Book of Medical Diseases?

[Cancer Curer]

Hey guys,

I was wondering if there were any other books that medical students here use that are like "Harrison's Manual of Medicine: 16th Edition." This book talks about Emergencies, Common Patient Presentations, Disorders of Body Parts, Oncology, Drug Reactions, and all other kinds of diseases. I'm interested in learning this kind of stuff (epidemiology, virology, oncology, etc.), so if there are any books or websites that medical students here have come across, please let me know the names of them.

Thanks.

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[da8s0859q]

Hey guys,

I'm interested in going into epidemiology/oncology/immunology, and I was wondering if there was a certain list of diseases, diagnoses, and cures that a normal medical student would have to know and memorize. If there is a certain book that medical students here are currently using (or a site that someone has come across), please mention the name of it. I am extremely interested in the field and would love to get a head start just by reading and memorizing diseases (as well as viruses, bacteria, etc. Not necessarily extreme diseases only) for fun!

Thanks.

Dude. Doing that for interest is one thing, but I severely doubt that anything you do at this point of the game is going to give you an appreciable head start through medical school. Actually, I suspect that you just might wonder why you ever said such a thing when you are forced to know everything to which you're referring -- and it's not just a simple curiosity. That was the case for me.

That said, such books do exist, depending on the detail and breadth you want -- Janeway for immuno, Goljan in Rapid Review Pathology (this will be useless if you want more than an outline-style overview of major pathologies, but is great for, uh, rapid review), Robbins Basic Pathology, and then if you're especially masochistic, Harrison's or the Oxford manuals of medicine/disease.

If you insist on doing this sort of thing for leisure reading, you may as well try going to your local bookstore to see what you can find.

 

[da8s0859q]

Hm, well thanks for the support.

That said, thanks for the titles of some books.

I just realized that I posted this in the Exam HQ...meant to post it in hSDN. If any admin sees this, please move it to hSDN!

Curiosity is great, so by all means, indulge as long as you realize that you're not exactly studying for your pharmacology exam six years from now. There are a hundred reasons for this.

Oh, and "rolling your eyes" because you don't like the answer makes you look kinda silly. SDN is full of medical students who would suggest something very, very close to what I said because they've got the benefit of having gone this way long before you. I used to read tough-to-a-high-schooler things -- theoretical physics, in-depth articles on various drugs, etc. -- just for ****s and giggles too. The sole benefit was that it was pacifying at the time, nothing else. I have classmates with the same story.

 

[Depakote]

merging multiple threads.

 

[Ischemic]

Say you do read these patho books like Robbins etc. How would you begin to appreciate the complexity and differences say between focal segmental glomerulonephritis with that of IgA nephropathy and with minimal change disease when you don't even have the physiology background? If you just want to kill time read Robbins pathology which is quite comprehensive but there must be more interesting reads out there than Robbins path. I also don't think you're getting a head start here. You gotta get in first to get a head start, otherwise it's just wasted effort.

 

[Neurocentric]

Curiosity is great, so by all means, indulge as long as you realize that you're not exactly studying for your pharmacology exam six years from now. There are a hundred reasons for this.

Oh, and "rolling your eyes" because you don't like the answer makes you look kinda silly. SDN is full of medical students who would suggest something very, very close to what I said because they've got the benefit of having gone this way long before you. I used to read tough-to-a-high-schooler things -- theoretical physics, in-depth articles on various drugs, etc. -- just for ****s and giggles too. The sole benefit was that it was pacifying at the time, nothing else. I have classmates with the same story.

Say you do read these patho books like Robbins etc. How would you begin to appreciate the complexity and differences say between focal segmental glomerulonephritis with that of IgA nephropathy and with minimal change disease when you don't even have the physiology background? If you just want to kill time read Robbins pathology which is quite comprehensive but there must be more interesting reads out there than Robbins path. I also don't think you're getting a head start here. You gotta get in first to get a head start, otherwise it's just wasted effort.

I agree with both these statements. Please don't take offense when we tell you that trying to learn something from those books when you're still in high school is huge, and probably won't be done. You won't get a head start; you'll just be confusing yourself. There's a lot of stuff that will be covered in those books that you won't understand, not because you're not intelligent, but because of the lack of knowledge you have because you're not in medical school yet.

If you want to read about certain things that interest you, that's fine. But actually trying to memorize it all now just seems like a big waste of time in my opinion. You won't glean anything from it at this point in the game. Don't get ahead of yourself - you have plenty of time.

 

[schrizto]

key word here is "memorize". OP is directing his desire to go into epidemiology in the wrong ways.

Probably one of the few things you can get out of such an interest in high school is to take a class like anatomy & physiology (lots of hs students do). Many pathologies are overviewed in an advanced hs A&P class. If your high school doesn't offer such a course, many local unis do, just make sure to be careful if you're taking it for a grade because college courses taken for credit will have to be reported on AMCAS.

 

[Cancer Curer]

Well, sorry about that Neurocentric, you and schrizto, unlike others, actually give advise.

I did not come on here to ask a question to simply get harrassed by or get into an argument with a couple of hotheads about what I'm trying to do. If you don't have anything to say solely answering the question nor a personality, then don't even answer (Directed towards Ischemic and Exi ).

I simply asked if there are any books, answer that. Don't assume that I don't have a background in areas either because you don't know what I've taken and you don't know me.

Thanks. (Can I wink, or does that make me look kinda silly?)

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

I agree with both these statements. Please don't take offense when we tell you that trying to learn something from those books when you're still in high school is huge, and probably won't be done. You won't get a head start; you'll just be confusing yourself. There's a lot of stuff that will be covered in those books that you won't understand, not because you're not intelligent, but because of the lack of knowledge you have because you're not in medical school yet.

If you want to read about certain things that interest you, that's fine. But actually trying to memorize it all now just seems like a big waste of time in my opinion. You won't glean anything from it at this point in the game. Don't get ahead of yourself - you have plenty of time.

Holy crap, there's an hSDN?!?

Agree with Neurocentric. If you (OP) want to read some medical textbooks in high school, go for it. But if you're even halfway normal, you'll give it a shot, then realize there's too much else going on in high school (curricular and extracurricular) to worry about crap that you don't understand and won't be using for another half-decade anyway.

Your time (and your future medical career) will be much better served by using that time to be a well-rounded person (which will equal a well-rounded application).

 

[Neurocentric]

Well, sorry about that Neurocentric, you and schrizto, unlike others, actually give advise.

I did not come on here to ask a question to simply get harrassed by or get into an argument with a couple of hotheads about what I'm trying to do. If you don't have anything to say solely answering the question nor a personality, then don't even answer (Directed towards Ischemic and Exi ).

I simply asked if there are any books, answer that. Don't assume that I don't have a background in areas either because you don't know what I've taken and you don't know me.

Thanks. (Can I wink, or does that make me look kinda silly?)

While I know it wasn't directed at me, I feel you're taking what they said a bit too seriously.

When I was in high school, I was like you. Totally interested in certain aspects of the medical field, and wanting to know more. I tried to memorize things in medical dictionaries and books until I realized.. I have NO idea what is going to be covered in medical school. What if I start memorizing all these terms and theories only to realize it isn't covered?

It's not that none of us wanted to answer your question.. we just want to make sure that you're not looking up all this stuff for the wrong reasons. It sounds like you were expecting us to go "Oh, sure! Use <insert book names here> and go ahead and study your butt off. You'll be the star of the class!" but instead we told you not to rush it and you got upset.

Again, if you're interested in reading the books simply to quench your thirst of that kind of knowledge, go right ahead! But from what you posted, it didn't sound like that, and I think everyone here just wanted to make sure you were aware of the downsides to studying a subject years before it will even be covered in medical school.

 

[schrizto]

Well, sorry about that Neurocentric, you and schrizto, unlike others, actually give advise.

I did not come on here to ask a question to simply get harrassed by or get into an argument with a couple of hotheads about what I'm trying to do. If you don't have anything to say solely answering the question nor a personality, then don't even answer (Directed towards Ischemic and Exi ).

I simply asked if there are any books, answer that. Don't assume that I don't have a background in areas either because you don't know what I've taken and you don't know me.

Thanks. (Can I wink, or does that make me look kinda silly?)

There's really no need to have an attitude here... Ischemic and exi may not have said what you wanted to hear but it was still advice, not an attempt to insult you.

 

[orthomyxo]

Well, sorry about that Neurocentric, you and schrizto, unlike others, actually give advise.

I did not come on here to ask a question to simply get harrassed by or get into an argument with a couple of hotheads about what I'm trying to do. If you don't have anything to say solely answering the question nor a personality, then don't even answer (Directed towards Ischemic and Exi ).

I simply asked if there are any books, answer that. Don't assume that I don't have a background in areas either because you don't know what I've taken and you don't know me.

Thanks. (Can I wink, or does that make me look kinda silly?)

Nobody is harassing you, they are just telling the truth. Believe me, the replies would be much much worse if you posted this thread in pre-allo. IMO there's no way you'll be able to get a "head start" on your future by memorizing medical texts. To think that is just plain silly.

I agree with exi and Ischemic. If you're wanting to do this out of curiosity and interest, by all means go ahead. But if you think you're going to self-study for Step 1 as a high school student, don't even bother wasting your time. Like schrizto said, take an A&P course. I did, and after I finished it and was wanting more, I picked up a cheap classic edition of Gray's Anatomy for my own personal enrichment. Turns out that book is boring as hell and I don't understand half of what is written in it.

 

[schrizto]

Nobody is harassing you, they are just telling the truth. Believe me, the replies would be much much worse if you posted this thread in pre-allo. IMO there's no way you'll be able to get a "head start" on your future by memorizing medical texts. To think that is just plain silly.

I agree with exi and Ischemic. If you're wanting to do this out of curiosity and interest, by all means go ahead. But if you think you're going to self-study for Step 1 as a high school student, don't even bother wasting your time. Like schrizto said, take an A&P course. I did, and after I finished it and was wanting more, I picked up a cheap classic edition of Gray's Anatomy for my own personal enrichment.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, the OP never talked about studying for Step 1 as a high school student.

Btw, DO NOT buy a cheap $9.95 copy of Gray's Anatomy for medical reference (Barnes and Noble always seems to have those in stock). There's a reason it's so cheap, it's because it's the original edition of Gray's which now contains errors so it should only be used for historical value. The Gray's Anatomy edition that is constantly revised and updated (and costs much more) is the one to use as a source of medical info.

 

[orthomyxo]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, the OP never talked about studying for Step 1 as a high school student.

Btw, DO NOT buy a cheap $9.95 copy of Grey's Anatomy for medical reference (Barnes and Noble always seems to have those in stock). There's a reason it's so cheap, it's because it's the original edition of Grey's which now contains errors so it should only be used for historical value. The Grey's Anatomy edition that is constantly revised and updated (and costs much more) is the one to use as a source of medical knowledge.

I know he never said anything about Step 1. It was a tongue-in-cheek reference to all of the countless hSDNers that claim/strive to do so.

I was also well aware of the errors in the text at the time of purchase. Do you really think I would spend $200+ on an updated version of Gray's? Hell no. I wasn't looking to play doctor. I like the illustrations and the breadth of the text, which are both more than enough to supress my appetite for A&P knowledge.

 

[Cancer Curer]

Haha, WOW guys. Did you guys not read my second, revised question? Maybe you should go back and read the SECOND question that I REVISED.

I had no talk of getting a head start, simply asks for books because I'm interested in learning the stuff....sigh

Here is the second, revised question:

"Hey guys,

I was wondering if there were any other books that medical students here use that are like "Harrison's Manual of Medicine: 16th Edition." This book talks about Emergencies, Common Patient Presentations, Disorders of Body Parts, Oncology, Drug Reactions, and all other kinds of diseases. I'm interested in learning this kind of stuff (epidemiology, virology, oncology, etc.), so if there are any books or websites that medical students here have come across, please let me know the names of them.

Thanks."


I only addressed the medical students because I figured they'd have gone through some books with the information I'd like. NOT ASKING FOR A HEADSTART...just some good reads.

Thanks anyways..

 

[orthomyxo]

I am extremely interested in the field and would love to get a head start just by reading and memorizing diseases (as well as viruses, bacteria, etc.

Haha, WOW guys. Did you guys not read my second, revised question? Maybe you should go back and read the SECOND question that I REVISED.

I had no talk of getting a head start, simply asks for books because I'm interested in learning the stuff....sigh

Here is the second, revised question:

"Hey guys,

I was wondering if there were any other books that medical students here use that are like "Harrison's Manual of Medicine: 16th Edition." This book talks about Emergencies, Common Patient Presentations, Disorders of Body Parts, Oncology, Drug Reactions, and all other kinds of diseases. I'm interested in learning this kind of stuff (epidemiology, virology, oncology, etc.), so if there are any books or websites that medical students here have come across, please let me know the names of them.

Thanks."


I only addressed the medical students because I figured they'd have gone through some books with the information I'd like. NOT ASKING FOR A HEADSTART...just some good reads.

Thanks anyways..

Well can you see where the confusion comes from? BTW, that second post appears to be supplementary, rather than a revision to the original.

 

[Cancer Curer]

I asked the administrators/mods to delete the first post so it would not be confusing, instead they merged it with the second post.

P.S. I dont know how to delete a post, so I just deleted the text in the first post...

 

[schrizto]

I only addressed the medical students because I figured they'd have gone through some books with the information I'd like. NOT ASKING FOR A HEADSTART...just some good reads.

If you want a "good read", don't choose a medical textbook. There are a lot of nonfiction books about epidemiology, virology that are entertaining that you could get more out of than reading a medical text in high school. The Hot Zone by Richard Preston is one that's pretty popular.

This thread is getting messy... sounds like there are some egos colliding here.

 

[Ischemic]

Judging from my post history my reply to you was actually very nice. If you want me to tear into you, I'd be more than willing to.

For example, instead of giving you an example of why you may not understand these books I could just say "****ing high school kid, what the **** do you think you would get from reading med school books? You obviously don't have the background to understand even 5% of the content. Furthermore, you're 4-5 years out of applying and there's a bigger chance of you getting rejected than getting in so why waste your time."

Obviously, I chose the nicer route, but you let me know which you prefer.

 

[Cancer Curer]

Judging from my post history my reply to you was actually very nice. If you want me to tear into you, I'd be more than willing to.

For example, instead of giving you an example of why you may not understand these books I could just say "****ing high school kid, what the **** do you think you would get from reading med school books? You obviously don't have the background to understand even 5% of the content. Furthermore, you're 4-5 years out of applying and there's a bigger chance of you getting rejected than getting in so why waste your time."

Obviously, I chose the nicer route, but you let me know which you prefer.

Hahahahaha, Now THAT'S funny. Thanks for the laugh!

 

[MattD]

Robbins, Harrisons, any physiology book (if you really want to learn about disease I'd start with the physio book, you have to know how something works before you can understand what's going wrong...), Netters for anatomy, micro made rediculously simple for bugs, Greenfield for surgical dz, Zollingers for surgical atlas. Lenninger's illustrated biochem is good.

That's easily a third of med school worth of reading. Have fun

Non-science reads that you might enjoy include House of God, Walk on Water, And the Band Played On (interesting from an epidemiology perspective), Hot Lights, Cold Steel, any of the Seltzer anthologies.


//yes, I know he's in HS and it's crazy, but he asked so I answered.

///My real advice would be to go try to get laid while he has time and the body.

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

Hearing something you don't like doesn't mean it's bad advice or that you shouldn't listen to it. There really is no reason for you to be reading medical textbooks at this stage. You will get nothing out of it and you will forget most (if not all) of it by the time you get to med school. If you even make it that far.

If you're interested about certain medical topics, read a good nonfiction book about it (like schrizto suggested). Don't go for a medical textbook you won't understand. I don't even know why a HS would want to do this. Go get laid. Hang out with friends. Do something fun not related to school (even though I'm pretty sure you're going to tell me that memorizing path/pathophys is fun for you).

 

[MilkmanAl]

I agree with what everyone else has already said. There's a reason that you don't go straight to med school from high school. If you want to read to "get ahead," get an undergrad-level physiology text or something. If reading a med school-level microbiology text is painful for me, it's going to make your head explode, assuming you can even understand what they're trying to communicate to you.

 

[Phillyborn]

I agree with what everyone else has already said. There's a reason that you don't go straight to med school from high school. If you want to read to "get ahead," get an undergrad-level physiology text or something. If reading a med school-level microbiology text is painful for me, it's going to make your head explode, assuming you can even understand what they're trying to communicate to you.

This is how it works in lots of other places in the world. They seem to produce competent physicians.

 

[sunshinevet]

///My real advice would be to go try to get laid while he has time and the body.

+1!!!

This is how it works in lots of other places in the world. They seem to produce competent physicians.

I can't speak for everywhere else, but here our highschool is far more rigorous than yours - final year american highschool students come out here and can't believe what we're being taught. That sets us up a little better for uni - and pretty much every system with undergrad med is 6 years. So the system is a little different.

As for the OP - seriously, theres no point. If you rote memorize them now, your not going to remember ANY of it when it really counts - and theres also no point in knowing without understanding. Just go and have some freaking fun - you wont have time for it later!

If you want to read an awesome book about epidemiology that is good and you'll actually understand, read the coming plague. Its awesome.

 

[Ischemic]

This is how it works in lots of other places in the world. They seem to produce competent physicians.

That's because they weed em out heavily during med school. In the US the weedout occurs before med school. So technically you end up with the same "quality" but what separates the US is that there's heavy specializations while other countries end up with lots of primary care docs and few specialists.

 

[Depakote]

If you want a "good read", don't choose a medical textbook. There are a lot of nonfiction books about epidemiology, virology that are entertaining that you could get more out of than reading a medical text in high school. The Hot Zone by Richard Preston is one that's pretty popular.

This thread is getting messy... sounds like there are some egos colliding here.

I was going to suggest The Hot Zone as well. I first read it in high school and it played a big role in getting me into medicine. It does a good job explaining virology and epidemiology at a level that just about everyone can understand... in a very entertaining way.

If you want another pseudo-epidemiology book, another fav of mine is Autism's False Prophets. It goes into the science and research that caused Andrew Wakefield to claim that the MMR vaccine caused autism, the work of other people that have made similar claims and the various studies that refuted those claims.


As above, I don't know that you'd get a whole ton out of reading Harrison's or Robbins... I'd try to find something that interests you and is more written for the lay public. I remember I had a doc I shadowed in HS who printed off text chapters for me... I tried to read them and kept nodding off b/c they were so over my head. If you find something that's more story based (maybe from the health/medical section of your bookstore), where you'd find the above... you'll probably have a better read.

If you're dead-set on a text format... I would guess there are some rudimentary health books out there. If your school has a health class, you could see if they use a text. Something that explains some basic physiology, basic disease processes, etc.

 

[MilkmanAl]

This is how it works in lots of other places in the world. They seem to produce competent physicians.

As mentioned, they have huge drop-out rates, and they also do 6 years of training (= 2 of undergrad plus med school).

 

[ButImLETired]

What is it with arrogant high school kids lately? I swear they think they should be in med school already, it's just bizarre...

 

[da8s0859q]

What is it with arrogant high school kids lately? I swear they think they should be in med school already, it's just bizarre...

Dunno, but if all of hSDN were like the OP, I would never touch this subforum. Dude gets advice, book citations, and even a little encouragement of curiosity and still acts like a tool.

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

Dunno, but if all of hSDN were like the OP, I would never touch this subforum. Dude gets advice, book citations, and even a little encouragement of curiosity and still acts like a tool.

Maybe the OP is just bummed because when we were all in high school, we already KNEW what medical textbooks to read, and we didn't have to go online and ask. Gunner fail.

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

Maybe the OP is just bummed because when we were all in high school, we already KNEW what medical textbooks to read, and we didn't have to go online and ask. Gunner fail.

 

[Everybody knows]

That's because they weed em out heavily during med school. In the US the weedout occurs before med school. So technically you end up with the same "quality" but what separates the US is that there's heavy specializations while other countries end up with lots of primary care docs and few specialists.

So, how does weeding out students before medical school work out? Does it produce lots of physicians who know what they are getting in to and are happy with their career choices? No shortages in primary care?

If the OP wants to read Robbins, let them read Robbins. Either they:
1)understand none of it and question their decision to devote their lives to medicine (if more who had truly felt this way figured it out earlier, we would all be better off), or
2)understand a little/none of it and learn some pertinent background physiology, or
3)understand none of it and continue blindly claiming that they want to be a doctor (really, no worse for the wear).

Plus, you have no idea how validating it can be if you're the kid who everyone knows is planning on being a doctor and you drop the etiology (rote memorized) of some exotic sounding disease at the right moment at a high school party. There is your ticket to getting laid.

 

[Neurocentric]

So, how does weeding out students before medical school work out? Does it produce lots of physicians who know what they are getting in to and are happy with their career choices? No shortages in primary care?

If the OP wants to read Robbins, let them read Robbins. Either they:
1)understand none of it and question their decision to devote their lives to medicine (if more who had truly felt this way figured it out earlier, we would all be better off), or
2)understand a little/none of it and learn some pertinent background physiology, or
3)understand none of it and continue blindly claiming that they want to be a doctor (really, no worse for the wear).

Plus, you have no idea how validating it can be if you're the kid who everyone knows is planning on being a doctor and you drop the etiology (rote memorized) of some exotic sounding disease at the right moment at a high school party. There is your ticket to getting laid.

I have to disagree with this. Honestly, if there was a kid like that in HS, I'd think of him as a tool, and nothing more. None of those kids will understand what he's talking about, and he won't sound cool to them.

 

[Everybody knows]

I completely agree with you... now. But its easy to forget how shallow high schoolers can be. And really, you only need to impress a few.

 

[Neurocentric]

I completely agree with you... now. But its easy to forget how shallow high schoolers can be. And really, you only need to impress a few.

Well, considering I was that geek in high school reading about medical stuff till I exploded and trying to impress people with my "wealth" of knowledge.. high school kids don't give a crap. To them, you look like the ass-kisser or the dork who would rather study than go out to a party and have a good time.. and to most high schoolers, studying is definitely not cool. And last I checked, none of the people I graduated with are doing much of anything.. which is very funny to me.

That's one of the reasons why I told the OP to relax a bit about learning the info.. he'll just end up burnt out because he has no clue what the books are really about and although it doesn't affect me whether or not that crushes his medical dreams or fuels them, I felt I had to say something regardless. Reading it all for interest is definitely one thing, but his initial post (which is now edited or deleted) did not make it seem like that was his intention.

 

[ButImLETired]

I have to disagree with this. Honestly, if there was a kid like that in HS, I'd think of him as a tool, and nothing more. None of those kids will understand what he's talking about, and he won't sound cool to them.

Haha agreed. If getting laid is the intended result, acquiring sports skills or learning how not to be arrogant and condescending is a far better use of his time. 16-year-old girls don't really feel like sitting around listening to someone pontificate about AML on a saturday night. Thanks to Dr. McDreamy, future doctors are cool, but only if they look like that in scrubs and are saving lives, not spending their days reading Robbins of all things.

 

[WholeLottaGame7]

I have to disagree with this. Honestly, if there was a kid like that in HS, I'd think of him as a tool, and nothing more. None of those kids will understand what he's talking about, and he won't sound cool to them.

Agreed. High school is hard enough without asking for more trouble. (One of) the problems with high school is that your actual knowledge:self-perceived knowledge ratio is dangerously low, why make it any worse than it already is?

 

[Neurocentric]

Haha agreed. If getting laid is the intended result, acquiring sports skills or learning how not to be arrogant and condescending is a far better use of his time. 16-year-old girls don't really feel like sitting around listening to someone pontificate about AML on a saturday night. Thanks to Dr. McDreamy, future doctors are cool, but only if they look like that in scrubs and are saving lives, not spending their days reading Robbins of all things.

I've been in hospitals before.. and I've NEVER seen a doctor look like McDreamy.. if they did.. I'd be finding all sorts of issues to get seen about.

 

[MattD]

Haha agreed. If getting laid is the intended result, acquiring sports skills or learning how not to be arrogant and condescending is a far better use of his time. 16-year-old girls don't really feel like sitting around listening to someone pontificate about AML on a saturday night. Thanks to Dr. McDreamy, future doctors are cool, but only if they look like that in scrubs and are saving lives, not spending their days reading Robbins of all things.

Actually, my memory of 16 year old girls is that the KEY to getting in their pants was being arrogant and condescending. Nice boys are boring. Girls want the bad guy.

 

[da8s0859q]

Actually, my memory of 16 year old girls is that the KEY to getting in their pants was being arrogant and condescending. Nice boys are boring. Girls want the bad guy.

So reminds me of this. (Neurocentric, don't hate me.)

 

[Neurocentric]

So reminds me of this. (Neurocentric, don't hate me.)

haha I don't hate ya.. most of that is actually true.

 

[Cancer Curer]

Wow! You guys have some issues to deal with. Thanks to the few of you who actually listed some books. But to all others, I hope you guys don't go into any social doctor careers, because obviously you will struggle due to the extraordinary lack of communication skills!

I asked for a couple of book titles, and got a lot of hotheaded remarks about being arrogant? Sigh.

Anyways, I'm not looking to get laid. I'm waiting until marriage. It's called being a Christian, believing in Jesus Christ and his teachings (let me emphasize that since some of you "believe" in him but do not follow his teachings), and having some morals.

It is not me that needs to grow up, look at yourselves. Degrading a high school student that wants to become part of a medical profession and asking simply to list some books to read (AND NOT GETTING A HEAD START...READ THE REVISED OP...idiots), and all you guys do is not give names of books, but rather attack me for...?

Anyways, I won't be back. I'll get some information from some actual doctors that actually have a bit of knowledge and social skills.

See ya guys in ten years or so.

 

[Neurocentric]

Wow! You guys have some issues to deal with. Thanks to the few of you who actually listed some books. But to all others, I hope you guys don't go into any social doctor careers, because obviously you will struggle due to the extraordinary lack of communication skills!

I asked for a couple of book titles, and got a lot of hotheaded remarks about being arrogant? Sigh.

Anyways, I'm not looking to get laid. I'm waiting until marriage. It's called being a Christian, believing in Jesus Christ and his teachings (let me emphasize that since some of you "believe" in him but do not follow his teachings), and having some morals.

It is not me that needs to grow up, look at yourselves. Degrading a high school student that wants to become part of a medical profession and asking simply to list some books to read (AND NOT GETTING A HEAD START...READ THE REVISED OP...idiots), and all you guys do is not give names of books, but rather attack me for...?

Anyways, I won't be back. I'll get some information from some actual doctors that actually have a bit of knowledge and social skills.

See ya guys in ten years or so.

I won't comment on the bolded part, because that will start a whole other can of worms.

However, you're taking what everyone says way too damn seriously. I think it is YOU who needs to chill out and calm down. Just sayin'. Something tells me when you become pre-med, you're gonna get knocked down about 50 pegs. Lose the attitude.

 

[da8s0859q]

Wow! You guys have some issues to deal with.

Yeah. We totally were like, "I want a head start!" and then were like "No wait, just kidding, I'm not publicly saying I want a head start!" and then were like "MAYBE you guys should read the REVISED question!" and then were totally like "you don't know me or my [high school] background!" when given information from people who are just a little bit ahead of you on the road. Isn't there something in religion-land about, I dunno, a little humility?

From your simple original post, you got free advice. AND book recommendations, from me and others. AND applause for curiosity, also from me and others. The only thing you did not get was the through-and-through oh-gee-golly encouragement to be a medical student prohibitively ahead of your time.

I dunno who lit the fuse on your tampon, but relax. The medical students (and senior pre-med people?) who read hSDN every now and again do so because we/they are on your side -- and by "your," I mean similarly aspiring high school kids in general -- until said high school kids start acting douchey to people trying to give 'em realistic answers to their questions.

 

[Neurocentric]

Yeah. We totally were like, "I want a head start!" and then were like "No wait, just kidding, I'm not publicly saying I want a head start!" and then were like "MAYBE you guys should read the REVISED question!" and then were totally like "you don't know me or my [high school] background!" when given information from people who are just a little bit ahead of you on the road. Isn't there something in religion-land about, I dunno, a little humility?

From your simple original post, you got free advice. AND book recommendations, from me and others. AND applause for curiosity, also from me and others. The only thing you did not get was the through-and-through oh-gee-golly encouragement to be a medical student prohibitively ahead of your time.

I dunno who lit the fuse on your tampon, but relax. The medical students (and senior pre-med people?) who read hSDN every now and again do so because we/they are on your side -- and by "your," I mean similarly aspiring high school kids in general -- until said high school kids start acting douchey to people trying to give 'em realistic answers to their questions.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[skierbum]

So, as of this year, I have spent 500+ hours volunteering at my local hospital. Which reminds me, that I should mention I am a high school senior that has taken all the *ego boosting* aps and I still know nothing. Perhaps I have learned trivia, like the difference between an cyst and a polp (one is "squishy, squishy), what lorezepam and flourocortisol are used for, and the like. But each thing I learn shows me how much I have yet to learn. Some of these sdners (if I may use that as a word) need to get some real world experiences.

As far as books, the one that is my absolute favorite is Mountains beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. Or anything by Atul Gatawande (I think I spelled that right). Reading an inspiring story will give you perspective that a textbook won't.

 

[Neurocentric]

So, as of this year, I have spent 500+ hours volunteering at my local hospital. Which reminds me, that I should mention I am a high school senior that has taken all the *ego boosting* aps and I still know nothing. Perhaps I have learned trivia, like the difference between an cyst and a polp (one is "squishy, squishy), what lorezepam and flourocortisol are used for, and the like. But each thing I learn shows me how much I have yet to learn. Some of these sdners (if I may use that as a word) need to get some real world experiences.

As far as books, the one that is my absolute favorite is Mountains beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. Or anything by Atul Gatawande (I think I spelled that right). Reading an inspiring story will give you perspective that a textbook won't.

I love Dr. Gawande's books. If you like him, you might like Katrina Firlik. She is a neurosurgeon who is quoted in my signature. The title of the book is there, too. Definitely check it out

 

[orthomyxo]

Yeah. We totally were like, "I want a head start!" and then were like "No wait, just kidding, I'm not publicly saying I want a head start!" and then were like "MAYBE you guys should read the REVISED question!" and then were totally like "you don't know me or my [high school] background!" when given information from people who are just a little bit ahead of you on the road. Isn't there something in religion-land about, I dunno, a little humility?

From your simple original post, you got free advice. AND book recommendations, from me and others. AND applause for curiosity, also from me and others. The only thing you did not get was the through-and-through oh-gee-golly encouragement to be a medical student prohibitively ahead of your time.

I dunno who lit the fuse on your tampon, but relax. The medical students (and senior pre-med people?) who read hSDN every now and again do so because we/they are on your side -- and by "your," I mean similarly aspiring high school kids in general -- until said high school kids start acting douchey to people trying to give 'em realistic answers to their questions.

 

[MilkmanAl]

The only Gawande book I've read is Better, and while it's a very good read, it isn't the stunner most people laud it as if you're in the thick of things. In other words, read it before med school so the magic doesn't vanish.