Textbook of Medical Physiology

I wish many other books with complex topics had a pocket companion comparable to this one. If the topic is important to your success, then having the pocket companion is indispensible. I see the pocket companion as the architect's view (high level design) of physiology and the first step to learning. Depending on interest and time, you can selectively drill down into the textbook to explain topics of greater importance to you. If a particular topic is not that important you can just read the companion. I have already swept through many chapters and when I hit a chapter I wanted to understand in more detail, such as sports physiology, I went off and read the entire textbook chapter. When other chapters have more detail then I need I stick with the companion. Count yourself lucky to have this pocket companion as a first "cut" to the knowledge in the textbook, it will help immensely during the absorption and after for the quick and convenient recall.

I agree with the reviewer from Israel, this book is exceptional at explaining physiology. During my first year in medical school I used Berne and Levy as the text for medical physiology and I found it to be a very good text. But reviewing physiology during my second year I used the text by Guyton and I couldn't believe how well written and clear it was. Both texts are excellent and I give both 5 stars, but I would definately recommend Guyton for a first read, and then Berne and Levy. However, not all sections in this book, like not all sections in Berne and Levy are excellent. I recommend supplementing reading in Respiratory physiology by West or weinburg, Renal Physiology by rose or vander, and GI with Johnson. Cardio use B/L-it's the best. Endocrine, Guyton is good. Nerve and Muscle physiology use Berne and Levy; and Neurophysiology I highly recommend reading Neuroscience by Purves and Essentials of Neuroanatomy, Neurophysiology by Gilman.

For the medical student this one is the best explained and most detailed book there is! The main quality of this title is in the fact that C.Guyton is a great teacher. The clear figures and the down to earth language makes this book the best for the student. It slowly shifts from the simple to the hard stuff and does it withough any unnecessary complexity. Everything you will ever need to know about physiology is here. While reading this I couldn't believe how such a tough subject can be made so easy. It is really a masterpiece.

I advise every medical student to read from this great book. It might be time-consuming, but believe me once you read the beginning of any chapter, you still want to read it till you finish it! What makes reading even more interesting is the clinical relevance presented at the end of each chapter, which makes you understand the mechanism of a disease. Its biggest drawback is its lack of enough diagrams and illustrations, which if present are still poor, compared to other illustrated physiology books.