Short answer: Use the textbook your department follows as your base, and add a short review book only for revision. Buying both for every subject in the first month is rarely necessary.
Know what each type of book does
A large textbook explains a subject in depth, with diagrams and context. A short review book compresses the same material into points that are easy to revise. They serve different purposes, so choosing between them means asking whether you need to learn the topic or revise it.
Start with your college list
Most colleges and teachers name one or two standard textbooks per subject. Begin with those. Seniors in your own college can tell you which ones are read cover to cover and which are kept as a reference only. Our guide to MBBS first year books explains how to approach the first set.
When a review book helps
Review books become useful close to internal assessments and before university exams, when you already know the concepts and need a fast pass. Buying one too early can lead to memorising points without understanding them. Pick one review book per subject rather than several overlapping ones.
Check the edition before you pay
Medical books are updated from time to time, but not every update changes what a student needs. Look at the table of contents and chapter list of the edition you are considering and compare it with what your teachers refer to. The post on medical books for later years covers how editions behave in clinical subjects.
Save money sensibly
- Buy core textbooks of a subject only when the subject starts
- Consider a used copy of a recent edition for reference books
- Share expensive atlases or reference works with a classmate if your schedules allow
- Sell books you no longer need through the sell medical books page
A sample approach for one subject
Take one subject, such as anatomy or physiology. Use the large textbook while the topic is being taught, make a short list of the points you find hard, and keep a review book for the last few weeks before the assessment. This way the big book does the teaching, the review book does the reminding, and you do not read the same material twice in different words.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is buying a review book first and skipping the textbook. Review books assume you have seen the material before. The second is buying several review books for one subject, which gives you overlapping points and little new information. Choose one, finish it, and revise from it more than once.
Where to look
Browse second hand books and new books side by side and compare the condition and the delivery charge before choosing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need both a textbook and a review book for each subject?
Not always. Use the textbook for learning and add a review book near exams only if you need faster revision.
Is a used medical textbook fine?
Often yes if the edition is recent and the pages, diagrams and binding are intact. Check the edition and condition details before ordering.
How do I know which book my college follows?
Ask your teachers and seniors, and check the reading list given by your department.