Customer Reviews

Rapid Review Pharmacology: With STUDENT CONSULT Online Access, 2e

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

this book is basically just a list of every drug. they're organized into chapters by function, but that's about the extent of the organization of this book. you'll find a box with a list of every drug, and then there will be bullet points describing the mechanism, use, and side effects for about 10% of those, a seemingly arbitrary selection process. there is hardly any mention of which drugs are first line. going into clinics, it seems like i'll be able to list off 20 drugs from a certain class (if i sit down and actually take the time to memorize them) and then have no idea how to choose one. it would me much more helpful if the important drugs were emphasized.

also, there are hardly any diagrams or explanations of mechanisms. i'm sure plenty of people are happy just memorizing lists, but i retain the material better if i actually understand it.

btw, the "high yield" facts in the margins are 90% of the time:
"notice all the beta-blockers end in -olol" or something similar... useless.

you can tell this book was published quickly due to quite a few typos and misprints.

finally, my biggest pet peeve is that the practice questions in the back of the book have little in common with the content of the book. if it weren't for the short paragraphs explaining the answers, there would be NO WAY to figure out the answers by reading the book. there are many, many questions that cannot be answered even if you take the test "open book"!!! come on, now, that's just sloppy.

the one thing i really DO like about the book is the final chapter about toxicology, overdose, and abuse. a very good, comprehensive list of the problems you're likely to see in the ER or wherever

final thought: i read the book in 2 days, then took the practice test in the back and got a 33%. and most of those correct answers came from reading goljan's books and listening to goljan's lectures. enough said.

I wanted a portable resource but also one that had enough information to be a study aid. This worked well. I wish I'd used it earlier on in the course to put my notes in the margin. Having the online access is a plus too!

This is a great book for medical students. I'm really glad I bought it, wish I had it for my MS1 year!
I am using it to board study along with FA.