Clinical Orientation Manual - University of Kansas Medical Center

LIST OF BOOKS
As you will find, reading time is valuable during a clinical rotation. You will need to select
textbooks which are both accurate and complete yet readable in the relatively short time in which
a clerkship lasts. The following list of books and comments is compiled to help you make a
selection as well as to inform you about what is available.
Some resources that might help you save money: clerkship coordinators (for certain rotations),
counseling center, other classmates/big sib’s who’ve completed the rotation already.
HELPFUL HINTS on books and studying:
1. Select books you feel you can read cover-to-cover during the one to two months of a
rotation. It is important to get an overall view of a particular clinical rotation. Focus on the big
picture.
2. Once you have selected a book - read it. Don’t attempt to read several different books on
specialized areas. Basically, pick one book.
3. Use major textbooks (Harrison’s, etc.) when it is necessary to have more detail. When you
want to read about a specific problem on one of your patients - Uptodate is a fantastic
reference tool. Other reference texts such as Harrison’s can be utilized through Access
Medicine.
4. NMS review books as well as other review books are available to check out from the Student
Counseling and Educational Support Services Office, Room G116 Student Center (588-
4688), at no charge.
5. Use the library. Many excellent reference books and atlases can be found there or online on
AccessMedicine. Many of them can be checked out. If a desired book is not there,
encourage the department to place one on reserve.
6. Read about your patients - Know their problems.
7. Do Questions to prepare for the shelf exam. Many students now use Pre-test books with
questions which are meant to be significantly harder than the shelf, but are a good learning
tool. On-line question banks include USMLEasy which you can access through Access
medicine. You can select out different areas, but the disadvantage is that it does not
remember the questions that have been asked previously unless you prescribe to the
website. Some students use USMLEworld.com which is the question bank most of you will
use for Step 2.
GENERAL ESSENTIALS – These are a must have.
1. EpocratesRx Clinical Drug Reference: Over 2,600 drugs and tables, including adult and peds
indications and dosing, contraindications/cautions, adverse reactions, mechanism of action,
formularies, black box safety information and pricing. One can run a multi-drug check for up
to 30 drugs (www.epocrates.com). FREE. Not pertinent to get Epocrates, but it is a must to
have some sort of drug reference.
2. Quick Medical Reference, Maxwell: Easy place to get common things- everything from note
writing and drug levels to dermatomes and mental status exam. Can fit in the front pocket of
your white coat.
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