THEY TRUSTED US!

Dr. Goldberg,

I know that this note is long overdue, but here it is nonetheless. Every time I use one of your books I say “I really should thank HIM, but I’ll do it later…”

I found the books informative + most importantly “funny.” Who said medical school had to be so solemn? Not you!

I must tell you my two favorite parts! The first is your little drawing (Fig 2-10 Anatomy) of the atlas + axis Rock Stars singing “I ain’t got nobody” – I love it! The 2nd is the cover of the Anatomy MRS book – why? In the Anatomy Department of Harvard medical school there hangs this huge painting (the original, of course) of the “First” operation. I don’t recall the name, but it is the one w/ all the dark grays + flat greens and serious faces (Ring a bell?). As I walked by it “every day” I would wipe the smile off my face and feel guilty for being happy; “medicine is a very serious discipline. There is no time for frivolity – we are not humans, we are medical students!” Well, as soon as I saw your books (I saw it at the “coop”) I said – TO HELL WITH THEM! I’M GONNA STUDY ANATOMY AND ENJOY IT + EVEN SMILE ONCE IN A WHILE – “MEDICAL STUDENTS ARE PEOPLE TOO!!”

Thanx a lot.

Dear Sirs:

As a second year Medical Student, I would like to offer you my heartfelt thanks and eternal gratitude for saving my gluteals in Gross Anatomy last year. “Clinical Anatomy Made Ridiculously Simple” is obviously not the last word in anatomical science, but it allowed me to keep the “big picture” in perspective while I was bombarded with an endless barrage of obscure details. Without Dr. Goldberg’s book, I am quite sure that by last November by cerebral cortex would have exploded in the middle of a 4 hour lecture – either from overload or from frustration – and today I would be doing one of two things:

Wearing a pink robe and selling flowers and /or books in some airportEntering Law School, which is worse.

Anyway, Dr. Goldberg spared me these fates, and he’s doing it again this year with “Clinical Neuroanatomy Made Ridiculously Simple.” If there is any way of directly contacting Dr. Goldberg, would you please notify him that I am going to name my firstborn “Stephen” in his honor, even if it’s a girl. If my wife has twins, we will name them both Stephen. I promise.

Acid Base Fluids and Electrolytes: Practically Life savor for both you and patient

I hardly anytime would give “5” stars to any products, but this just blew my doubts and misunderstanding out to pieces. I don’t want to sound too explicit, but actually it’s better than sex when you understand something and everything come to senses.

I mean you out there tell me what other book can teach you so perfectly acid base balances, mixed disorder and anion gap acidosis? No other. Considering even residents who work in US don’t know how to calculate electrolyte, this is a topic regarded lightly by students. But I don’t think so. By giving wrong fluid to critical patient, is not a good story to tell. It’s so critical we have to know it. And first time I felt this material to be easy.

One day I was so frustrated on some acid base question of mixed acid base disorder, and was frantically searching in google, yahoo, msn , or anything I can put my hands on to enlighten concept as how to calculate electrolytes but without avail. So frustrated I even couldn’t sleep that night. I tried to forget but soon it came to my mind boggling unsolved calculation. Then I was sparkled to my mind that I bought this book long time ago and it might explain to me something better. Sooner opening the page than I was gobbling all I could gorge the materials. That night, after I’ve done doing all the problems in that little book, I said to myself, Oh boy, this is actually better than sex!

the beauty of this book is way the explanation is so step wise and gives you a smooth comprehension followed by problems which makes you sure that you get it.

I mean I looked everwhere….. Even the Harrison didn’t have the slightest notion of practical calculation to what it appears complex electrolyte acid base balance, but this little book made it so simple that finally made me think to sue Harrison(well just joking..)

First time I bought this book, I didn’t take it seriously and put it in back corner of bookshelves, but I was so glad I bought it. I’m telling ya, this is the only book can save your exam and your patient as well.

Dear Dr. Goldberg.

I wanted to contact you in order to thank you again for hosting such an amazing blog. It has been a great encouragement thought my medical education.

I wanted to thank you today specifically because this is the day that I will see my own patients for the first time, this afternoon. I found myself going back to your blog as I reviewed everything in mind on what kind of physician I want to be to my patients, and how to do it with all my resources in close reach. Simply stated, your blog was one of the places I found myself, and I even had the chance to share it with a colleague today as well.

Again, thank you so much for your contribution to medical education, you are certainly a role model to me and leave me with hope for the future as I embark on this journey (I am now a first year family medicine resident at the UF, after graduating from UM, where I know you taught for many years before MedMaster!) My long term goal is to remain in medical education, with a focus on preventive health, underserved, and international medicine. Needless to say, I am glad to have your blog available as a reference for this coming year!

Best regards,

Dear MedMaster:

I have almost all of your publications, and am finding them a LIFE SAVER! Absolutely wonderful.

I was wondering if it would be possible to buy just an extra “BiochemistryLand” Map. I have the one which came in the book, but I was told by a friend that when I’ve memorized that map, I can pass Biochem. on the Boards. To that end, I wanted to get a second one to put up in the bathroom, so I can utilize every spare second in memorizing it. I don’t want to risk putting my only copy up, for fear it might get damaged by steam showers, ETC…. You may invoice me if you have one.

Holy S***

Mr. Hancock,

I purchased “The Practitioner’s Pocket Pal: Ultra Rapid Medical Reference” and I can’t put it down.

I have a learning disability but have made it to my clinical year in PA school. I learn differently but I am intelligent. My disability is in reading comprehension associated with ADHD.

Your book is exactly what I needed to pull the pieces of medical knowledge that I do have together, finally. I have bought so many other books, but experienced difficulty with referencing information quickly. Not now that I have this reference book.

Your book should have been required in my PA program. I can’t wait to see my next patient. Currently I am in my internal medicine rotation and there is not a single page of this reference book that does not apply in some way to almost every single patient that I currently have.

My personal thanks for taking time to assemble this information in such an organized and friendly format.

Sincere thanks

Dear Dr. Stephen Goldberg,

I want to introduce myself to you. I’m a 19 year old Saudi/American living and studying at KAU in Jeddah Saudi Arabia. I just passed my 2nd year which means that 4 years from now, if everything goes well, I will become a general physician, however my aim is to become a heart surgeon. I’m planning on going back home to San Diego, or anywhere in the states or Canada to become a surgeon.

I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for showing what biochemistry, what physiology, and what anatomy are all about. Without your books I wouldn’t have made it this far, but u know what? It’s not that you showed me what it’s all about, you even gave me confidence. None of my relatives nor friends are doctors so when it comes to medicine the only advice they can give me is study hard! But when I read your books, it is like I know exactly how to handle, and what to expect from each subject I’m studying. It’s like finally seeing the light, when I thought there wasn’t one.

Thank you so much sir, for writing your books with humor, cause if you didn’t, I would have thought that I was the only medical student who is insane!

Currently I’m on vacation, but I’m planning to start studying because our 3rd year is supposed to be the hardest of all. I was wondering how to think like u do? What is the secret, because sometimes it’s just so hard to find any relation to some certain parts of a lesson, so if you’ve got any ideas about studying, I’m all ears.

Thank you again Sir,

Doctor Goldberg,

Will you please forward me an autographed copy of your book, Clinical Biochemistry Made Ridiculously Simple? I borrowed a friend’s copy that you had signed for him and it was accidentally damaged. Your book was the pride of his collection, so he is terribly upset with me. I am, of course, willing to pay all costs associated with the purchase and shipping of said book. Please sign it “To Gerard P., Best Wishes, Stephen Goldberg.”

My conscience will not rest until I have made reparations to this gentleman who was so kind as to loan the book in the first place. I have also enjoyed it immensely myself. It certainly took the tedium out of my personal studies of Biochemistry.

I do not wish to lose a friend over a book. Please help me.

Yours most desperately,

Greetings,

A few weeks ago we corresponded about pocket reference cards. Since that time I had wanted to write you again, but all the time demands of clinical have prevented me from doing so until now.

However, I do not know if anyone has ever told you, but with the exception of Frank Netter, you individually have had one of the biggest impacts in medical education around the world. I personally believe that more students have, and will continue to benefit from your books, than any other author, publisher or journal. You alone have done more to enhance student learning over a broad spectrum of medical topics, and will have personally influenced more medical students than anyone in history. You have created for yourself and medicine, a legacy precious few could achieve. For that, I sincerely thank and congratulate you.

Sincerely,

Dear Dr. Goldberg,

Although I am only a first year medical student, my understanding of anatomy doesn’t quite match up with a statement written in your “Clinical Anatomy Made Ridiculously Simple” on page 36.

I quote, “If removed surgically, the head can still rotate…”

Alright – actually I know I just spotted a dangling modifier and not an important clinical vagary. Seriously though – we love your books here at Yale.

Sincerely,

Dear MedMaster Inc.,

I am writing solely to praise the book you have published. While I can’t claim to have read every book you have published, it is not from lack of want. From the few book I have read on various topics, I must say that none of the titles are at all misleading. Your “Made Ridiculously Simple” series gives exactly what it promises – a ridiculously simple overview of almost every health topic available.

At the moment, I am making my way through Clinical Biostatistic and Epidemiology Made Ridiculously Simple with Cardiology on the side. If I were to try to read a typical textbook on these first, I would be hopelessly lost. However, your books explain everything in such simple terms even a complete novice can grasp it. Among  other books I have read (and enjoyed!) are Clinical Pathology MRS and Clinical Microbiology MRS. The illustrations are humorous, informative and easy to remember, as are the mnemonics. While they don’t have quizzes, they don’t need them – you remember the information without excessive repetition.

As if I haven’t already given them enough praise, they are also affordable to the average student. Despite being of arguably higher quality than most textbooks, they can usually be had for no more than twenty or thirty dollars. I haven’t see many of them go over sixty, which still doesn’t hold a candle to the majority of other materials.

I look forward to reading more “Made Ridiculously Simple” book in the future. There is no other book series that I have found myself so dedicated to. Your books have explained previously incomprehensible topics to me in the course of a single page. I cannot express my gratitude to MedMaster through words. Thank you for your books.

With gratitude,