How to study pathology

Practice questions practice questions practice questions

Invest in USMLE Rx and/or Kaplan Q banks to hammer home
information (saving Uworld for dedicated step 1 time). I've found that
practice questions have been the absolute best way to pull together
things, especially connections I might have not made on my own
These are EXCELLENT books. I bought both. Cardiovascular:
http://www.amazon.com/Pathophysiology-Heart-Disease-CollaborativePATHOPHYSIOLOGY/dp/1605477230 Nephrology:
http://www.amazon.com/Renal-Pathophysiology-Lippincott-WilliamsWilkins/dp/1451173385/ref=sr_1_1?
s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412406478&sr=11&keywords=renal+pathophysiology
Search Wikipedia for basic terms e.g.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacrocyte check out table below the page
Pathbites!
Index cards
Robbins interactive cases: http://web.squ.edu.om/medlib/med_cd/e_cds/pathologic%20basis%20of%20disease/indextoc.html
Study Tip 1 Keep it organized. Pathology is a high-volume course that progresses and builds
on complex concepts. However, many areas of this study can be broken down and grouped to
help the student organize and easily recall the pathologic steps. Take one general topic, like
Tissue Necrosis, and list all its subtypes underneath it. Keep the diagrams concise so that you
may review them for quick reference and comparison as you continuing studying the subject.
Study Tip 2 Start with the big picture. Sift through the assigned chapter or unit in the
beginning of your studies and get a rough idea of what you will be covering. While you are
skimming through, decide which material must be thoroughly understood versus the minor
details that can be memorized closer to the exam date. Take your time and think through the
steps of the major concepts while you have plenty of time before the test. Gene products,
chromosome location, and toxin names should be memorized after you are familiar with the
terminology and pathologic processes. More than likely, the mundane facts will only reside in
your short-term memory and will only frustrate you if you first attempt to memorize words
and diseases you dont understand.
Study Tip 3 Know the terminology and nomenclature well. Most of the time this can be
accomplished by paying attention to the stem of the word. Take hypertrophy for example,
which describes an increase in cell size. The stem -trophy often refers to cellular growth and
dimensions. If hyper- is added to any term, it usually means an increase, or greater than
normal levels. So it is easy to see how the pathologic process of increased cell size is

described by its term hypertrophy. Using this, we can infer that hypotrophy indicates
decreased cell size. This study tip becomes very useful when differentiating types of cell
changes and progression to cancer. For instance, the term carcinoma indicates that a
malignant tumor is derived from epithelium, while sarcoma is derived from mesenchyme. In
addition, the suffix -oma usually means a growth is benign, but keep in mind that there are
always exceptions; such as, Melanoma and Lymphoma which are malignant tumors.
Study Tip 4 Compare and contrast the disease processes. Every time you are studying
something, ask yourself How is this different from . . . and how is this similar to . . . ?
Pathology is full of dichotomies and many disease processes overlap each other, thus making it
easy to confuse them with each other. Some common examples are Benign vs. Malignant,
Transudate vs. Exudate, Grade vs. Stage, Reversible Injury vs. Irreversible. Some students
will benefit from making tables to keep the concepts and details separated.

Pathology Resources
Books
1. Robbins Basic Pathology
2. Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease
3. Pathoma
4. RR Path - Goljan
5. Lilly Pathophysiology of Heart Disease
6. Niewoehner Endocrine Pathophysiology
7. Harrisons Good for Renal and Respiratory
8. First AID
9. Understanding pathophysiology (2012)
Online Resources
1. Pathguy - http://www.pathguy.com/
2. WebPath - http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/ORGAN.html#2
3. Histology
a. Blue Histology: http://www.lab.anhb.uwa.edu.au/mb140/
b. Shotgun Histology:
http://www.medicalschoolpathology.com/ShotgunHistology.
htm
4. Youtube
a. Washington Deceit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=cEShEUSq_DA&list=PL3oAYNQ024sijkTwlmK4MIiyV1Nmv
2xZX
5. Pathbites
6. Surgery101.org
7. Medscape
8. Clinicalkey

9. Uptodate
10.
Ebscohost Medline
Pharmacology
1. Katzung
2. Youtube Videos
3. Solid Pharmacology:
http://www.doctorsintraining.com/pharmacology
4. Biochemistry: http://themedicalbiochemistrypage.org/
5. BRS Pharmacology
6. http://www.pharmacologyweekly.com/content/pages/online-drugtherapy-tables
7. https://apotential.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/how-to-memorizecyp450/
8. http://www.icp.org.nz/index.html
9. http://www.flashcardmachine.com/126-150-oftop200drugs.html
Microbiology/Infectious
1. Made Ridiculously Simple - Microbio
2. Sompayrac - Immunology
3. Jawetz Microbio
Hx and PE
1. Sapira
2. DeJongs Neuro Exam
Youtube
1. Dr. Najeeb:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPHpx55tgrbm8FrYYCflAHw
2. Anatomy Zone:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheAnatomyZone/videos
3. FTP Lectures:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyjFUnWxd9ymR9Z8QXAlV3
g
4. Interactive Biology:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLBohbbgb9b138zWn9maEQ
5. Kenhub anatomy:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHn_K1zOBYZqtmIYkXLEIQw
6. Handwritten tutorials:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV2c5vgFcf591rZPv6VDkXA
7. Med School Made Easy:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC64IlFxAqtZlXqHaomlATsw
8. MedCram: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGiSMVtWbbwDDXgXXypARQ
9.

Cardiovascular
1. EKG Review: http://ekgreview.com/
2. EKG Quiz: http://www.co.livingston.mi.us/ems/ekgquiz.htm
3. EKG Online Flashcards
a. http://www.flashcardexchange.com/flashcards/view/301253
b. http://cueflash.com/Decks/EKG_rhythm_strips_quiz/
Dermatology Atlas
http://dermatlas.med.jhmi.edu/derm/index.cfm
Embryology
Human Embryology Animations
http://www.indiana.edu/~anat550/embryo_main/
Sonic Hedgehog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZryiyO32q-0
Clinical
1. U of Florida Physical Exam Study Guide:
http://medinfo.ufl.edu/year1/bcs/clist/index.html
2. Sample SOAP Notes:
http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/com1/current/yr3/sample
soap.pdf
3. Medfools: http://www.medfools.com/downloads.html
4. SoapNotes: http://www.soapnote.org/
5. OnSurg: http://onsurg.com/for-students-2/
Radiology
www.radiopaedia.org
http://www.learningradiology.com/
Ortho
http://www.boneschool.com/spine/cervical/smith-robinson-approach