Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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70 of 74 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Out of date! Beware., July 14, 2003
Several years ago, word was out that this was the book to use for Step 3 review. That may have been the case, but it is no longer. I saw this book was out in a 4th (2001) edition, so assumed it would be up to 2001 standard of care. Unfortunately, each section ends with a couple of references, and most of these were dated from 1992-1996.When I saw penicillin G recommended as S. pneumonia treatment, my red flag went up (30% of community S. pneumonia isolates were Pen-resistant in 2000), and when I saw cisapride recommended as definitive treatment for heartburn - well, that drug's been off the market for safety reasons for 2 years. So I closed the book - I'm a neurologist, I can't be expected to know what *else* is out of date in here! I realize that Swanson's multiple choice format is no longer appropriate to the new patient-oriented boards, but I was surprised to discover such out-of-date content, too, in a book ostensibly dated 2001. USMLE Step takers and all other physicians, purchase and read only with great caution - I suggest using a different book.
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53 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Good concept but loads of errors - buyer beware, February 17, 2004
I have never written an Amazon review but I thought I'd share my reservations about this book that I got to prepare USMLE step 3. As many others have commented, the concept is excellent, the case-questions-summary format really good to facilitate retention of the material. However, I am amazed at the huge number of mistakes that this manuscript contains. Some of the errors are so bizarre that they are unlikely to fool anyone, for example the recommendation to treat hypertension with "betablockers with intracarotid sodium amytal" (!!) (p.26, apparently they mean intrinsic sympathomimetic activity). Others are much more dangerous for your exam and your potential patients, like using "a PTT of 1.2 to 1.5" to monitor warfarin (should be PT or INR, p.35), stating that "one random glucose exceeding 125 mg/dl" defines diabetes (p. 95, should be two), treating status epliepticus with 50 mg dextrose (should be 50%, p.126), saying that "MCV<100" characterizes megaloblasic anemia (should be >100) etc. etc. In the adult medicine section I picked up an error like that every 4 pages or so - so imagine how many I must have missed!
In summary, I think this is a good concept bogged down by what I assume is sloppy proofreading. I would not trust this book to review material I am not very familiar with and I returned the book. I hope they'll do better in the next edition.
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30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best book i have ever read in my entire life, November 8, 2001
For all those who want to be good doctors,i have got a piece of advice which is Buy this book now!!!!.Though this book was written for the family practice review boards this is just as much worth for candidates who are preparing for usmle step 2 and step3.It contains all the basic information as what is done routinely in each and every case starting from the diagnosis to treatment.It covers each and every clincial specalities like medicine,surgery,gyna and obs,psychiatry,ethics and much more.I am preparing for step 3 right now and found this book worth a million dollars.The kind of information i gained from this book is amazing for instance
I always knew that the treatment of myocardial infarction is nitrates,aspirin,thrombolytic therapy and angiographic procedures like angioplasty.But after reading this book i came to know as what is exactly done after acutley treating this patient like you shift him to ICU and do a test for ejection fraction.Before discharging the patient which is usually 4-5 days after inpatient treatment you give the patient a submaximal stress test and ask the patient to come after 4-6 weeks ifthe sub maximal test is negative for the maximal stress test.You can ask the patient to resume his usual activity by 6-8 weeks and sexual intercourse by 4 weeks.
I gained lot of practical information like this.Excellent book!!
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