On the New Reference Books

Getting new books is always a headache. What's more when there's no fixed textbooks like how it was when we were in secondary school. No doubt, mum and dad would get all the reference books if they caught my eye, and I believe I've got quite a few references for each subjects back when I was preparing for my SPM as well.

However, university definitely isn't the same. I'm not sure about how the other faculties worked. I remembered sis telling me she rather borrowed the books from the library and keep on renewing it. Why waste money getting reference for a subject that you only will be studying for one semester right? Okay. Suits her. But us... Cousin Dr. Lam passed me 2 boxes of clinical textbooks and some pre-clinical ones when I entered my 2nd year last year. Not that I used any of them, but I was really excited about it all. I didn't use any of them textbooks, they're kinda old. Say, he was in his 2nd year about 12 years ago.

But then again, I lived through my 2nd year without much reference to textbooks anyways. Just perhaps the pathology reference book we all call as Mama Robbins. How funny medical students can be. There's of course the classical Papa Robbins that are 4 inches thick, followed by Mama Robbins which still is pretty much a BIG book to me. And I'm not proud to say I actually read Baby Robbins, which is literally the "handbook" of the Robbins Pathology. VERY VERY BAD. Medical students who are doing Pathology should NEVER do what I did. Pathology is VERY important. And I think I screwed up all my pre-clinical years. Lecture handouts became my notes. So now, I wonder how am I going to live through my clinical years.

See, I have this habit of not wanting to give away my text books. What Dr. Lam did, I would never do. Even if there are younger cousins who would be doing medicine, I doubt I'd pass my textbooks. Maybe to the younger brother. But that's all. What do they say about people with blood group AB heh? *sniggering* Yea, I'm very typical. The thing is, the last that I visited this general practicioner who came back from Taiwan, he's got all his reference books showcased nicely in the cabinet in his consultation room. And the neurologist Dr. Soo I went to last year, also got a cabinet full of books. So I already pictured how I wanted my study room to be next time. Even though I know, most of these books are not really practical next time. Even more so if I ever wanted to do any specialisation.

So for the past few days, everyone in the class were busy asking their elder buddies what books to buy. We've got a list of reference books, a few for each. Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Obs & Gyne. Hoohah. I didn't call my buddies and asked, the last I heard, the final year was in her medical postings, busy as hell; while the 4th year having her end of posting test and preparing for her finals of phase 3a next week. Very very nerve-wrecking. But I did manage to get which are the essential ones, having all the closer friends and housemates asking their buddies and all. But still, you know how it was like, different people have different opinions.

Take Paediatrics for example. Seniors recommending Sunflower (so called because the cover of the book is a sunflower), while my buddy line suggested Nelson's (my 4th year called me and telling me she's coming back to KL this weekend). Well, rumors had it that paediatricians in Klang don't like students studying Sunflower, and Nelson's would be the best option. Thing is, Sunflower's simpler and less complicated. Very much useful for dumb, barely surviving students like myself. Nelson's on the other hand, cost 130 bucks, but 4th year buddy said it's very very useful. Note my double "very"s? So now, I'm still wondering if I should get Nelson's, I've already placed my order for Sunflower. Hmmm.....

We got some of our orders today. Just 3 and they cost me around 200 bucks. I've yet to get my baby Kumar&Clark, also that Sunflower book. Yea yea, I know I should've get the big version of Kumar&Clark... Actually I've already got it. Check out the 2nd picture, that thick "Clinical Medicine" amongst the other books will be, I dunno, Mama maybe. *sniggering*

But then again, I suppose these are still quite some investments. A lot of my colleagues who are doing medicine overseas came back to Malaysia to get the reference books. The last I've heard, father of super genius ex-classmate in secondary school, who's in University of Western Australia, flew over to KL and paid the bookstore in our school to get Gray's Anatomy. Not available overseas?? Heee. Now who said local medical schools are not equipped? Amazingly, the one very complete medical bookstore in KL, is just a small one unit shoplot located near the General Hospital of Kuala Lumpur. I'm pretty sure medical students from KL and surrounding get their shares of references from there.

Now, all I need to do, is to make sure these books aren't just for displays. I need to start reading! Damnit.