This book is designed to provide a comprehensive review of both general and organ-specific pathology through multiple choice questions with explanations of the answers. The source materials are the ninth editions of Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease (PBD9) and Robbins Basic Pathology (BP9), and in several chapters, Robbins and Cotran Atlas of Pathology (AP3). The questions in this review book follow the chapters and topics in these source materials to facilitate ongoing selfassessment as students work their way through a curriculum to gain and then apply their understanding of key concepts. This book is intended to be a useful resource for students in a variety of health science training programs.
In keeping with recommended question writing style for licensing examinations, we have included single best-answer questions, most with a clinical vignette, followed by a series of homogenous choices. This approach emphasizes an understanding of pathophysiologic mechanisms and manifestations of disease in a clinical context. We have incorporated relevant laboratory, radiologic, and physical diagnostic findings in the questions to emphasize clinicopathologic correlations. Although this adds to the extent of individual questions, the thoroughness reinforces learning, as a review should. Each answer includes a succinct explanation of why a particular choice is “correct” and the other choices are “incorrect.” Each answer is referenced by page numbers to both Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease and Robbins Basic Pathology (both the current ninth edition and the previous eighth edition of each), and in several cases, to figures in the third edition of Robbins and Cotran Atlas of Pathology, to facilitate and encourage a more complete reading of topics targeted for further review. Pathology is a visually oriented discipline; hence full-color images accompany many of the questions. The illustrations are taken mainly from the Robbins textbooks, so students can reinforce their study of the figures in the texts with questions that utilize the same or similar images. The revisions in this fourth edition reflect new topics and new understanding of disease processes reflected in the most recent editions of the Robbins textbooks. The questions are intentionally written to be fairly difficult, with the purpose of “pushing the envelope” of students’ understanding of pathology. We are pushing it even further with a comprehensive final examination section that includes questions drawn from challenging topics covered in the entire book. Mastery of this book will better prepare the student for further challenges. Many of the questions require the student to engage in a “multi-step” process: first, to interpret the information presented to arrive at a diagnosis, and then to solve a problem based on that diagnosis. This reinforces the clinical reasoning skills needed in delivery of health care. We must hasten to add that no review book is a substitute for textbooks and other course materials provided by individual instructors within the context of a curriculum. This book should be used in conjunction with thorough study of Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease and/or Robbins Basic Pathology and curricular materials. Finally, we hope that both students and their faculty will find this review book to be a useful adjunct to the learning of pathology.
With the 28th edition of First Aid for the USMLE Step 1, we continue our commitment to providing students with the most useful and up-to-date preparation guide for the USMLE Step 1. This edition represents an outstanding revision in many ways, including: – 35 entirely new high-yield topics reflecting evolving trends in the USMLE Step 1. – Extensive text revisions, new mnemonics, clarifications, and corrections curated by a team of more than 40 medical student and resident physician authors who excelled on their Step 1 examinations and verified by a team of expert faculty advisors and nationally recognized USMLE instructors. – A new section on learning and memory science in Section I, Guide to Efficient Exam Preparation. – Updated with 35+ new full-color photos to help visualize various disorders, descriptive findings, and basic science concepts. Additionally, revised imaging photos have been labeled and optimized to show both normal anatomy and pathologic findings. – Updated study tips on the opening page of each chapter. – Improved integration of clinical images and illustrations to better reinforce and learn key anatomic concepts. – Improved organization of text, figures, and tables throughout for quick review of high-yield topics. – Updated with 50+ new and revised diagrams and illustrations as part of our ongoing collaboration with USMLE-Rx (MedIQ Learning, LLC). – Reorganized Rapid Review section to present high-yield concepts by topic and with page numbers to the corresponding text. – Revitalized coverage of current, high-yield print and digital resources in Section IV with clearer explanations of their relevance to USMLE Step 1 review.