First Aid for the Wards: Insider Advice for the Clinical Years

I bought this book to use as a review for the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA)(the pratical texy that all the FMG have to do in Philadelphia). It was great because it helped me to practice writting clear medical hystories, in the same manner I had to write in the real (CSA) test in english. It was also very good because it list the major symptoms, signs and differential diagnosis of the more common clinnical problems. By the way, again useful for the CSA, because they request us to give the dif diagnosis in these test.

I highly recomment this book as an adjunt for the preparation for the CSA. Of couse, should be useful also for the wards.

Don't forget also to use: Mastering the OSCE/CSA: Objective Structured Clinical Examination/Clinical Skills Assessment...

I found this book to be quite helpful in alleviating those third year jitters. So much of the third year is spent trying to figure out your role on the team, and how to look like a star. This book gives some useful pointers.

If you have liked other books from the First Aid series, this book will also be well liked and used. Well written and to the point.

Each chapter gives pointers for a particular clinical rotation - explaining the role of a student as well as who the typical other team members will be. Also, gives a general breakdown of what to expect for a typical day.

Each chapter then has some vital clinical information that you need to know for each rotation. The chapters end with a review of which text books are most helpful for you to read.

Good book!

The best part of this book is the reviews of other books. For each clerkship, a review of books in the categories of textbook, review size book and pocket size books is given. Definitely use their reviews as a guide to the immense amount of shelf and board review material available. The rest of this book consists mostly of description of different clerkships which may be more or less applicable to those at your home institution. I would suggest a quick skim of those areas. If you have this in your medical bookstore or library you may just want to skim the section about the clerkships shortly before it begins and use the review of books to chose reading material.

What I liked best about this book was the sample SOAP/Admit/Orders that they give, plus all the crazy acronyms that they expect you to know. I found it really made me look like a superstar because I would write a "sample note" on an index card and carry it in my white coat. So when it came time for me to write notes, I didn't miss much. Every clerkship has their expectations for note writing and this book is so helpful especially in your 3rd year when you know zippo about how to write good notes. Highly recommended. Plus it gives you a brief synopsis of what each clerkship is about, and for the most part, it is pretty right on.

A great idea - just a few pages dedicated to each discipline which allows for it to be read rather quickly. That book doesn't dawdle on the tiny details, but focuses on the key points needed to succeed without leaving important information.

This book is a great resource for any medical student on rotations! Get it before you start your third year and keep it close until graduation. It will even be helpful as you rotate through your intern year!