The Principles and Practice of Medicine

Experts write about their respective topics in Medicine in the most easily readable and absorbable manner possible. The information is very thorough but does not DRAG on. Surprisingly large amounts of retention is possible with a SINGLE READING of this LUCID text with CURRENT information. Highly recommended. Does a lot for first reading of topics and EASILY ABSORBED.

I used the 23rd edition of Stobo for my internal medicine rotation as a 3rd year medical student and also as a quick reference for several other rotations. I think it is the best mid-size medicine text I have seen. The content is broken down into bite-size chunks that are easy to read in one sitting--the short chapters make it easier to retain the material. Each section begins with an introductory chapter that gives a concise overview of the approach to take when evaluating a problem with a particular organ-system. Each chapter also ends with a list of summary points that are very helpful. Excellent tables are easy to reference. The actual information contained in the book is in more than enough depth for MS3 level, and the text emphasizes pathophysiology in many chapters, which helped me learn to integrate what I had learned in basic sciences and apply it to seeing patients in the clinical setting. The last section also has some good summary chapters for things that fall outside the realm of each organ-system section. This is a truly outstanding book. I highly recommend it, and I can't wait for the next edition.

I started my 3rd year medicine rotation with Appleton and Lange's Current Medical Diagnosis and Therapy but soon found this book to be more appropriate. It clearly and concisely explained pathophysiology of disease as well as clinical aspects, such as presentation, diagnosis and treatment. I also really enjoyed how each organ system began with a general approach to the patient. I am now using this books counterpart for my surgery rotation.

This text, written by the physicians at Johns Hopkins, is the greatest mid-size general internal medicine text that I have had the pleasure of learning from. It does a great job of helping students go from the classrooms to the bedsides by choosing the most common conditions found on the wards and discussing them so well, that you will be brought to tears! Each chapter is a delight! I cannot say enough about this text. There will always be huge encyclopedic texts such as Harrisons for reference, but for your day to day reading, this text cannot possibly be beaten. One great feature is the way every section of the book (cardiovascular, respiratory, infectious diseases, etc) is started with a chapter which serves as a general introduction in how to approach a patient with a possible pathology of those organ systems. This text is simply awesome and I highly suggest you check it out and make studying internal medicine an incredible experience.

While there are many textbooks of Internal Medicine, including the massive and encyclopedic Harrison's Internal Medicine, few books are able to present the most essential information in a concise and readable text. The Principles and Practice of Medicine does this better than other book on Internal Medicine that I have seen. The Principles and Practice of Medicine, originally written by Sir William Osler near the turn of the century, is written by Johns Hopkins attendings. Definitely the book to read during clerkships.