One of the quirks of my school is that there are no assigned texts. You are simply supposed to go out and find texts that will help you learn the material. We are apparently going to get some recommendations from the second years, but I wanted your advice too. We are starting with a block of labs, lectures and tutorials called “The Human Body” which is anatomy, radiology and histology. I would love recommendations on books that were helpful to you in the study of each of these fields. I think AMSA is giving out free Netters for people who sign up for a credit card–which I need to do anyway–but I could go out and buy another one if that isn’t so good.
Also, Nat, you mentioned xeroxing pages of an atlas and coloring them in. What atlas did you use? And did you also use the Human Anatomy Coloring Book?
thanks
sf/boston joe
Joe, for histology the Wheater’s atlas of functional histology was helpful - not only were the slide reproductions good to use as a guide when you’re looking at slides wondering “WTF am I supposed to be seeing here?”, but the text gave concise explanations of essential histo topics. Our prof did NOT like Wheater’s and didn’t want any of us to buy it, but we all got it second-hand from the class before us. 
THE text for histo is Junquiera - seems like everyone uses it - and it is also pretty good.
Netter’s is handy for anatomy lab, no question. There’s a photographic atlas whose author’s name is escaping me that is also really good.
Nolte “The Human Brain” is well-written for neurobiology although I certainly didn’t read most of it!
Since I didn’t want to spend more time on campus than I had to, I tended to spend more $$ on books than some people, but I did buy most of them used at the upper-class book sales. I also heard of people who would check out the previous edition of a popular textbook from the library for the semester - saved a lot of $$ and on the rare occasion when they needed more up to date info, they could just look at the new version on reserve.
If you can stand to do it, you can wait and see what the class handouts are like if those are part of your “curriculum.” At GWU most classes have provided such good handouts that textbooks are definitely adjuncts - handy references if you missed the lecture or the notes didn’t make sense, but not necessary. I was always too compulsive to relax and do this which cost me money. 
You’ll probably try a couple of different approaches to studying, class attendance, reliance on notes vs. textbooks, etc. Don’t worry, you’ll find a style that works for you!
Mary in Virginia
Other than Netter’s for anatomy, I liked Rohen’s which had real cadaver pictures. I was one that only went to anatomy lab when it was required. I hated the smell. therefore, the Rohen helped me to know what it was supposed to look like. The trick to anatomy is “location, location, location.” If you know what it is attached to, then you should be ok.
Histo- I had 3 friends that I used to get together with, we each had different books that we would bring to our study groups, the weekend before a test. We would then go through the check list, passing the different books around.
I used Sabotta (last one made in 1980’s will have to find an older classmate with a copy), Erlandson, and Gardener. I was not as impressed with Junquiera, it was one of the required texts, but after checking it out at the library I liked my choices better.
Remember for Histo, anatomy and neuro, things have not changed that much so to use an old edition is fine. And as Mary suggested, just go to the library and either chek out an old edition, or if you are that worried about it, borrow the new reserve copy and compare. It is also a good way to see if you like the book before you buy it. In my opinion, there are few books that you should buy. When you are studying for the boards, you will not have the time to look back at those expensive texts. If you have a question, you
can aways go to the library.
Biochem - usually notes are good enough. NMS and Lippincott’s are good.
Neuro - I liked our notes. for atlas, we did the same as with histo. I had borrowed Nolte’s the human brain and also Netter’s.
Micro - used notes and First Aid for the Boards to help but everything together.
I would get a year old First Aid for the boards (again, minimal changes from year to year) and go through it when you are studying for your classes. Put in notes on how you remembered things, it will help you when you go to study for the boards.
Just my $.02
Rachel
CCOM MS-III
Thanks, Mary and Rachel.
In case anyone cares later, here are my decisions so far for our “Body block” (anatomy, histology and radiology).
One of the big debates here is whether to get “big Moore” or “baby Moore” as an anatomy text (“baby Moore” being the abridged version of the big “Clinically Oriented Anatomy”); I went for the big Moore because I read fast and wanted more explanation, but whether I’ll actually read it is still an open question. I also got Netter’s (free with AMSA membership). And I’m getting Rohen’s photographic atlas when it comes to the bookstore next week.
For histo, I got the Gartner despite the Junquiera recommendations from Mary and others, because it had a CD and I liked the idea of being able to study histo images at home. We also, I found out, have the Junquiera online here, which raises the question of whether I need a text at all, but I decided I wanted a book, a tangible thing, that I could take to cafes or other places.
I’m still deciding whether I need a radiology text.
I need to remind myself of how much this is all costing; frankly, I love having these books and without restraining myself I might just buy tons of them. Getting them is definitely part of the “Oh my god, I’m really in medical school” feeling; I need to titrate that so I don’t go totally nuts!
Before each block of classes we have a “Blockbuster” where second-years get up and give their recommendations, and that was helpful too. (I really appreciate all the help that the second-years give the first-years here. True, I think my “big sister” is probably almost a decade younger than I am, but she’s been great.) Still, since everyone has their own style, textbooks remain a sort of vexing decision.
cheers
sf/boston joe
Hey Joe,
Things that I used ad nauseum that are on CD-ROM were:
1. Netter's Atlas
2. Gold Standard Anatomy Dissection Atlas
3. Wheater's Atlas of Histology and Pathology
4.Gold Standard Essentials of Human Physiology
Books that I found invaluable:
Lippincott's Biochemistry
Pocket Atlas of Human Anatomy(I still use this book)
Book of Cross Sectional Anatomy (I still use this book)
Radiographic Anatomy for CT and MRI
Human Brain Coloring Book
Goljan's Pathology Review
Rohen and Yocochi's Anatomy Atlas (Photos of beautiful dissections)
Snells Neuroanatomy for Medical Students (Great clinical correlations)
Microbiology Made Ridiculously Simple (A classic, you remember the TB bacillus waxing his surfboard!)
As for Gross Anatomy Texts: Baby Moore is the minimum of what you really need to know. You can get by with reading the blue boxes in Big Moore in the library and studying the crap out of Baby Moore. Also take a look at the Clinical Correlations in Snell's Anatomy for Medical Students. Good stuff and great reading.
Trying to read Big Moore is cumbersome for a first year medical student. Almost all of us who honored Gross Anatomy pretty much memorized Baby Moore even though our professors told us that this book was not enough. I also loved Dubins Rapid Review of EKGs too!
Good luck!
Natalie
I’ll add another vote for Baby Moore. I read the big Moore through most of our block because I didn’t know about the baby version. Our PA students use it and apparently our faculty either a) think it is beneath medical students or 
are afraid the 200 medical students would buy all of the baby Moore’s before the 50 or so PA students could get them. I have my money on .
I also used Netter’s and continue to use it in second year. You just can’t go wrong with Netter.
I’m curious about your program, though. Do y’all get the typical course handout? We don’t get them here at UTMB because of a fear that they’ll “inhibit our independent search for knowledge”. Needless to say, that is probably the number one gripe we have here.
Take care,
Jeff Jarvis
Jeff,
Not sure what you mean by course handout, so maybe that answers your question. We get some lecture notes and we get cases, but no handout that tells us what to study, if that's what you mean. So I suspect we're in the same boat.
Nat, thanks for all the tips. I'll go look for those CDs, especially.
cheers
sf/boston joe