Clerkship Essentials - Revisited

[horchata]

I was digging through the forums looking for recommendations on books and pocket references to help me during clerkship. To this end I found a thread addressing the topic, but it's extremely dated (six years old, with several recommendations for Palm devices).

So senior medical students and residents: what pocket books, textbooks, and other resources did you find indispensable during your rotations? Any advice you wish someone had told you before starting clerkship?

[Lactic Folly]

Broad question. Do you prefer books or electronic references? A portable drug reference is very handy. I would divide other resources into 1) general medical and 2) rotation specific references.

[thebouque]

Tarascon for pharma

[liszt]

My white coat has lightened a bit since finishing my core rotations, but my iPhone remains my most essential resource.
Lexi-Comp (provided free of charge from my library) is my favorite drug program, and 5-minute clinical consult is an excellent quick reference. I've been meaning to download Harrison's, but haven't gotten around to it. An electronic Obstetrics Wheel, ECG Guide, and ruler have come in handy many times.
For paper resources... well.. I carried around a the paper version of Pocket Medicine until I got it for iPhone. If I'm carrying a lot of patients, I'll keep info sheets on them in my pocket so I can quickly access their issues, meds, and key labs. I received a template for this and now just photocopy it when necessary.

That about it for resources... and besides several pens (one for using, and atleast one that you don't mind being stolen). stethoscope, and coffee money, I think that's about it.

[Julie]

I liked the case files series to study... By no means do they cover all you need to know, but they're entertaining and usually cover the most important stuff in a way I remember it. Toronto notes was useful sometimes too. For PDA stuff I liked Pepid for my iPod. It's expensive but usually answers my questions, and has Canadian brand names for drugs. I found Merck to be more useful than Harrison's (note : it's not the full Harrison's that you would get on a PDA, and somehow that small version of it just didn't seem to answer my questions). Med Calc is cheap and quite useful too.

[Madz25]

i prefer books to electronic items as i dont have a palm, blackberry, or an iphone. i carry:

1) pocket medicine
2) pharm book

access to uptodate is also nice.

[jakesmith]

My coat pockets always have:
1. Ipod (Epocrates plus some other apps)
2. Pocket Medicine: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1608...SIN=1608319059
3. EZ pass clinical rotations (this is a MUST HAVE for at least your first rotation. It was a lifesaver for me): http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1615...SIN=1615844457


If you don't want to use epocrates and prefer an actual book, use Tarascon's pharmacopeia:
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0763...SIN=0763774391