What did you do with your med school books?

[Jaded Soul]

I'm a current M4 and I'm thinking of selling a bunch of my pre-clinical books to the first and second year classes right now while demand is probably high and supply is low. Most of them are no-brainers (i.e. Step 1 review books). I'm not sure about parting with some of my references texts though, like Bates Physical Exam or Robbins Pathology. On one hand, they seem like something worth keeping on the shelf, but on the other hand I haven't opened them in since Year 2.

For the current interns and residents, are there any pre-clinical books that you got rid of that you wish you didn't? If you still have all of your med school books, is there anything that you still refer to on occasion?

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[beyond all hope]

I didn't keep hardly any of my books and I'm sorry I didn't. I gave away Harrison's (dumb idea), path books, pharm books, etc. I miss Harrison's and my pharm texts most of all.

I would never go back to a Biochem or Histo book, but that's about it. Anatomy texts, neuro texts, micro texts are all useful.

You have to keep looking stuff up as a resident and even as an attending otherwise you get dumb fast. MDConsult has a lot of books online but often not exactly what you need.

 

[fourthyear]

As a surgery resident, I still use the anatomy books - Netter never goes outa style. I kinda wish I kept a micro book too b/c I seem to have forgotten some of that and we do deal with quite a lot of infections.

Other than that there's nothing a pre-clinical book has that I need that isn't in my surgery texts I now read anyway.

Get rid of Bates and Robbins. If you're doing path, maybe keep Robbins, but otherwise you won't look at it. I kept mine more b/c of the connection I felt after spending so much time with it. Have never used it again and should have sold it.

 

[ParisHilton]

I got rid of everything except Netter and the review books that I used for Step 1 (i.e. First Aid, BRS Path, Ridiculous Micro, Stars Phys etc). If you want to sell them, you better do it now before everyone buys books for the upcoming year. Besides, once a new edition comes out, you'll have even a tougher time getting rid of them. You'll never use most of the books. In the rare occasion that you need to, just go to the library and they'll have it on reserve. If you're feeling nostalgic and can't bear to part with Wheater's Histo or Stryer's Biochem , just keep them at your parents' house until you have a permanent place of your own (i.e. during residency) so you don't have to lug them all over the place.

 

[surg]

I donated almost all my med school books (many were 1 edition out of date) to our local community college's library which has a surg. tech program and a nursing degree (associate's) program. They were quite thankful.

 

[Swaydaa]

I only have my two bibles left......Netter and Robbins. Sold the rest for $756 on amazon. That really helps when it comes to this huge ERAS payment im gonna make!! I would choose Amazon over Ebay for selling books. Made 50% more reselling on Amazon.

 

[avendesora]

I kept my Netter. Sold almost everything else.

I cannot imagine a situation in which a basic science question could not be answered faster online than by going home and fetching a book.

http://half.com

 

[Jaded Soul]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

I had a total liquidation of everything that anyone would buy. Paid for my SF Match fees. Kept my Netter and Stedman's Concise, and only because the first years got those free by joining AMSA and AMA and there was no demand for them.

I agree that Amazon Marketplace is a great place to sell--much better than eBay.