First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 2015 (First Aid USMLE)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



After going through the entire book, I can say three things about it: pictures, organization, and clarification. That said, the "content" area is not much any different than the 2014 edition. There are, however, few new drugs and pathologies added in subsequent organ systems (reason I bought it). This edition is all about new, colorful pictures and images in the neurology section on the eye are just too good. There is also particular material that was taken off in 2014 and now added in 2015 (i.e. Lac operon in biochemistry). I feel like the overall clarity, and the way this book is organized in terms of relating one page to another is done quite nicely in this edition.

So should you buy the 2015 FA if you already have 2014?

Well, that depends on when you are planning to take your test. If you are planning on taking it within a month, have a lot of notes in the 2014 edition, or just don't feel like spending another 50 bucks or so then you should stick with 2014. If your exam is a couple of months away as in the summer of 2015, then I think you should get this edition and start making notes in it. So bottom line is that if you have 2014 and if you want to get the 2015 edition for new content solely then don't, stick with 2014 because the content overall is the same. I gave this took a 5 star because it has everything 2014 had (all errors fixed) and the additional few drugs/path info that are passed from past test takers (which is what we want right!!).

One con about the new 2015, at least for me right now is that the pages are very cheaply done again (why don't they get the pages like Goljan path??). I made few lines using a Pilot G-2 pen, and I could see the lines on the other side so you might not want to use a heavily inked pen. Also, the book I have, some of the texts in the tables are a bit blurry or out of focus (this may be just in my book) so watch out for that.