Textbooks - PurchaseBefore you invest your money in a new textbook, take a moment to consider your information needs and how you will use the textbook in your practice. Buy a textbook the same way you would buy a car, by shopping around and kicking the tires!
Format
Major textbooks may be available in a paper version or an Internet version. See Textbooks-Overview. Which one would best meet your needs?
Ask Your Colleagues
What textbooks do your colleagues use? Ask them why they like a particular book and whether they have compared it to other textbooks on the subject.
Borrow the Book
Medical libraries have a loan program that is under-utilized. Your local public library may have an inter-library loan arrangement with a medical library. Borrow two or three similar textbooks and read the equivalent chapters on a topic that interests you.
Organization
Is the book organized into logical chapters? Does it match the way you personally organize information? Does the table of contents cover the appropriate field of medicine? Was the book written for a medical student, resident, primary care physician or specialist?
Currency
Innovations take at least two years to be published and the time lag may be as long as ten years. Out-of-date treatments often take as long to be removed. What is the publication date of the current edition? Does the current edition mention recent known innovations?
Readability
A textbook may be full of information but still be poorly written. The book should match your personal reading style. Can you find "nuggets" of information, such as recommended tests or drug dosages quickly?
Cost-Effectiveness
This is an important, but very subjective topic. How relevant is the information to your practice? How often will you use the information? Is there another more useful source?
Trial Period/Return Policy
Can you purchase the book on approval? Some vendors allow a limited trial period, usually described in the fine print of their advertisements.
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