This text offers a comprehensive yet concise review of pathology while discussing all of the relevant clinical information. The review chapters in the first section of the text are in a user-friendly outline format with high-yield information located in margin notes and clinical topics discussed within the outline and in clinical boxes. The second section of the book contains two 50-questions exams in USMLE format. A CD-ROM that accompanies the book contains a full-color art program, 500 board-style questions and answers with rationales for correct answers as well as all incorrect choices, and a quizzing function that gives scores at the end of the exams.
Book reviews:
After reading BRS and most of Robbins, this remains the strongest resource. Concise for its subject, it covers the important aspects of path while digging for those little, annoying details and disorders that only show up on board exams. Goljan is a true pro at teaching this, with several years at Kaplan and Oklahoma Osteopathic, and he has constantly been grilling students for more information after they have taken their exam. Master this book, and you will not only do well in path, but also have a good foothold in other subjects like pharm, micro, and biochem due to Goljan's ability to integrate several fields into path. His work has continued to help me in third year rotations, as he also discusses diagnostic tests and treatments. The accompanying Q&A CD is unfortunately poorly made, but the quality of questions is very strong. I generally read Robbins or lecture material along with this text to lay a foundation for knowledge, but come test time, you want to cut the fat, and every word here is money. Try to get the accompanying audio CDs off Ebay for reinforcement. I largely credit Goljan's materials along with Robbins Review of Path (question book) for a 98 percentile on the path shelf and a 258 on Step I. This man may have taught me more academic medicine than anyone else. I truly hope you can benefit from this text as well.
