This book is a primary review tool to prepare students for both the internal medicine clerkship and the end-rotation NBME shelf examination. This logical alternative to several limited-focus books blends a bullet-outline format students prefer in a review book with comprehensive paragraphs, as needed, for optimal preparation.

Illustrations, charts, tables, graphs, mnemonics, and “Quick Hits” pearls for the clerkship speed and supplement learning. Ample content without superfluous detail enables students to readily evaluate and expand their knowledge of cardiology, pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, hematology, neurology, endocrinology, rheumatology, nephrology, genitourinary disorders, fluids and electrolytes, dermatology and musculoskeletal problems.

A new section in this Second Edition presents 100 USMLE-style clinical vignette-based questions with answers. A color insert contains over thirty full-color images. A companion Website will offer the fully searchable text and color photographs.

Step-Up is easy to read because it’s written in prose, organized well, and goes over the relevant pathophysiology just enough so that the knowledge sticks in your head (whereas FA is very lacking in that last aspect). The Quick Hit blurbs on the side are great; it’s actually useful info, instead of some elusive epidemiologic percentage or numbers that no one cares about anyway. For example, one of the Quick Hits states: “Ultrasound detects the common bild duct only 50% of the time,” which corresponds to the section on the management of choledocholethiasis… if you can only see the CBD half the time, it would make no sense to use it to detect choledocholithiasis. And that’s how you learn that ERCP is the preferred mode for detecting the condition (and US is preferred for cholelithiasis).

The management sections for each condition presented is very succinct and clearly written. There are certain things that are outdated, but it’s not enough to prevent a prospective M3 from picking up this book; one instance, the book still refers to Non-Q Wave and Q-Wave MIs. Overall, diagnosis and treatment are presented in a very logical way, which you would need to know during rounds. Lots of black/white photographs and a special section with colored photos complete this excellent resource.

All in all, there are lots of other books you can use for the medicine rotation. But you won’t find anything better than this one.

Related Books:

1. First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 2009: A Student to Student Guide (First Aid Series) – By Tao Le
2. Case Files Internal Medicine, Third Edition (LANGE Case Files) : Eugene Toy, John Patlan
3. Pocket Medicine: The Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of Internal Medicine
4. Decorating Without Fear: A Step-by-Step Guide To Creating The Home You Love – Sharon Hanby-Robie
5. The Medicine Box – By Shan-Tung Hsu
6. A Brief History of Disease, Science and Medicine : Michael T. Kennedy MD
7. Rapid Review Pathology: With STUDENT CONSULT Online Access – By Edward F. Goljan MD
8. FACES: Photography and the Art of Portraiture – Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua