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Summary: Limited use for clinicians
Review: This is a seminal text in medical pathology. However, it rapidly loses its usefulness once pathology class is over. Its level of detail is excessive for anyone outside of a pathology residency.
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Summary: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease, 4th Edition, 1989
Review: This is an excellent database of biomedical knowledge. Witness the growth of molecular genetics with its rapid application to the understanding and diagnosis of disease; the growing awareness of the complexity of regulatory circuits governing the immune response and inflammation; the penetrations made into the roles of oncogenes and antioncogenes in origins of cancer. The book is thorough and complete. Detailed fascinating illustrations on nearly every page, 1519 pages. Easy to understand with many references. ...
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Summary: Master This Book for Step 1
Review: This is my one pearl for all second year students preparing for the boards: This book is the gold standard for being properly prepared for the Boards. I memorized this book, Ganong's Physiology, Katzung's pharm review, Jawetz's Micro review. I also memorized Lippincot's Biochem, NMS Neuroscience, NMS Genetics. I broke 260 and am now a first year resident at my first choice for neurosurgery (and I would only settle for the most prestigous programs). If you have have high aspirations and want a competitive residency in NeuroSurg, Plastic, Derm or Radiology then you must master this book and memorize the pocket companion also. It is so much more thorough than the BRS and retains some element of succinctness. There are no path questions on the boards that you won't be able to get if you memorize Robbins Pocket Companion book from cover to cover. That is the key, Memorize, Memorize, Memorize then Regurgitate, Regurgitate, Regurgitate and you too can pick where you want to do your residency like I did. This book rules for obtaining a competitive edge over your fellow classmates and other students around the country who try to get by on review books and the lecture notes. Good Luck on Step 1. It is the most important test of your life and this is the book to work it out.
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Summary: The best pathology book for students!
Review: This is THE textbook of pathology for students of medicine and dentistry!
Pros? Well, it has all the 4 C's...
1) Clear language... minimal verbosity, straight to the point
2) Comprehensive ... it has all the facts the student needs to know for exams as well as future clinical practice
3) Colour pictures ... not the black and white stuff but full colours to add more morphological meaning to the texts
4) Cast ... I'm sure everyone wants to read a book written by authoritative pathologists? Cons?
1) Cumbersome ... students just initiated into the world of pathology may find it tough to plough through the thousand over pages of text (like I did while in med school), but believe me, if you stick by it, you'll enjoy the fruits of your labour in due time.
2) Some of the facts and tumour classifications may be a little out of date (latest edition published in 1999) but if you're a student, don't brood over it. Tutors would probably highlight major updates during your pathology course.
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