New PGY2 books

[Slack3r]

I know this question has been asked before, but I'll be starting Derm next week, and I feel like I am absolutely clueless. My program provides Bolognia, but boy is that a slog when I haven't looked at anything Derm related in >1.5 years and just want a basic overview.

I know Lookingbill/Marks has been suggested as a good, short student/intern reference, but was also wondering about Habif? It seems to be a more in-depth text, but I was wondering about the utility of Habif if we'll already be reading Bolognia as part of the curriculum, and it seems to be too long for a brief overview?

I have Fitzpatrick, but it feels like more of an in-clinic reference than a useful text. I don't really care for the bullet-point-ish format.

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[MilkIsGood]

I know this question has been asked before, but I'll be starting Derm next week, and I feel like I am absolutely clueless. My program provides Bolognia, but boy is that a slog when I haven't looked at anything Derm related in >1.5 years and just want a basic overview.

I know Lookingbill/Marks has been suggested as a good, short student/intern reference, but was also wondering about Habif? It seems to be a more in-depth text, but I was wondering about the utility of Habif if we'll already be reading Bolognia as part of the curriculum, and it seems to be too long for a brief overview?

I have Fitzpatrick, but it feels like more of an in-clinic reference than a useful text. I don't really care for the bullet-point-ish format.

I start next week as well. My program has us reading Skin Disease: diagnosis and treatment by Habif during our first few weeks. seems like a good intro book, havent bought it yet though

 

[Tamahawk]

I know this question has been asked before, but I'll be starting Derm next week, and I feel like I am absolutely clueless. My program provides Bolognia, but boy is that a slog when I haven't looked at anything Derm related in >1.5 years and just want a basic overview.

I know Lookingbill/Marks has been suggested as a good, short student/intern reference, but was also wondering about Habif? It seems to be a more in-depth text, but I was wondering about the utility of Habif if we'll already be reading Bolognia as part of the curriculum, and it seems to be too long for a brief overview?

I have Fitzpatrick, but it feels like more of an in-clinic reference than a useful text. I don't really care for the bullet-point-ish format.

The Habif book is really the best place to start. You will learn at least 80% of all the information you will need for a routine clinic day in that book. It is also a very fast read...I spent 2 hours per day on it when I started and completed the book in around 6 weeks. It lays a great clinical foundation for you as you delve deeper into your core textbooks (I feel Bologna is by far the best comprehensive text btw).

 

[Slack3r]

The Habif book is really the best place to start. You will learn at least 80% of all the information you will need for a routine clinic day in that book. It is also a very fast read...I spent 2 hours per day on it when I started and completed the book in around 6 weeks. It lays a great clinical foundation for you as you delve deeper into your core textbooks (I feel Bologna is by far the best comprehensive text btw).

Are you referring to this Habif:

Amazon product

Or this one?

Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy, 6e: 9780323261838: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

 

[Tamahawk]

Are you referring to this Habif:

Amazon product

Or this one?

Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy, 6e: 9780323261838: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

Was referring to the hardcover book in the 6th edition.

 

[PatsyStone]

It can be overwhelming, but you just have to start reading somewhere and keep going with it.

 

[username456789]

It can be overwhelming, but you just have to start reading somewhere and keep going with it.

Agreed. I think I breezed through Lookingbill and Marks right before I started during residency, and then once residency started I just began with Bolognia from day one. Slog through the first few basic science chapters, then just began hitting chapters that seemed high yield to me, like acne, papulosquamous, blistering disorders, etc. But we also had a suggested reading schedule that I sort of followed. Either way you slice it, it's difficult when you first start, because you're trying to reach general term, learn dermpath basics, and figure out all those genoderms. The first six months you feel like you're just treading water sort of.

I perhaps when a little overboard compared to some people right now as far as reading and taking notes, but I would more or less and transcribe all the highlights/notes from each Bolognia and Hurwitz chapter. It was extremely time-consuming and my weekends are full of mostly studying, but by the time the in-service exam rolled around in February of my first year, I was good to go, and ended up in the 99th percentile. Building a super strong foundation like this early on really helped me to succeed during the rest of residency and now into my career as an attending.

Just keep your nose to the grind stone and put in the work.

P.S. Andrews is a great book to read once you've gone through Bologna at least once, in my opinion. It's very difficult to learn dermatology for the first time from Andrews, because the way it's written seems to assume that you already have a solid context for everything, which you don't as a first year. That said, before Bolognia existed, many programs used Andrews and did just fine.

 

[PatsyStone]

I agree with the above.

This sounds obvious, but you can never read enough. Once you make it into derm--especially after intern year--you're tired and ready for a break, but it is important to keep pushing. Everyone is different, but try to read a little everyday, and try to read a lot on weekends.

Also, when you start reading, there will be things you do not understand or things that are confusing, but that is OK. No one expects you to commit to memory the different types of PRP the first time you read it or to be able to differentiate all sub-types of EB after reading about them once. If you can understand and appreciate the big picture/categories, the details and minutia will fall into place over time.