BOTH First Aid 2018 vs. First Aid 2017 - any major changes?

[Dreamstoo]

Hey guys, are there major changes in this year's first aid? I've heard of changes made in the Neurology chapter but haven't heard details.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[TheCruelOne]

Also interested in knowing about this! I have First Aid 2017 and I'm taking boards in May, so I'm wondering if I should get the 2018 version.

 

[Rahas]

I'm using FA 2016 and went through the biochem section just to highlight new stuff. This took me about 2 hours (60 pages or so). I still have to write them into my old FA, as well as read up on anything thats new to me. My guess is the entire process will take around 4-5 days.

As for the changes being important or not, I'd guess its the former. Information doesn't get added randomly. I also know several people who've mentioned how they missed a couple of easy questions because they'd just been added to the newest FA, which they decided to skip.

The problem isn't the information itself (its easy, since at this point, having read FA 2016, assimilating new info isnt difficult), but the process of filtering through the 2018 version to find everything. I simultaneously want to and not want to do it.

 

[Rahas]

I forgot to mention, while there are some big and obvious changes, theres a lot of minute information littered about. eg, Zellwegger disease is AR due to a mutation in the PEX gene. Refsum is due to abnormal alpha oxidation of phytanic acid, which we knew, but they've named the product of its metabolism. Etc etc. If they're adding stuff like this, I'm inclined to think somethings going to show up in the exam. The last thing I want is to know everything about a question, then miss out because I don't know its the "PEX" gene.

 

[QueenJames]

Look like's I'ma have to go get the 2018 version then

I've been using 2016 for the last 1 year and a half.

 

[Rahas]

I'm shifting 2018 info into 2016, because my FA is heavily annotated and the reverse would kill me by carpal tunnel. Its tedious, but I think its a 2-3 day job (based on how much I've consolidated already). If your exam is a few months away, you should probably get this information incorporation out of the way.

 

[deleted751949]

hey there,

if i already have FA 2017 and annotated some of it, is it worth it to buy 2018 and recopy some of the annotations?

 

[Rahas]

I think you should copy only the stuff thats completely new (new topic). Some of that you'll already know from UWorld or other books, though.