Should MBBS Students Really Read Standard Books?

With the vast syllabus and time constraints in medical school, many MBBS students often question the necessity of reading standard textbooks like Robbins, Harrison’s, or Gray’s Anatomy. While notes and guides offer quick revisions, standard books provide depth, clinical reasoning, and a solid foundation essential for long-term understanding and patient care do we really need to read those books?

What’s your view?

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They should, actually! :white_check_mark::white_check_mark:

Honestly, I used to be the kind of person who relied heavily on notes and review books because the syllabus felt overwhelming. But over time, I realized how much depth and clarity standard textbooks actually offer.

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It’s will feel difficult to understand thr topic in standard book in one read itself. But as it should be read for competitive exams. First read the topic from non- standard book, then read the standard book such as Grey’s, Robbins, etc.
Even though it will feel difficult.

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Well, They are called standard book for a reason. The in depth understanding of the topics those books would offer won’t be provided in review books. If you have an immediate exam then sure read review books so that you can actually remember the core point.

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Standard books are important for building conceptual clarity and clinical correlation but need not be read like novels.

  1. Use standard books for key or difficult topics, not everything.
  2. Use notes/coaching videos for quick revision and MCQ focus.
  3. Make your own summary notes from standard books—this is gold during exams and NEET prep.

Well It has its own pros and cons. Medically community is full of early birds and one night owls. So for early birds the gold standard provides a clear deep understanding of the topic but for one night owls it’s just a big block to cover. Whereas review books and small ones are preferably good to pull a exam out.

yes!!! books are important but not always.
Books gives us core knowledge but what is the use of rote learning if we aren’t able to understand the actual concept. Sometime, taking extra help from YT is a game changer.

MBBS students should ideally start with standard textbooks for in-depth understanding, but supplementing with concise notes, videos, and online resources can enhance retention and revision efficiency.

A balanced approach combining both can be effective, allowing students to grasp complex concepts and quickly review key points.

Anybody who tells you to study only standard books and rely entirely on them in MBBS hasn’t read them themselves or is about to be cast in the next Marvel Movie.

Here’s how to be smart about it.

  • Study Selectively - Topics that are important for you at THE LEVEL you are in. (for eg. as an MBBS there is no point in you specializing in oncosurgery. Rather read topics that are common and are MUST KNOW from standard books like Diarrhoea, Malaria, TB, Ascites etc.)