Good resource for residents and med students
I am a med student and bought this Pocketpedia for quick reference during PM&R electives. Almost all attendings and residents have commented that this pocket book is a great resource for students and residents. It has a thorough overview of PM&R topics and fits in the pocket of your white coat. I have just started using it and have found it to be helpful as a quick reference (- by no means a complete text). I would say the only con is that the anatomy pics are not as thorough as I would like. But I would still recommend this highly for rehab residents and med students interested in rehab.
Concise to the extreme
There are a few reasons to get this book:
1) You are a medical student and have many rotations and limited money and do not know if you are going in to PM&R yet.
2) You are a resident and need to have a small book that will fit in your pocket. You can read a few pages while waiting for your attending to get off the phone or back from coffee :)
3) You are an attending who tends to focus in one area and needs a refresher in another area of rehab.
4) You are a PT, OT, PA, nurse, or advanced practice nurse who wants to review more information in a affordable book with a concise format.
The book is really small (and so is the printing). I have carried this book pretty much since my PGY-4 year. I have probably read it 10 times by now in 1-2 page bursts. It fits in my pocket about as well as my PDA.
A book this abbreviated is very difficult to use as a PRIMARY study guide. There are significant areas not discussed. However, the material that is covered is very well abstracted from longer books and articles. It reads like someone took great notes from different sources and bound them together. Additionally, there are several good tables in the book that I refer to regularly.
Overall, this book has helped me tremendously as a resident and I have been recommending it for years. A few people get disgruntled that it is so abbreviated, but they still carry it in their pocket!
Excellent
With so much information in such a small package, you really can't go wrong. I carry this and Essential Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation around with me. While EPMR has more text, Choi's book is great for quickest access to what you need the most. My only complaint is that some important info seems to have been left out. But, then, it is a small review book...so you can't have everything. Overall, this book is definitely worth getting.
superb book, great for boards, text small
A lot of people i know crammed for either or both the written and oral Rehab boards using this book, and they said it definitely packs the most punch for the time and money. It is well written, acurate (very evidence-based and highly referenced). It contain so much info packed into a concise package, so maybe the text could be a little too small for some older docs or someone with bad near-vision. It's not meant for reading for too long due to eye strain, but maybe a chapter or 2 at a time over 10-15 minutes while on call. The book is mostly focused for residents and fellows, but I imagine could be useful as a quick pocket reference for attendings as well. A must for those working in rehab, but not formally trained as a physiatrist as well, such as NPs, PAs, PTs, etc. Hopefully this book will be updated in the next few years. While it is up to date for the date of publication (2003), containing lots of references from the 2000's, it would be great for the next generation of residents to have a book with refs from the 2003-2006 (or later) era as well, since evidence-based information is now at such a premium.
Many important topics not discussed
This is supposed to be a concise book, but it sadly does not tackle the most practical aspects that are needed for front-liners.
Example: when talk on amputee, prefers to talk on amputee gait instead of practical things like how to improve stump, how to deal with troubles with doning or doffing
Example: when talk about SCI, not even mention let alone discuss very important topics like bowel problems & sexual problems these young patients have
Example: when talk about pain, not even touch upon the topic of centralization, let alone discussing how to treat. The discussion on CRPS not up-to-date
Poor Buy, good alone for junior medical students
(10 reviews)
