2, this book is mediocre. The organization of the book is scattered and index is particularly bad. Most of the material is in the book, but it's hard to find it since the index is terrible. I would not use this as a stand alone study guide. In a lot of instances, it tells you signs and symptoms and the diagnosis, but doesn't mention the treatment (which is extremely important in Step 2). It falls short of expectations since First Aid for Step 1 was much much better.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars no better book for now..., February 14, 2010

By 

David "David" (Paris, France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Aid for the USMLE Step 2 CK, Seventh Edition (First Aid USMLE) (Paperback)

I was expecting much after having used the 1st aid step1 book for the first exam, and was in fact quite disappointed. I wrote once or twice to the editor to let them know some missing chapters like... Chronic kidney disease or rhabdomyolysis (super high yield), and a few other (less important) chapters that are not treated in the book! This can drive you crazy a few days before the exam you can imagine:) I however recommend the book to everyone who has not more expectations than using it as a rough basis on which one will need to add a lot of additional details, ...and syndromes. For now, do we have any better concise book?

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Man Overboard!, October 20, 2010

By 

William Mcfadden "William Mcfadden" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Aid for the USMLE Step 2 CK, Seventh Edition (First Aid USMLE) (Paperback)

This is a real disappointment compared to the kind of material that I have seen the First Aid team put out. Most people told me as much, but I didn't believe them. I had stocked a lot of faith in FA for step 1 material and was certain that step 2 stuff would be just as strong. I was wrong. The one good thing about this book is that it uses images that you may be familiar with from the step 1 FA. The chapters are incredibly vague on definitive treatment and diagnosis. Each condition had a list of tests that one "might" use to treat/diagnose a condition. Step 2 questions really wanted to have a more definitive answer than what might be used. Next, there were areas that were grossly neglected and couldn't be found in the book at all. I constantly had to write large areas of notes on disease that are very common, but are not found in the book. One example is otitis media, not as much as a word on the subject. Finally, the book is lengthy compared to other review books, in a really bad way. The text is constantly being ridiculous. For example, if someone has pharyngitis, you don't need to spell it out that you should look in the mouth. I would think that's a given, but this book consistently proves otherwise using line upon line to write out ridiculous material. It can make reading the text very annoying and time consuming. Finally, the editing is horrendous. In comparing an edition from 2009 to 2010, the authors actually added in mistakes to existing text! How can you do that? It really adds to the fact that this is a fly by night book that is feeding off the First Aid name that people have come to adore for step 1 material. In the end, this book wasn't good enough for anything more than a quick read through. As an alternative, I would suggest step up to step 2, which is shorter in length and gets to the point.