First Aid for the Basic Sciences, General Principles (First Aid Series) [Paperback]

Tao Le (Author), Kendall Krause (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 007154545X | ISBN-13: 978-0071545457 | Publication Date: December 4, 2008 | Edition: 1

Everything you need to build a foundation for learning the basic medical sciences in one comprehensive review!

4 STAR DOODY'S REVIEW!
"I would recommend this book to those preparing for USMLE Step 1. The chapters are inclusive with useful color pictures and charts. The many sidebars that include clinical correlates and mnemonics further help with retaining information. I would also recommend this book as an adjunct for those in the first and second year of medical school. It can help students focus on those aspects of the curriculum that are most important, both for Step 1 and during the clinical years as well."-- Doody's

From the authors of First Aid for the® USMLE Step 1 comes this comprehensive summary of essential basic science general principles covered in the first two years of medical school. It provides the background you need before reviewing for the board and distills important coourse material down to easily understood parts.

Features:

• Emphasizes the major basic science concepts taught in medical school
• Covers the high-yield topics and facts tested on the USMLE
• Includes a framework for understanding anatomy and histology, embryology, behavioral science, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, pathology, and pharmacology
• Written by top students who aced their exams adn the USMLE
• Organized in the same manor as First Aid for the® USMLE Step 1 to facilitate cross-study
• Packed with hundreds of full-color images and tables
• Great for PBL and integrated curricula
• Can be used with its companion volume, First Aid for the® Basic Sciences: Organ Systems for a complete, high-yield review of basic science

Visit www.AccessMedStudent.com and www.FirstAidTeam.com

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tao Le, MD, MHS, is Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Allergy and Immunology at the University of Louisville. He is also affiliated with the Division of Allergy and Immunology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 561 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Medical; 1 edition (December 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007154545X
• ISBN-13: 978-0071545457
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #497,018 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars So, So close to great, but hold out for the second edition., May 28, 2009

By 

Med Student - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Aid for the Basic Sciences, General Principles (First Aid Series) (Paperback)

So well organized. So clear. Great charts. Everything you need to know. It's all of the first two years of medical school in on place. There's just once catch...

IT'S SO, SO full of mistakes! Some of it is pretty basic, fact-based stuff. Example: "Shigella...does produce H2S." Well, no, it doesn't. That's how you know it's not salmonella. They also like to put arrows showing lab values changing in a chart, but then mix them up. Or say PT when they mean PTT. Stuff like that; stuff multiple choice questions are made of.

I still use it and love it. I'm a sucker for having everything in one place with one format. But if you're looking for a definitive source, this isn't it.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Wait for the next edition, June 24, 2009

By 

R. Engle - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Aid for the Basic Sciences, General Principles (First Aid Series) (Paperback)

The concept behind this book (and its counterpart Basic Sciences: Organ Systems) is excellent as an alternative to the $400 Kaplan home study set. The depth to which the information is presented is quite appropriate as a review for the USMLE Step 1 and to supplement coursework in both first and second year of medical school. Unfortunately, it seems as if both this book and the Organ Systems book were rushed to the publisher without so much as a single proofread and revision. The errors in these books are too numerous to count. From simple typos to significant variation and contradiction in the content (less common, but still there) to figures being used inappropriately to show what they were not meant to, there is nearly an error on every single page. The majority of these errors can be easily recognized by anyone who has put in a decent effort with a good primary source and is reviewing, but the frequency of errors only makes it possible for the reader to review what they have already learned; nothing new can be learned from this book so long as the content cannot be trusted. Furthermore, the First Aid Team generally provides a fairly complete listing of errata on their website for their entire series, but the corrections for these books were published months ago with a very small proportion of the problems (maybe only 60 corrections between the two books) and has not been updated despite readers submitting their corrections constantly. I am sure that the response regarding errors has been overwhelming, but it sure would be nice to be able to quickly and reliably check on the occasions when you suspect an error but are not sure. I almost feel like they have realized that correcting these editions is essentially rewriting them and that they have given up on these to work on the next edition, but it makes me feel like I have been left with only half of what I thought I was buying. So my best advice is to keep these books in mind for when the next edition is published, but in the meantime stick to more refined sources such as Kaplan. Also, if studying for the USMLE, be sure to pick up Goljan's Rapid Review: Pathology. You will not regret it.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Next edition will be great, this one will make you cry., April 12, 2009

By 

Seek Saul (Tucson, Az) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Aid for the Basic Sciences, General Principles (First Aid Series) (Paperback)

This book has great potential, but it is FILLED with errors. Unlike FirstAid for Step 1, there is no Errata (a webpage organized by the publishers of FirstAid which informs you of any found errors in the book.) I really like the organization and content of the book, but with so many errors it is too stressful to use and, until the next edition comes out, something I recommend you stay away from.