education and training

This is a concise book, perfect for MSIIIs starting their IM Clerkship; it is also great for Step 2 review and the Medicine Shelf. MSIIIs can use this as an IM starting point and fill in the details concerning their own patients using Harrison's, Up to Date, or Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment.

First Aid for the Medicine Clerkship is a great book that gives you the key facts about many diseases. This is information that will help you answer questions during rounds and on exams. It's very well done, with nice illustrations. It's easy to get through, which is important since there's so much to learn during the Internal Medicine rotation (and not enough time!). I also recommend:

1) Practical Guide to the Care of the Medical Patient by Ferri because you need something to help you take care of patients. First Aid for the Medicine Clerkship isn't great for managing patients or working them up

2) Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia because you need something for drug information (if you have epocrates, then you don't necessarily need this). First Aid for the Medicine Clerkship doesn't have much about drugs. Another plus is it's fairly cheap.

3) Internal Medicine Clerkship: 150 Biggest Mistakes because you need something that gives you the nuts and bolts of the rotation. This book tells you how to preround, give great oral case presentations, prepare complete write-ups, and impress during attending rounds. A lot of tips on how to get great evaluations. Not much of this is is in First Aid for the Medicine Clerkship.

4) Access to uptodate or some other medicine reference to help you work up patients.

5) Pretest book - you need to do questions before the shelf exam.

Bottom line is First Aid for the Medicine Clerkship is a great book but you need other things to help you do well during the rotation. Good luck!

This is one of the best usmle review books available.The whole First aid series is the best to do well on the Usmle