Book Description

Examkrackers MCAT Audio Osmosis with Jordan and Jon is complete preparation for the MCAT on 12 audio CDs:
Every MCAT topic and formula thoroughly explained by two of the top MCAT experts in the country.
Exciting and interesting delivery keeps you awake and assists recall.
Intonation and sound effects clarify concepts in ways that can't be duplicated in books or even in the classroom.
Convenient tracking allows easy repetition of important points.
Designed to be used with or without Examkrackers MCAT Complete Study Package.
As comprehensive as any MCAT prep course available.
... Read more

Reviews (19)

Very Useful
Jordan and Jon made me think about the science the way it appears on the real MCAT. I don't know why everyone says that they're not funny. I thought they were hysterical for the most part. I hope they come out with an Audio Osmosis USMLE. By the way, some people say they are using these CDs without using books. I wouldn't go that far. I used the Examkrackers books and thought they were good too.

Excellent Test Prep
I strongly recommend the MCAT audio Osmosis CD's to anyone who is preparing ot take the MCAT. Whatever intellectual level you are on, these CD's are incredibly helpful. They are very explanatory about all the concepts that will be addressed on the MCAT, and they review them in a creative, interesting way. It is practically impossible to become bored while listening to these because they do a lot of sound effects, real life examples, give insight on the thought process behind the MCAT and how you should approach it, and they approach the hard concepts addressed on the MCAT with a more intuitive approach. In addition, by having two different people teaching it, it is so much more engaging and exciting to listen to. I have personally met Jon Orsay, and trust me, not only does he know what he's talking about, he can communicate his knowledge effectively, and is definitely worth the money.
Also, the convenience of the CD's are very valuable. I listen to them in my car, as well as sitting down and taking notes on them. they fully cover all areas of the MCAT, and I am going to use this solely as my test prep (in addition to some practice MCATS), because it covers al the topics so well. I strongly recommend this product, especially if you don't want to take and expensive prep course.

good god
audio osmosis has only fear to thank for its business. this stuff is garbage, and if it in any way advances your understanding of anything related to the mcat, do society a favor and forget about medical school. otherwise, if you wanna drive someone insane, just tie em up and make them listen to this drivel for a few hours. theyll be beggin for you to kill em. btw, anybody wanna buy audio osmosis?

Excellent of prep for MCAT
These 12 CDs are excellent for prep for MCAT. Because of these CDs, my score went from a 22 (6v, 7ps, 9bs) to a 26 (7v,9ps,10bs). This may not seem like its that good of an improvement, but I did almost no other studying besides listening to these CDs. The physics and gem chem sections are the best because they explain the subjects conceptually, which helps enormously on the real mcat. Very highly recommended.

know your study style and beware sexist jokes
i commute several hours each week to and from school, and work 20 hours a week at a job where i can listen to music, books on tape, or whatever else i want - including these audio osmosis cds. because of that, this is the perfect study product for me, and i've been able to listen to these cds over and over to let the information sink in. if you have this sort of time - commuting or whatever - where you can listen to these cds, then they are absolute best prep material you can use. they turn wasted time into mcat study time. however, if you don't have much time like this *or* you are someone who learns better visually, the cds might not be for you.

overall, the concepts are explained clearly, the jokes (while not always funny) keep the mood light and your attention focused, and the online website is an invaluable resource.

as another reviewer mentioned, there is an undeniable thread of sexism that runs through these cds. it comes out most blatantly in repeated jokes denigrating the intelligence of supposed 'wives' and 'girlfriends', and is enforced structurally by the exclusive use of 'he' to refer to a generic person, or scientist, etc which can make women feel invisible. this may not bother some people (tho, imho, it should). for me, a woman studying for the MCAT, i found the sexist jokes disturbing enough that they throw off my concentration every time one of these sexist jokes comes up. they are unnecessary and totally contrary to jon and jordan's overall philosophy of increasing confidence for MCAT takers. without these jokes, the cds would get 5 stars from me, but as it is, they need to be removed if there ever is a next edition. ... Read more

Book Description

Praised nationwide by instructors throughout the helping professions, INTERVIEWING IN ACTION gives students the clinical wisdom and hands-on practice to fully develop their clinical interviewing skills. In this Second Edition, Bianca Cody Murphy and Carolyn Dillon reinforce their superb RE-VIEW Practice Method of skills development with even greater emphasis on the importance of relationship building as a key to successful clinical process. As suggested by the book's new subtitle--RELATIONSHIP, PROCESS, AND CHANGE--the authors show students how they can promote change over time using the client-clinician relationship as an impetus for growth. A book and video package option offers many teaching and learning solutions. With this option, students purchase the package--the book and the full video at a greatly reduced price. The video includes short, specific clips that illustrate the chapter's discussion in action--in real client/clinician settings. The 120-minute video features six client/clinician pairs, including one completely new to this edition. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Excellent Learning Aid, Must Buy
This book made medical microbiology a lot easier. It is concise and written to teach. It is helpful because it explains conditions in every day language. My study group and I used this book and the following which is also available on amazon.com:
Microbiology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers by Patrick Leonardi (ISBN: 0971999635)
The second book helped me prepare for the type of questions on my medical microbiology exams. I also used both these books as helpful references for the microbiology portion of the USLME 1. It just goes to show, everyone in my study group not only got high grades in our medical microbiology class, but also we all passed the USLME Step 1 the first time.

Must-buy for any medical student
This is not only the best microbiology book I have ever used, it may well be the best textbook of any kind. It contains everything you need to know about microbiology presented in a way that actually helps you learn and remember it. Perfect for board review or learning the subject for the first time.

Unorthdox, but it can be effective
When I received this book, I was not sure what to make of it. Rather than seriously examining key points of organisms with illustrations to show how mechanisms worked, the book is packed with mnemonics and weired cartoons meant to help you remember what you need to know for the boards (for instance, Chlamydia has a "clam" necklace; Salmonella is shown as a salmon hanging out and smoking a cigar in a gallbladder to remind you that's where chronic Salmonella carriers retain the bug).

I grew to appreciate these stupid cartoons, as I did remember stuff I would have otherwise forgotten. If you are burning out, this is a good resource!

This is not a real textbook, however. You get a guerilla introduction to some basics, but the presentation of material is not as systematic as a text. At the end of each chapter is a chart to summarize the information presented, but the font is tiny and I never bothered using it.

I would recommend checking this book out to see if the book's style works for you. If it does, this is a good way to study microbiology even if you are tired and sick of studying for Step I. If it does not, there are plenty of more standard texts and reviews to choose.

a wonderful book
great basic review, with very good ways to help you remember info (lots of funny cartoons!) highly recommend it.

Almost Perfect
The only reason the book is "almost" perfect is its lack of illustrations. The textbook is concise, up-to-date and fun to read. I wish it had pictures to accompany the text. ... Read more

Book Description

Now in resplendent color, the new edition continues to define the latest in the scientific understanding of the brain, the nervous system, and human behavior. Each chapter is thoroughly revised and includes the impact of molecular biology in the mechanisms underlying developmental processes and in the pathogenesis of disease. Important features to this edition include a new chapter - Genes and Behavior; a complete updating of development of the nervous system; the genetic basis of neurological and psychiatric disease; cognitive neuroscience of perception, planning, action, motivation and memory; ion channel mechanisms; and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

keep looking
As a neuroscience graduate student, I was extremely excited to read this book and to keep it as a reference but unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations for either task. Given Kandel's outstanding contributions to our understanding of learning, I hoped his book would have similar standards. Most notable of several flaws is that the individual chapters, each being individually authored, were poorly edited and did not provide an integrated picture of the field. Further, some graphs were mislabeled, and in several chapters, this text engaged in the annoying practice of introducing and using new terminology early on and then defining this jargon at the end of the chapter. The material on vision was thorough but audition and the vestibulochlear systems were very skimpy. If you are interested in learning anything about motor systems, I'd recommend you pass this book up for Michael Zigmond's Fundamentals of Neuroscience.

advanced neurosciences
This is a tremendous book. I've been using it for teaching since the 2nd edition. I don't know where or how Dr. Kandel (a brand-new Nobel winner) and his co-authors find the time to update this along with all the other writing and research they do, but it's great that they do. The illustrations have caught up to the computer age and are even better than before. The price is astonishing for a medical or graduate school textbook - really a great value.

A useful reference, but not a good text
This massive book has lots of useful information and informative figures, and the decent index makes it highly likely that you will find what you need. However, using it as a textbook for a course is a ridiculous thing to do, especially if it's an undergraduate course. The amount of material is simply overwhelming, and it would discourage students from pursuing a career in neural science. If you are a neurobiology teacher and am considering using this text in your course, please reconsider. In my opinion (as a neurobiology teacher), a concise and readable text is far more effective.

Introduction to Neurosciences
I used this in medical school, then graduate school, finding the length and quality improve with succeeding editions of the volume. Very well known chapter editors create a 'Scientific American-like' view of the Basic Neurosciences. This book is grossly inadequate if you want to pass medical and graduate school exams. It's like a "candy-coated" atlas of neuroscience. There are not many rigorous equations to learn in the book. For that you will need From Neuron to Brain or even a higher book such as Theoretical Neuroscience. The strength of this book is the beautiful color illustrations. Its weakness is that it does not cover "hard-core" electrophysiology. Ohm's Law and the cable theory of the squid giant axon are covered, but where is Heisenberg-James' Theory of the quantum vesicle, and Boolean algebra. No mention. Also, where is Bayes Theorem and a discussion of probabilistic Populations of Neurons. Entropy is not discussed. Ballistic, and Biofeedback are not discussed. Magnetic Stimulation and fMRI are alluded to but not incorporated as valid tools in the study of the Nervous System. I have not really used this book since graduate school.

Excellent resource!
Kandel's monumental 4th Edition text is chock-full of updated figures, pictures, and descritive mechanisms within its 9 parts.

This textbook would function extremely well as the primary resource for an intermediate-level Neuroscience course (graduate school).

It is well-organized and adequately referenced. The histological figures, MRI scans, and related clinical measures are especially impressive and helpful for supporting the information presented in the text.

This textbook does a fine job with balancing basic information with highly technical concepts. However, and understandably so, due to the voluminous, ever-expanding and ever-evolving nature of neural science, the text does not contain much regarding synaptic plasticity nor circadian rhythms.

That said, I still think this textbook is one of the most valuable tools that you could include in your academic armamentarium. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive, readable introduction to medical-surgicalnursing is the best-selling medical-surgical text of all time!Meticulously revised and updated, this edition is the ultimate resourcefor meeting the nursing challenges in today's dynamic healthcareenvironment. Now presented in a vivid new four-color design, Textbookof Medical-Surgical Nursing offers an abundance of charts and displaysto enhance visual appeal and make information easily accessible. New inthe Eighth Edition: community-based nursing care, collaborativeproblems / critical thinking exercises, critical pathways, plus newchapters on Shock and Multisystem Failure, Chronic Illness, AIDS,Cultural Diversity, and Community-Based Nursing Care. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Exhaustive (Good) & Exhausting (Not-so-good)
I'm a recent graduate of a Registered Nursing program in which we used this textbook as our primary resource for Med-Surg information. I had a strong love/hate relationship with this textbook and I believe with a few revisions, it could be a truly outstanding piece of work.

First, THE GOOD: It is unarguably EXHAUSTIVE in the depth of information presented, thus it makes an excellent reference material. The explanations of diseases, disorders, treatments, and techniques are clear and concise, albeit very dense. Don't expect to be able to skim anything here - absolutely every word seems necessary, and no space is wasted. One can gain a great deal of confidence when one has absolute confidence in the validity of their textbook. Brunner & Suddarths projects that kind of reliability.

THE BAD: Such copious amounts of information require precise and meticulous organization, which Brunner & Suddarth's is lacking. Though it does not take away from the validity of the information, you might have some difficulty finding what you're looking for. More than once I noticed a disease or disorder's definition out of chronological order in the chapter, located well after the text had referred to it several times. (I was often feeling quite lost and stupid when the book would mention something I'd never seen before, only to define it 30 pages later. Once I discovered that pattern, I knew to dig for definitions before continuing my studies.) The index often seems incomplete, as I often found myself wandering for a passage I had been studying earlier, searching until I stumbled on the passcode-type keyword. Sometimes, there is no cross-reference in the index at all.

If you're a nursing student (first of all, GOOD LUCK! It's worth the trials!) or a RN who is looking for a great reference material for your profession, this textbook comes recommended. For most effective study, use it more like an encyclopedia than a standard text.

Smeltzer & Bare
I have really become very close to this book. The text is presented in a manner which makes it easily understandable. The content goes into ellaborate depth, leaving no unanswered questions. Well Done!

This is a great textbook for beginning nursing.
"This book is worded in a such a manner that even those who are just beginning their nursing careers can understand the concepts. The workbook that comes with the book also is a great companion for learning the information. I highly recommend this text for other nursing schools. It sure has been a great asset in my plethora of nursing textbooks." A student of Abilene Intercollegiate School of Nursing, Abilene, TX ... Read more

Book Description

The CSE survival guide! This preparation guide for the Clinical Skills Exam (CSE) includes the most frequently tested patient cases, discussions of each case, as well as test-taking strategies and must-know facts. The CSE will be mandatory for all U.S. and Canadian medical school graduates beginning with the class of 2005 and is currently mandatory for all international medical graduates seeking U.S. medical certification. ... Read more

Book Description

Designed to help readers learn how to think like evolutionary biologists, this 4-color book approaches evolutionary biology as a dynamic field of inquiry and as a process. Using a theme-based approach, it illustrates the interplay between theory, observation, testing and interpretation. It offers commentary on strengths and weaknesses of data sets, gives detailed examples rather than a broad synoptic approach, includes many data graphics and boxes regarding both sides of controversies.Introduces each major organizing theme in evolution through a question--e.g., How has HIV become drug resistant? Why did the dinosaurs, after dominating the land vertebrates for 150 million years, suddenly go extinct? Are humans more closely related to gorillas or to chimpanzees? Focuses on many applied, reader-relevant topics--e.g., evolution and human health, the evolution of senescence, sexual selection, social behavior, eugenics, and biodiversity and conservation. Then develops the strategies that evolutionary biologists use for finding an answers to such questions. Then considers the observations and experiments that test the predictions made by competing hypotheses, and discusses how the data are interpreted.For anyone interested in human evolution, including those working in human and animal health care, environmental management and conservation, primary and secondary education, science journalism, and biological and medical research. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Insightful biology textbook
I bought this book because I am taking a biology class at the University I attend currently. This book is our textbook.

The first two chapters are about Darwinism and Evolution. I also read the Beak of the Finch by Jonathan Weiner who is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize. His points about Darwinism and Evolution are all in this textbook with many of graphs and pictures. Although it is a textbook, it's easy to comprehend even if you are not a pre-med student. Topics such as natural selection, microevolution, and irony and controversy of the validity of evolution by natural selection are covered.

Part II of the book is about Mutation and Mendelian Genetics. The author covers gene duplication and Yule's Numerical examples, analyzing the point of the natural selection being a potent force of evolution. And sexual selection and adaptations are other important topics that are discussed in the part II.

Part III of the book is about current research (1998). Various theories in relationships among humans and the extant apes, and sexual selection are covered in great depth. Again, it all comes down to microevolution and macroevolution and their patterns after examing adaptive radiations, punctuated equilibrium, and fossiles.

Lastly, the author talks about social behavior of various species. The author concludes that when individuals interact, four outcomes are possible with respect to fitness: cooperation, altruism, selfishness, and spite. Robert Trivers' theory of altrusim is tested and other "outcomes" about animal behavior are studied. From these studies, the author concludes that genetic variance exists for behavioral traits. "Thh field of behavior genetics is devoted to exploring the extent and nature of this variation. Behavioral geneticists use selection and heritability studies to identify traits with significant genetic variance... and can uncover the specific function of loci influencing social behavior."

I think this book covers many important topics and is easily comprehensible even for non-biology majors.

Makes evolutionary biology interesting
Evolutionary biology can be extremely tedious for undergraduate students if one insists on teaching the more arcane debates as Fisher versus Shifting Balance. That might be good for a second course for future professionals, but if one starts with such stuff, students will lose all the interest in evolution they came with.
Evolutionary Analysis is interesting, wel-informed and up to date, and is meant for general biologists. It cannot be used as a reference book for neo-darwinian debates, so the better.

horrible
Bought this one for Evolution class. It is a horrible excuse for a textbook. Do not buy this book unless it is for a middle school student. If the authors think this book has been written for an advanced audience, then I would suggest that anyone interested in learning evolution not attend University of Washington.

Captives of the paradigm
Although not a student in a course, I found perusing this (upgraded, new edition)text to be interesting and intriguing, despite being a severe Darwin critic. Well illustrated with clear expositions of technical pop gen. However, if Little Red Riding Hood were an Amazon reviewer the text would read, 'What nice teeth you have...". Sociobiological thinkings is now being mainstreamed.
One of the puzzles of modern culture is the obtuseness of the technical elite, especially Darwinists. From whence did they get their rigid mentality, and total inability to think critically on evolution? It's no mystery if you look at the textbooks used to train these elites, as here. These are the doctors, biologists and others who, for the trouble of taking a close look at evolutionary theory, will end with the false assumptions of the Synthesis engraved on their eductional memory modules.
The issue can be insidious with the study of population genetics, nicely done here in its own way. But it is a subject where technical math deludes people into thinking it constitutes a theory of evolution. The sad thing is that physicists who must think critically about physics remain silent about these models, none of which are properly verified in the complex cases of advanced evolution. It reminds one of economics courses where the curious illusions of theory remain educationally entrenched despite the critics. At least it is generally known what the limitations are. But in evolution these underpowered population models are extrapolated to become a new form of metaphysics and there is no review of the propaganda possible, it seems.
So that's the reason the techical elites are 'disinformation grouwnups'. It is a situation worthy of Foucault.

Please use a better text, if you are an instructor
So there is a new evolution instructor at our school and he is using this text and lecturing out of it directly - ie no supplementation with other material. Very bad combination, boring simple lectures on what is actually a complex interesting topic. It would be different if the text was comprehensive and challenging but it is not.

Positives of the text:
Easy to ready
Entertaining examples

Negatives of the text:
1.Very, very frustratingly simplistic
2.Overlooks controversial topics or only presents one side of an issue. Example, no coverage of Wright's shifting balanced theory as opposing Fisher's mass selection theory. Doesn't even indicate there IS another theory out there.
3.Simplifies primary literature. Does not detail assumptions or boundaries of experiments.
4.Inadequate index and glossary (for example, epistatis, is in neither)

The entire book reminds me of justso stories my mama read to me as a wee pup, not a scientific examination of evolution.

The authors say this is book is at undergraduate level. But given the lack of complexity and depth, I'd say it is more suited for say an 5-6th grade class level. ... Read more

Book Description

A comprehensive study guide for pharmacy students who are preparing for the NABPLEX. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Very Good
Best book on the subject, goes hand-in-hand with Guyton's book. Common pathologies of each system or organ is described sometimes with nice colored pictures. Explanations are very simple and easy to understand. Each system is first explained in terms of structure and physiology and than followings chapters in that section takes on pathologies of the system or its components, number of chapters depending on the system complexity. It is a perfect book for pathology or parallel book with physiology to understand physiology with its applications.

It's not so bad if you know what you're getting into.
I'm glad that you've come. It shows that you believe in looking ahead and being prepared. A little bit of that action would have saved General Custer and his men a whole lotta' headache. With a bit of luck, reading this review will do the same for you. Hopefully (because you'll be ready for what's coming), by the time you finish this book you won't want to put a bullet through your head and forcibly remove your own scalp (in that order). My initial reaction to the book wasn't as bad as it might be for others (I have a high tolerance for pain and boredom), however I would like to do my best to prevent any Dubliners-induced tragedies. I will admit, when I first read this book I did not enjoy it at all. I don't know about you folks, but I enjoy a book where at least some of the characters have at least one redeeming quality. You're hard up to find so sweet a gem in this anthology. From open to close the reader is bombarded with every class of loser imaginable. If it's not some gutless nobody without the heart to even attempt to go after his dreams, it's a drunk who beats his children. Of course there was that one part where Ransom got into a fistfight with Satan-oh, wait. That was from a book I enjoyed (C.S. Lewis's Perelandra-check it out). Let's not get confused about this. Saying that I did not enjoy the book does not imply that I do not like it. Often in life, things look entirely different in retrospect. Dubliners is one of those things. James Joyce wrote this book at about the time he expatriated. There have to be some pretty powerful feelings behind a decision to leave one's own country. In this book you get a glimpse of what he saw, the things that he dealt with everyday. You see the world that he put up with, and you see it through his eyes. In that regard, this is one of the most powerful pieces produced in recent times. Nevertheless, I write book reviews with people like my dad in mind. If it gets too real or hits too close to home, he won't take it. You can visualize it like this: Quigley Down Under = Good; Dingoes Ate My Baby = Bad. If he doesn't get a huge kick out of it, he will have nothing to do with it. So, if you're looking for huge explosions, karate chops, or campfire flatulence, this is not the book for you. On the other hand, if you like 'em slow, powerful, subtle, and poignant (and moderately depressing-cough, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, cough) Dubliners is your sack of oats, Mr. Ed. I find myself caught in the middle of the two types: which means that if it can blow up and move me at the same time, I'm sold-kinda' like a Tchaikovsky finale. The book is classic-quality literature; I won't deny that. I'm just saying that it's not for everyone. It's definitely not my dad's cup of tea (technically, nothing is his 'cup of tea.' He won't touch the stuff. He says it makes him gassy-but I digress).

disease at it's best
As a graduating student in Homoeopathic medicine this is without a doubt the best general book I have read so far in this field. It uses a great variation of diagrams, charts, pictures and text, thus allowing for differing styles of absorption. It's subjct headings are broken into logical chapters and the recent addition of chapters for infant and elderly pathology is a fine improvement. The text is friendly and well written but remains professional. It also come with an A drive disk carrying a basic exam based round the books content. This is the first book I would recommend to students starting in this field.

Very good book for FPGEE
I found this book very helpful for my Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination.It has covered a lot of important topics in one book. I recommend this book for licensure examination.

Brilliant!
This book is a Godsend! I was given the opportunity to write the Evaluation Exam for the PEBC in Canada and I had no idea where I was going to get all the information I needed to study. This book is really a 'Comprehensive Review' of what was done at University (and sometimes, what was NOT done too!). There are a few errors in the text which you should keep in mind (don't accept everything as truth without questioning statements occasionally.If you are wide awake, you will spot them. All in all, a brilliant book. ... Read more

Book Description

This is a 5 volume set of the newest editions of the now famous ExamKrackers MCAT Manuals. You'll find everything that you need to know to score your best on the MCAT. For the first time, these books are sold as a five volume set with a top quality, full length practice MCAT included as a bonus. 980 pages of color and black and white illustrations on text book quality paper. 31 thirty minute topical exams in MCAT format. Over 1400 MCAT questions in all. This 5 volume set is certain to become the top selling MCAT study set this year. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Just got my scores!
As a non-science major, I used these books and the AAMC practice exams and scored a 13V 10P 10B S on the April 2002 MCAT. These are wonderful books, especially if you're self-studying (if you haven't considered this option, DO IT! It is possible to study on your own, do well, and save HUNDREDS of dollars in the process!!) The books are easy to understand and emphasize important information you need to know for the MCAT rather than getting bogged down in tons of facts that won't be on the exam anyway. Best of all, there are mini-exams and quiz-type questions throughout the book, so you can constantly assess how you're doing and know which areas you need more work on. The message boards on the examkrackers website are also a GREAT help for any self-studier because you can post questions and the writers of the materials respond in less than 24 hours. I strongly support these books! USE THEM AND MAKE STUDYING FOR THE MCAT AS PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE! :)

Everything you need is here
I cannot recommend this set highly enough. I used these books and virtually nothing else to study for the MCAT. In fact, I recommend that you NOT use anything other than the ExamKrackers books (backed up by your textbooks as necessary when you need a particular topic clarified). They present absolutely everything you need to know -- and, more importantly, they tell you what you DON'T need to know. The MCAT covers an overwhelming amount of material as is, and these books tell you what not to waste your time studying. Every time I picked up a different company's study guide, I was sorry almost immediately due to their wealth of irrelevant content and confusing organization.

The ExamKrackers books present their information with full-color drawings on glossy pages, written in colloquial language that holds your attention. Formulas that must be memorized are written in bold red centered font and compiled at the end of each chapter. If a topic is particularly important, it tells you so; if a topic is background and won't be tested directly, it tells you so. Helpful mnemonics and diagrams abound. The book on general math skills and verbal reasoning provides real, very helpful strategies. Even if you don't find their mascot, Salty the Kracker, amusing, his presence helps lighten the mood, which in turn helps you maintain your concentration.

The ExamKrackers books were absolutely indispensable for my MCAT preparation. When I bought the set one month before the MCAT, I felt completely overwhelmed by the task of studying for the MCAT. Using these books (and devoting my entire spring break to them), I was able to wrap my brain around all of the necessary subject matter. I'm not a science major and I started taking the premed classes less than a year before I took the MCAT. Do these books work? Judge for yourself: I scored 14P 13V 13B S.

Must Have
I awarded this book a 4 since nothing I believe can be perfect and this book comes quite close to that distinction. It's well organized and I never felt my study plans confused while going through this book. Secondly it cuts the stuff and extra details the MCAT would never test. This is the major point where all other prep company's falter. Just remember to keep steady over your study schedule and over all the info presented in the book. Everything is presented in an easily comprehensible manner and can be grasped with comfort.

Good Luck.

Great review materials
Having graduated from college in 2000, I was a little rusty in my science knowledge. This study package was just the key to bring me back up to speed. All the material is presented in a simple yet effective manner, so even people with little technical background can grasp it quickly. Concepts are also emphasized according to "must know" and "recommended." That way, you know where to distribute your studying time. I would even go as far to say that this package is better than the materials that Kaplan and Princeton Review provide because it's concise and straight forward rather than a huge, discouraging phonebook. As far as the practice problems go, they're good for review and brush up as well as introductory learning, but if you're weak in any area, I'd suggest you go for the supplementary "1001 questions" books also available from examkrackers. Beyond confidence in one's mastery of the material, practice is the only way to ensure a high score. That's what I did to compensate for my shortcomings in the verbal section - I bought "101 passages." In terms of time commitment, I studied one chapter a day in two subjects with verbal and a break interspersed every couple of days (which took a total of about a month). After completing the examkrackers stuff, I just did some practice tests that I ordered from aamc.org (along with two kaplan tests). I took the April 2004 MCAT, and I'm hoping for a score in the high 30's.

ExamKrackers or Kaplan?
If you're a pre-med student you've likely heard rants and raves (and maybe a few jeers) about both ExamKrackers and Kaplan. Is ExamKrackers better than Kaplan? Not necessarily, just a bit different in the approach to teaching the material and methods. ExamKrackers books provide a bit of humor. As such, ExamKrackers books tend to do a great job at maintaining student interest. On the other hand, some students may get nervous that the relaxed, joking attitude may affect their scores negatively. What's your personality type and learning style? Like a bit of humor? Go for ExamKrackers. More the serious type? Go for Kaplan.

ExamKrackers also has a great website at which you can ask the author questions. A great resource. Yet another benefit of ExamKrackers is that you can purchase books for separate sections. Are you a science whiz and only need work on the Verbal and Writing sections? Or, did you major in English and are weak in Bio? No problem. You only need to purchase the ExamKrackers books on those subjects which you require. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

They used this book at my hospital.
I bought this book because I saw a copy lying around the ICU and flipped through it. It's a great reference text if you need to know how to do something. I actually have it as bedside reading and it does that job poorly because it reads like a manual rather than a book. Also, despite Dr Marino's credentials, he is only one man and is of one opinion and he gives many recommendations that are contrary to current protocol (he also gives reasons and references as to why his way is better). I like his "advantages and disadvantages" evaluations for each procedure/drug/treatment.

icu book
the book has excellent summaries of pathophys behind what we see/diagnose/measure/do in the icu. the book does have significant drawbacks, though, namely that it is highly biased towards the author's occasionally contraversial opinions. my attendings (all critical care experts) have debated some of his recommendations. also, with the most recent version published in 1997 (and knowing that the acutal revisions were probably done a year or so before that) the book is 5 years behind the times.

in summary, good book for basics, for understanding how and why, for explanations of procedures and basic protocol. be wary of marino's unusual recommendations. be aware of more current recommendations. use other references as well for broader picture.

My favorite
This book is rare because it is original. It welcomes you to the real world of critical care as seen by one expert physician. It was probably never intended for quick reference or board prep. The relatively large print and generous spacing make the book bigger but more pleasant to read.

Good, but First Edition Better
Good book for the fundamentals and the physiology behind the patient care. As a critical care MD, I learned alot form the book during my training, however like another reviewer, I found this edition too long. The first edition (much shorter, and the one I learned from and want back) is much better and about half the pages.

I WORKED WITH DR. MARINO IN THE 80's
As a former healthcare worker (RRT, CPFT) I had the immense pleasure of working with Dr. Marino in the 1980's. I saw firsthand how his practices were far ahead of those around him. His insights were brilliant and he was very much ahead of the times. This is a man who watched trace elements and used readily available meds to "mop up" free radicals to minimize O2 toxicity. Nobody else was looking at the micro processes of the human body for answers. He successfully weaned the unweanable patients from life support time and time again...simply by pulling some minute fact out of his head that turned out to be what everyone had been missing. Somewhat unconventional, but very very successful! I have since left the healtch care field and now run my own company, so I have nothing to gain here. I swear to you that Paul's patient outcomes were fabulous! I was pretty darn competent with chemistry, physiology, etc. so I feel qualified to review his skills. You should meet this man in person...he is very humble about his abilities...which is rare with someone of his ability. Paul...if you are out there...look me up! I am honored to have worked with you. You were WAY ahead of your time! Jack Marcelis www.JackFlashElectric.com ... Read more

Book Description

Newly updated, the Jane's Chem-Bio Handbook: Second Edition is an essential guide for US first responders that consolidates critical planning information and response procedures for a chem-bio incident. Fundamental on-scene procedural information includes initial response procedures, chemical agent indicator matrix, on-scene handling of biological agents, decontamination procedures, site set-up procedures with detailed graphics, and much more.

Key contents include:

Pre-incident planning

On-scene procedures

Comprehensive management checklists for rapid response

Latest triage and casualty management

Chemical-biological agent descriptions and effects

Chemical-biological agent delivery systems and methods

Management of biological casualties

Post-incident recovery including critical incident stress debriefing

Meteorological conditions

Chem-bio case studies

Jane's Chem-Bio Handbook: Second Edition is also available in Latin-American Spanish, Russian and French. Please ask your local Jane's representative for details.

Intended for:First responders: Military, Police, Fire and EMS officials. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

WONDERFUL!
This is a wonderful book for any first responder to have.
It is very easy to use because not only does it come with on and off scene procedures, but it also has quick reference tables and charts. On a scale of 1 to 5 I give it a 10!

Tries to be all things...
and falls short. Jane's Chem-Bio Handbook is much improved over the freebie notepad version they gave out a few years back, but it suffers from a lack of focus. The small size, spiral binding, and tabs suggest it is intended as a first responder or incident commander handbook, but occasional topical discourses suggest that it is meant as a textbook. As a result, it is hard to find the information that would be needed on the scene (an index helps, but only slightly), while the coverage of the various topics is too uneven for it to be a good text. In some places, it seems to be simply a compilation of information from various (US) field manuals.

There are some good ideas, but they seem to be sabotaged by the execution. The checklist version of the "Agent Indicator Matrix" (based on the Defense Protective Service model) is a good idea, but it is spread over three pages (instead of being arranged to fit on two facing pages in a landscape presentation or provided as a foldout) so that it can neither be copied easily or used easily in the book. A section on the threat of stolen military munitions, after noting that stockpiles in other countries are not as well secured as those in the US, then proceeds to a description of US weapons without describing distinguishing characteristics of chemical munitions relative to conventional munitions or how the munitions described might relate to foreign munitions.

There are also some surprising errors in the hodgepodge of facts. The volume I purchased indicates that it is from the sixth printing, so I have to presume that most typos have been corrected. One particularly egregious error is in the characterization of liquid phosgene as "...not hazardous except as a source of vapor." This statement is highlighted in a little box with a finger pointing at it on page 106, and repeated on page 108. While certainly it is the vapor that kills, liquid phosgene splashed into the eyes is known to produce opacification. Subsequently, it is stated that "Phosgene [vapor] does not damage the eyes or skin..." Yet it is well known that concentrated phosgene vapor will irritate both the skin and eyes, and, while this would not be fatal, and is usually not permanent the downplaying of these risks is certainly inappropriate, to put it mildly.

To try to close on a positive note, this book does have some good information salted in various odd spots. If you are responsible for a training program, it would be a good book for you to look at, provided it is not the only reference you use. The table of emergency decontamination materials found at a K-Mart, for instance, suggests an obvious bit of homework for your trainees.

In summary, this handbook should not be your first or only purchase, but it probably has a place in a comprehensive library. Given the reputation of Jane's, a bit more proofreading would have been in order.

Jane's Chem-Bio Handbook: A useful tool
Among those involved with the planning and implementation of specialized, multi-casualty incident response, this book is quite useful. Field personnel, command staff, and planners - all will find it helpful. I found it to be concise, packable, and physically handy. About the only thing I'd change would be to laminate the pages for weather resistance.

R.D. Lopez, Emergency Medical Services and Disaster Specialist, Dept. of Public Health

Well written, portable, multi-purpose
This book offers a concise overview of (1) on scene procedures such as triage and decontamination, (2) general characteristics of weapon classes, (3) details of specific agents, and (4) treatments. It also describes precursor chemicals and 4 case histories. It is better written and more detailed than the comparable book "First responder chem-bio handbook". ... Read more

Book Description

The gold standard text for the therapeutics course mandatory in pharmacy schools. Now in its sixth edition, this classic text continues its long-standing tradition of offering unparalleled guidance in the development of pharmaceutical care plans. The book provides a unique process of thinking about pharmacotherapy the process which uses evidence-based approaches to the drug treatment of diseases.

Features:
*FREE Online Resource Center for professors and students - study materials, web chapters, questions and answers, and updates
*NEW Key Concepts begin each chapter
*Excellent use of algorithms, tables, and charts – provides clear recommendations
*“Clinical Controversies” in the treatment sections of disease-oriented chapters ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Excellent book for chiropractic students
I used this book along with Mosby's Physical Examination book and easily passed my Physical Diagnosis class in chiropractic college. These two book also served as excellent references for Parts II, III and IV of the national chiropractic boards. I also found Dr. Leonardi's National Board of Chiropractic Part II Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers, to be an excellent source for the boards. I also found Leonardi's Part III Study Guide and Part IV study guides to be right on the mark. These books helped me with passing the boards. Bates Book is needed as a great building block for learning Physical Examination--Heart, head and Neck, Chest and lungs, abdomen etc.

Good, but maybe you'll want better.
This is an excellent and thorough text on the physical exam. The only problem is that its based on "the way things have always been done" instead of emerging controlled trials evaluating H+P techniques objectively. You might consider purchasing one of the new evidence-based medicine physical exam texts that are beginning to pop up (Ask your docs about recommendations). Preview them first, because not all of them teach the actual techniques or present the differential diagnosis of findings as well as Bates. They do, however, actually include numbers (percentages, Likelihood ratios, etc) to tell you how sensitive and specific (read how useful) these methods really are. These numbers will be critical to you later in evidence-based practice (which is not what all physicians now practice) in order to determine the pre- and post-test (lab, X-ray, etc.) probabilities of your differential diagnoses.
Buying an evidence-based text now would save you from having to buy both like I did.

Still looking for a good physical exam book
This book was written for no one in mind. It reads as a single run-on sentence from page one to the end. You cannot learn physical exam from it (or from any other book -- you simply have to practice) and Bates is a rather mediocre reference if you need to find out how to examine this or that.

Physical exam is a dying art and I'm yet to find a semi-decent modern text on the subject.

Excellent Physical Examination textbook.
I am a first year medical student and use this book in our physical diagnosis course. I found this book easy to read with good illustrations. Diagrams were useful in understanding the text. I found the heart sounds CD to be extremely useful in understanding the cardiac cycle and how it relates to heart murmurs. I haven't seen other physical diagnosis textbooks but I can say that this one is very user friendly.

Errors, errors, and more errors!
This book at one time was good I am told, but the 8th edition (2002) is now outdated with many errors. The CD on heart sounds which is included is insulting to medical students. The book has terrible photographs which make the patients look jaundiced or cyanotic. I am sorry I bought it. There is no question that Swartz's book on physical diagnosis is the best. Swartz has a great free CD on the complete physical exam which is included with the book. ... Read more

Book Description

A must for the USMLE Step 2! This key resource in the popular First Aid series is packed with information likely to be tested plus exam preparation and test-taking strategies needed for the Step 2 exam. The Fourth Edition features over 200 illustrations, completely revised high-yield facts for each subject tested, quick reviews of relevant basic science concepts, the latest statistics on Step 2 pass rates, current ratings of test preparation resources, and vignette-style questions with answers, all in the unbeatable First Aid format. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Definitely worth the money
I found this book to be very helpful in my studying for step 2. I felt like the book did a good job of breaking down the presentation, differential dx, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. As always with the first aid series, the mnemonics are helpful. I really liked the rapid review section that allowed one to quickly review all key concepts from each section. The emergency medicine section was also extremely helpful. One drawback would be the lack of a surgery section as surgery is one of the subjects tested on the boards. Overall, I think this is definitely worth the money. Another book I found to be helpful was Boards and Wards.

Better than the previous
First Aid for the USMLE Step 2, on its new edition brings readers preparing for the Step 2 of the American Boards a better book than previous issues. Content has been revised and expanded, and, although worse than the Step 1 equivalent, it is still the best book available to prepare for Step 2. It is excelent for last minute review, and also contains a very helpful analysis of other available board review books. Major problem is the abusive use of abbreviations that are not explained in the appendix.

Check out the 4th Edition
According to some friends who graduated over the past couple years, the previous editions of First Aid for the USMLE Step 2 were not worth the money; so I almost bypassed this new edition while browsing in the bookstore, but I'm glad I glanced through it and then decided to buy it. I used this book in conjunction with the Underground Clinical Vignettes by the same authors (kind of pricey at about $200 for the set, but surprisingly worth it; the cases are--usually--keyed to the main text). After spending a total of approximately 120 hours with these books (about four hours a night for the month prior to the exam), I raised my score from 194/79 on Step I to 228/92 on Step II. To me, that was well worth the +/- $250 it cost to purchase the package.

This book saved me on Step 2
Quite simply the most high yield text for Step 2. It's all there, and it's in a manner that's not terribly painful to get through multiple times. I used this and one question book for Step 2 with great results.

Could be better.
This book comprises the pretty comprehensive chapters of Dermatology, Neurology and Statistics. Obg is okay there. Surgery amd IM are weak. However, It is still worth to be considered. ... Read more

Book Description

Designed to meet the needs of both novice and advanced practitioners, the first edition of Legal Nurse Consulting: Principles and Practice established standards and defined the core curriculum of legal nurse consulting. It also guided the development of the certification examination administered by the American Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board. The extensive revisions and additions in Legal Nurse Consulting: Principles and Practice, Second Edition make this bestselling reference even more indispensable. The most significant change is the inclusion of 15 new chapters, each of which highlights an important aspect of legal nurse consulting practice:Entry into the SpecialtyCertificationNursing Theory: Applications to Legal Nurse ConsultingElements of Triage for Medical MalpracticeEvaluating Nursing Home CasesPrinciples of Evaluating Personal Injury CasesCommon Mechanisms of Injury in Personal Injury CasesERISA and HMO LitigationThe LNC as Case ManagerReport PreparationLocating and Working with Expert WitnessesThe Role of the LNC in Preparation of Technical Demonstrative EvidenceMarketingGrowing a BusinessBusiness EthicsLegal Nurse Consulting: Principles and Practice, Second Edition presents up-to-date, practical information on consulting in a variety of practice environments and legal areas. Whether you are an in-house LNC or you work independently, this book is your definitive guide to legal nurse consulting. ... Read more

Book Description

The best-selling question and answer pharmacy review book! Includes over 1,500NAPLEX® exam-style questions with concise answers and explanations, 30 “Patient Medication Profiles” (cases), and a CD-ROM with a practice test, including Q&A and cases not found in the book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good Reference Book
I purchased the last edition of this book, but decided more people would read the review for this edition. The book is an excellent review of Pharmacy. Note that I did not say an excellent review for the NAPLEX. This book has more information than you will need to pass the exam. However, if you are worried about your skills or would like to brush up this is an excellent reference. Try not to get too hung up on the questions you miss. Also advice for students taking the NAPLEX soon, don't take the pre-NAPLEX. It's a waste of 50 dollars. Chances are you'll pass the NAPLEX look at the statistics. ... Read more

Book Description

Once in a great while an extraordinary book is published that sets an entirely new standard in its field. A Manual of Acupuncture, published by Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications, is just such a book. Painstakingly researched over many years by Peter Deadman, editor-in-chief of The Journal of Chinese Medicine, and colleagues Mazin Al-Khafaji and Kevin Baker, this book is certain to become the primary reference in the West for the study of acupuncture points and channels.

Introductory chapters describe and illustrate the channels and collaterals, the various categories of points, and methods of selection, location, and needling. Ensuing chapters present each of the points of the 14 channels as well as the extra (miscellaneous) points, identified by their English and pinyin names, and Chinese characters. Each point is located in accordance with the most exacting anatomical standards to be found in any Western textbook.

For each point there is a dedicated drawing, followed by regional body drawings. The quality of the 500 drawings is far superior to those in any other TCM text. There are also practical pointers for finding and needling the points, and cautionary information about what to avoid. In addition to point indexes by their English and pinyin names, there is an index identifying every part of the body reached by each of the channels, and separate indexes of point indications listed according to both TCM and biomedical symptoms. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Best Point Atlas in English
Deadman and colleagues should be commended for this major contribution to the English-language literature of Chinese medicine. It does what it does exceedingly well. It does so, in part, because of what it is not.

It should be understood that the Manual is chiefly an atlas and desk reference of acupuncture points and channels, not a classroom textbook or a clinic handbook or a self-study guide per se, though it does list some illustrative combinations with each point. Other books are available that fill the role of textbook better than this one does. This one's audience is the person who already knows something of the foundations and clinical applications of acupuncture.

The manual is not encyclopedic when compared with the larger Chinese-language works of acupuncture, but it does draw on them in a concise and informative way that conveys the character, historic application and contemporary application of each point, using carefully selected information from a wide range of primary sources. Accordingly, it could be viewed more as a work of editorship than of creativity, and in a reference work of this sort, that is exactly what is desired.

It often goes unmentioned, but Deadman is zealous in his ongoing support of his publications. Errata and updates are available, for free, from his web site. The Manual is also available in CD-ROM format, and Deadman has even produced flashcards based on the substance of the Manual.

The illustrations are in fact of excellent quality, some of the best ever in a book of this sort. Pair the illustrations with the detailed treatment of point location and application, great typography, durable construction, and well-chosen excerpts from primary sources ranging from ancient to modern, and you have an acupuncture reference you can use to deepen your knowledge for years to come.

The ULTIMATE Acupuncture Book!
The Manual of Acupuncture by Deadman is the ULTIMATE Acupuncture Book that is a necessity for every acupuncture student and practitioner. With 670 illustrated pages, this book is worth every penny. The newest version of this book is also tabbed by channels - so it is much easier to find information.

While I was a student, I didn't always carry this book with me because it was so big. However, I did photocopy the anatomical point charts and indications lists from the back of the book to aid my clinical point selections.

Now as a practitioner (this booked definitely helped me pass NCCAOM exams), I refer to this book often to take my acupoint knowledge to the next level and to provide more comprehensive treatment plans.

Buy this book now! If you are a TCM student, I also highly recommend the companion FLASH CARDS by Deadman. They make it easy to study acupuncture points with a location/illustration on one side of the card and actions/indications on the other.

Better than Chinese Texts
This is the only text that I have on the subject of acupuncture. I am not a practitioner, but had hoped that this one (expensive) text would be sufficient to give me a total foundation in the discipline and would eventually allow me to use acupressure or some rudiments of the field in my own efforts to promote good health.

I was a little dissappointed that the introductory and foundational material was lacking in the book, and that there were no separate sections on diagnosis or expositions of the nature of pathogens. The book is essentially a description of each and every one of the 360 or so primary acupuncture points of Traditional Chinese Medicine. There is a good bit of material about methodology of point selection, but the real gem of this book is the intelligent and thorough descriptions of the points, their properties, and how to locate and needle them. The reason that I gave the book five stars is that it is far more complete and logical in its point descriptions than any of the Chinese texts used by my acupuncturist, a Chinese chiropractor who was a medical doctor Shanghai for eight years before coming to the US and becoming a chiropractor. Often when a discipline is translated from one language and culture to another, the highly systematized translation is more complete and sensible than the eclectic literature corpus upon which it is based. Those who devised this book have created a phenomenally comprehensive synthesis of over 3,000 years of Chinese medical tradition. They have taken on a monumental task and succeeded brilliantly. The quality of this reference is so high that I would even recommend it to practitioners from the orient who are coming to the US or other English-speaking countries to start a practice. First, it will it help them learn the English vocabulary of acupuncture jargon and help them understand our butchered pronunciations of the many Chinese words in an English acupuncturist's vocabulary. Second, they will be able to better communicate their activities to their patients. Finally, the book is as high a quality reference as anything they will have brought with them from Asia.

Great pictures, other info. questionable
The pictures in this book are excellent, and can be used by anybody learning point location. As far as the description of point location, they differ from the source used for the california state board exam, which only matters if you are planning on taking it. There are also some helpful tips for locating certain points. The info. on point functions and indications is tremendous. Everything and anything is in this book. Some really obscure stuff, which is great to read and think about. But that does not mean that these points are really used for this, or that you will be able to make the point do that. All in all great for location, but use some scrutuiny when apllying functions and indications.

The Greatest Published Work to Date
Unquestionably, when you get your hands on a copy of this book, you will agree with me that this may be greatest reference compendium ever published on acupuncture in the English language, to date. The quality of printing and binding is superb, to match its outstanding content.

This book is priceless. Sell all your other acupuncture reference books if you have to (e.g., CAM, FCA, etc., unless you are still a student), and keep this impressive book on the shelf and within reach. While it is not "officially" adopted as a standard text in U.S. schools, it would be an outrage if this book does not become one in the near future. ... Read more