Step-Up to Medicine

Step-Up Medicine is, by far, the single most useful book I've had in my entire 3rd year clerkship. Not only is it complete and almost comprehensive, but it's also very high yield and concisely written. I've never been a fan of the First Aid series for the clerkship rotations, because while both texts share the bullet-point style, FA is really just a random list of factoids... and that's not the way you learn medicine (or use it on the wards or take the shelf exam). In comparison, Step-Up is easy to read because it's written in prose, organized well, and goes over the relevant pathophysiology just enough so that the knowledge sticks in your head (whereas FA is very lacking in that last aspect). The Quick Hit blurbs on the side are great; it's actually useful info, instead of some elusive epidemiologic percentage or numbers that no one cares about anyway. For example, one of the Quick Hits states: "Ultrasound detects the common bild duct only 50% of the time," which corresponds to the section on the management of choledocholethiasis... if you can only see the CBD half the time, it would make no sense to use it to detect choledocholithiasis. And that's how you learn that ERCP is the preferred mode for detecting the condition (and US is preferred for cholelithiasis). The Quick Hits even include some pretty recent research therapies... I recall one quoting the GUSTO trial, which proved that tPA and heparin is better than streptokinase and heparin in reperfusion post-MI. The management sections for each condition presented is very succinct and clearly written. There are certain things that are outdated, but it's not enough to prevent a prospective M3 from picking up this book; one instance, the book still refers to Non-Q Wave and Q-Wave MIs. Overall, diagnosis and treatment are presented in a very logical way, which you would need to know during rounds. Lots of black/white photographs and a special section with colored photos complete this excellent resource. I used this book as a primary source for studying, which I would recommend; it's much more high yield and quick to read than Cecil's (which nobody can finish anyway). On occasion, I did go to some primary sources, Up to Date, and (my beloved) BRS Pathology review book. This is also a great book to bring to the wards... if I knew I was picking up a cirrhotic patient, I would take 5-10min and just quickly read through the section on cirrhosis. By the time I went to see the patient, I already know the most important exams to perform, the labs to order, most common features of the disease, and the preferred modes of treatment. This not only helps you to remember the material, but it also makes you look smart in front of the resident and attending (which is always a good thing). All in all, there are lots of other books you can use for the medicine rotation. But you won't find anything better than this one.

Fantanstic outline review for medicine clerkship and shelf exam. Very complete text that can be used as a primary source, yet not so thick as to take too long to read. Some guidelines in the book are outdated, but on the whole the book is great.

'Blueprints Medicine' is poorly written and poorly illustrated - its organization isn't conducive for learning or reviewing: every organ-system-based section begins with verbose description of the differential diagnoses of symptoms, which is a real chore to read; then follows very scant and superficial presentation for just a few diseases - there are glaring omissions of many very hot topics; don't expect to find detailed explanations of mechanisms of pathophysiology - this book doesn't even provide clear pathophysiologic classifications - resembling but unrelated disorders are blended together in incomprehensible way; 'Blueprints Medicine' is too basic and oversimplified for average medical student, so you'll be wasting a great deal of your time on reading stuff which you already know. The USMLE Step 2 CK is a difficult exam and its toughest and most heavily tested subject is internal medicine - 'Blueprints Medicine' is absolutely not enough for this exam, as well as for internal medicine clerkship; without any doubt, it's one of the worst of the 'Blueprints' series (together with 'Blueprints Surgery'). Instead of 'Blueprints Medicine', for the same purposes and the same price, I highly recommend 'Step-Up to Medicine' - this gem packed with info tops 'Blueprints Medicine' in every aspect - it's better organized, more readable, more comprehensive and detailed, yet - more concise and high yield; description of pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment is thorough and decent, yet - clear and easily digestible; this is achieved by maximally balanced and efficient use of just 512 pages - only relevant information is presented, without extraneous details; in addition, 'Step-Up to Medicine' is much better illustrated than both 'Blueprints Medicine' and 'First Aid for the Medicine Clerkship' - lots of classic x-rays and ECGs, and the generous use of patient photos; I only suggest adding ample number of USMLE-ish case(vignette)-based MCQs to the next edition. It's a pity that books for other clinical subjects from 'Step-Up' series aren't still available at this time, though the publisher - Lippincott Williams & Wilkins - advertised their release on the cover of 'Step-Up to Medicine' 2 years ago; maybe this could be explained by the fact that LWW then purchased the rights to publish 'Blueprints' series from Blackwell. 'First Aid for the Medicine Clerkship' is also better than 'Blueprints Medicine', but not as good as 'Step-Up to Medicine' - it's quite readable and well-organized, but too superficial with regard to pathophysiology and weak with regard to treatment and management; many important diseases are barely covered; overall, to the point, but not enough detailed; it would also benefit from case-based MCQs. So, I'd rate 3 reviews of internal medicine for shelf exam and for the USMLE Step 2 CK in the following order: 'Blueprints Medicine' 'Step-Up to Medicine' is an irreducible minimum for above mentioned exams - if you think that you need a m

I would highly recommend this book! I felt like it prepared me well for the shelf along with mksap and pretest. It is not too wordy like Blueprints tends to be. Thorough but to the point. Definitely worth it!

This is a really good book. It has great coverage of difficult topics, a sign of a good book. It's very complete and easy to read. The weakness is the clinical vignettes which I don't find particularly challenging. But the rest of the book is outstanding and I think it is ideal for a third year medical student to use this during the medicine clerkship. But you need another question book to supplement because again, no questions in this book. Overall, I highly recommend it and I find it much better than other reviews books out there like NMS, Blueprints or First Aid.