Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple (Medmaster) (Paperback)

by Mark Gladwin (Author), Bill Trattler (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A brief, clear, thorough, and highly enjoyable approach to clinical microbiology, brimming with mnemonics, humor, summary charts and illustrations, from AIDS to "flesh-eating bacteria" to ebola, mad cow disease, hantavirus, anthrax, smallpox, botulism, etc. Excellent Board review.


About the Author
Chief, Vascular Medicine Branch and Director of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Functional Genomics Core of the National Institutes of Health

Product Details

• Paperback: 392 pages
• Publisher: MedMaster Inc.; 4th - 2008 edition (February 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 094078081X
• ISBN-13: 978-0940780811
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (137 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #632 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

109 of 112 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unorthdox, but it can be effective, June 26, 2004

By	Gerald J. Nora - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple, Edition 3 (Paperback)

When I received this book, I was not sure what to make of it. Rather than seriously examining key points of organisms with illustrations to show how mechanisms worked, the book is packed with mnemonics and weired cartoons meant to help you remember what you need to know for the boards (for instance, Chlamydia has a "clam" necklace; Salmonella is shown as a salmon hanging out and smoking a cigar in a gallbladder to remind you that's where chronic Salmonella carriers retain the bug).

I grew to appreciate these stupid cartoons, as I did remember stuff I would have otherwise forgotten. If you are burning out, this is a good resource!

This is not a real textbook, however. You get a guerilla introduction to some basics, but the presentation of material is not as systematic as a text. At the end of each chapter is a chart to summarize the information presented, but the font is tiny and I never bothered using it.

I would recommend checking this book out to see if the book's style works for you. If it does, this is a good way to study microbiology even if you are tired and sick of studying for Step I. If it does not, there are plenty of more standard texts and reviews to choose.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Micro Can Only Be Learned Through This Book, July 2, 2000

By	Nicolas Melgarejo (Bogotá, DC Colombia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple (MedMaster Series) (Paperback)

You can go to class, or you can read a big fat ugly book, and still you won't learn about micro bugs until you buy this book. AN EXCELLENT REVIEW on almost all of the important bacteria, fungi, virus and parasites. The toons are very funny (and you keep them in your head all your life ). And for learning the basics on antibiotics it is wonderful. This book has helped me in the most desperate conditions (impossible exams), and believe me, YOU GOTTA HAVE IT !

45 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent review of microbiology.., April 29, 2002

By	Kersi Von Zerububbel "Kersi" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clinical Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple, Edition 3 (Paperback)

This text will give you a good review of clinical microbiology. The information is geared towards the medical student. Important facts are presented in a easy-to-memorize manner which gives the student what is needed to pass exams. This is not meant to be a textbook on clinical microbiology and therefore one should not expect cogent narratives. However, if you are over 50 like myself; make sure you have your reading glasses or magnifiers handy. The font size is quite small and the print could have been a little darker. Also you may find parts of the book a bit too flippant but remind yourself that this is supposed to be a review text.

Well worth your time.