Pocket Medicine: The Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of Internal Medicine 7th Edition

Seriously, not sure what all the issues are with the binding; it functions fine. The only drawback I could foresee is what others have said regarding the ability to remove and rearrange the pages in the previous version. I have both (see picture), and personally like the ring bound version better as it is way more flexible and far less bulky in your pocket. Plus there are pertinent updates in the ring bound version anyway (I.e. the use of procalcitonin level as an indicator for bacterial infection and antibiotic use as in pneumonia in the pics). There is a new version now that is ring bound again, so take your pick and get the new one if that’s what you are looking for since it will have updates.

It took me TOO long to discover this book. I finally purchased it as a medical intern, and it has been my "bible." I refer to this book each time I have an admission or new problem and it guides my thinking. Using this as a reference has helped me stay sharp, impress attendings with broad differentials, and answer any quiz questions I get during rounds. A MUST BUY.

This book is so amazing to have when you're on the wards. As a medical student, it has been invaluable to me being on the medicine wards. It has so much information in it, especially the specifics. For instance, you may know generally what the treatment is for something, but the exact dosing and whatnot are clearly written out for you in this book. It'll make you look like a superstar with your attendings. It's also a great conversation piece because many of the attendings and residents will recall using the same book and talk about how great it is. It's definitely saved me quite a few times and I highly recommend this!

Short and simple: the content is great. Very neatly organized, easy to find what you’re looking for. In depth explanations.However, for how expensive this is, you’d at least expect some metal spirals and a sturdier cover. I know this is a pocket book and it’s supposed to be lightweight and tight, but considering how thin and fragile the pages are, the tight plastic spirals are very harsh on them. You almost have to treat it like a baby.

When I went to purchase the new addition I noticed a lot of comments comparing the 7th to the 6th. I purchased the 7th for my sister and personally use the 6th. The main differences are the binding. The 6th edition is sturdier and you can open up the binds to take out pages if you wish. The differences I believe are going to be about preference. I loved the 6th edition, had no complaints but now that I hold the 7th it is going to be much easier to carry it in a white coat pocket. It’s lighter. You cannot take the pages out, but I personally never needed to. If you’re trying to decide between the two editions I would narrow it down to whether taking out a few pages based on your needs is important or not. One flaw, I could see the 7th edition getting damaged more easily with liquids. Otherwise happy with both and honestly wish I could keep the 7th for myself.

This book conveniently fits in most scrub pockets, which makes it easy to use while rounding as a medical student or resident physician. Other reviews note the poor construction of the spiral binding. I agree with their assessment; it is often difficult to completely open and fold back pages in the middle of the book. However, this book is primarily designed for quick reference while discussing a case, so I didn't find this to interfere with my use of the book. Each recommendation for both diagnosis and treatment includes citations from leading journals such as NEJM, so you can feel confident that (as of publication) the recommendations are up to date as per national standards.

As a third year medical student, this resource has been extremely helpful for me on my clinical rotations. It is small and easy to carry in my white coat. The information is thorough, yet succinct. It is easy to navigate and very user friendly. I use this resource on a daily basis - whether using it to assist my clinical decision making when working up a patient, or simply to read up on a condition I saw that day. I would recommend this to any medical student going through their clinical rotations and will continue to use it during residency.

Easily throw this in your white coat and prepare for high yield information on rounds