The Fundamental text on anatomy

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Over this semester I studied quite a few physiology and anatomy books ranging from the classics of Gray's anatomy, Last's anat, Guyton & Hall's medical physiology and also Lange's histology and Lange's physiology. A word of advice to any premed student buying or reading from these books.

Gray's anatomy is by far the most coherently organized systemic anatomy book which covers most dimensions of the human body starting from the molecular basis of each individual system and making its elucidation culminate to the gross perspectives of the respective system. I am referring to the Gray's anatomical basis and principles of surgery which I find is one of the best books to read when studying any science associated with the human body as it covers a wide area of study and is painstakingly updated. To be honest I think it has been a lasting authority over the field of allied health.

Last's anatomy is usually a textbook used in composing FRCS tests so I am pretty sure its going to be very handy. Over the history of its publications it has has severe mistakes like completely missing out the clitoris in the female reproductive system in earlier editions. The significance of which to female reproduction, I am sure is great
The book is well organized, the diagrams lack clear labelling and it does cost a lot of money. It is good to borrow it from the library and make study notes from it, however unless you are an educater I doubt it will suite your collection.

Guyton and Hall are severely outdated, a new version is to come this year. It is very hard to read from when preparing for exams and for a subject that deals with such a physical and material concept (namely the human body and its functionality) it doesn't seem to summarise by using graphics and tables. Rather key information is drowned with a surrounding sea of text which although highly explanatory does not suite exam preperation. This book suffers when discussing the special senses, it also is not well organized in mentioning the physiology of the nervous sytem. If you forgive it for these key problems than it becomes a really good book. It is indeed a classic and many have gained knowledge from this book however most books of this genre are well written so it does not excuse it for lacking the organization that it does.

Lange's is very well organized and is good for preperatory work. Guyton's is excellant for a contextual outline for physiological mechanisms and key aspects of human physiology however Lange is well organized, succinct and keys gives the same information in less words.

I hate verbose books, apart from the ones where I require or desire a lot of information. However when a physiology book dedicates itself in mentioning refraction through lenses and does not mention the physiology of rods and cones (referring to the eye) than I feel that, that particular book has severe lackings (I am referring to Guyton).

Lange's histology is by far the worst book one can purchase. The end.

 

[^_^physicist]

Recently I have been self-studying molecular and cellular biophysics. As a result of this self studying I have found that none of the texts that I have come acrossed or used have any exercises to tie into the texts. Now I understand that biophysics isn't normally a topic taught in many universities, at least not as a typical course; however, I find that after completing my daily reading within the texts, that I don't feel like I have gained a tremendious amount of understanding.

More or less, I need some semi-sterile and previously answered questions to play with to ensure that I am understanding what I am readinhttps://www.physicsforums.com/images/smilies/love.gifg.

With that being said If anyone knows of a biophysics text, or a text that concerns topics within biophysics and has questions/examples within it to tinker around with it, I would be deeply grateful.

To aid in narrowing down on books that would be of use I am including the list of texts I am reading at the moment:


Biophysics- Glaser

Mathematical Biophysics; Physico-Mathematical Foundations of Biology- Rashevesky Vol. 1

Molecular and Cellular Biophysics- Jackson (Which has questions; however, they are few in number).

Thanks for any help.

 

[Sirium]

Hi, a friend of mine is studying computer sciences, but recently she stated that she made a mistake and that she really wanted to study biology (note: we live in country where changing subject is not easy) so i decided to give her a book about usage of computer sciences in biology. She has advanced knowledge of computer sciences (she is taking a Master course at the moment) but her knowledge of biology is poor.
In brief, can you suggest me any book about bioinformatics/computational methods in biology that is great for computer scientist?

 

[Opus_723]

I'm an undergraduate doing research on molecular BEC's and although Griffiths-level quantum mechanics is enough to do my part, I'm trying to understand as much of the work I'm building on as possible, and some of it is quite advanced. The main thing I'm looking for is a text that describes the behavior of molecules.

Specifically, I'm looking for the sort of book that would discuss molecular wavefunctions, such as rigid rotor models, including things like dipole moments and the Stark effect. Preferably something at the "beginning graduate/advanced undergraduate level" (if that even exists).

 

[rezeew]

I agree with your assessment of these anatomy and physiology books. It is important for students to have a strong foundation in these subjects, and choosing the right textbooks can greatly aid in their understanding. I also appreciate your recommendation to borrow books from the library and make study notes, as this can save students a lot of money and still provide them with the necessary information.

I agree that Gray's anatomy is a comprehensive and well-organized text, and its updates make it a valuable resource for studying the human body. Last's anatomy may be useful for specific exams, but it is important for students to be aware of any potential mistakes in the text.

I understand your frustration with Guyton and Hall's outdated information and lack of organization. In the field of science, it is important for textbooks to keep up with the latest research and discoveries. Lange's seems to be a good alternative for students who prefer a more concise and organized approach.

I appreciate your honesty about Lange's histology book, and I agree that it is important for textbooks to cover all relevant topics. Overall, it seems like students would benefit from using a combination of these textbooks to gain a well-rounded understanding of anatomy and physiology. Thank you for sharing your insights and recommendations.