Please Note: If you buy anything from Amazon directly from these links, the podcast gets a small commission at no cost to you. If you feel uncomfortable with this, just search for the book directly at the book store of your choice.
Finally a Kindle We Can Recommend:
This is the most incredible way to read books. Forget Paper, buy a kindle!
General Emergency Medicine
Rosen's Emergency Medicine-The first and in my opinion the best. I think this book is quite readable and probably the most authoritative of the texts. While it offers a historical perspective, it is actually not as comprehensive as Tintinalli on certain topics (for instance compare the sickle cell anemia sections).
Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine-Billed as a review book for the boards, this book is actually one of the more complete textbooks. Though it’s only one volume, the paper grade is much cheaper and the print smaller, so it actually contains more words than Rosen’s. This is the one I would go to if I need to look something up during a shift. We have copies in the ED at both sites.
Emergency Department Resusitation of the Critically Ill-Emergency Department Resuscitation of the Critically Ill-Mike Winters gathered some fantastic ED crit care folk to create a definitive guide to ED resuscitation. And I'm not just saying that b/c I wrote the first chapter : )
Pediatrics
APLS: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Resource-I hate merit badge courses, but this is a markedly superior course to PALS. This textbook is the book you want to read through before your peds ED rotations.
Procedure Texts
Roberts and Hedges' Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine, 6e (Roberts, Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine)-This is an incredible book! It describes in exhaustive detail almost every procedure you will need to know in your career in EM. This might be one to actually buy with your CME money. It is also available free through mdconsult, but lacking some of the photos. Just remember, it does not inspire all that much confidence when your moribund patient sees you reading the how to intubate chapter.
Emergency Medicine Procedures, Second Edition-I thought no book would surpass Roberts and Hedges, but this one has done it. Diagrams instead of photos are a far more effective teaching tools. Absolutely complete. So expensive, but so good; this is my recommended procedure text.
Wounds and Lacerations: Emergency Care and Closure (Expert Consult – Online and Print), 4e 4th (fourth) Edition by Trott MD, Alexander T. (2012)-The bible on wound repair
Manual of Emergency Airway Management-The definitive monograph on EM airway management. Get through this one during your orientation month. You'll want to know the basics of intubation before your first ed shift. It is one of the few procedures we do where you can't really take your time.
The Airway Cam Guide to Intubation and Practical Emergency Airway Management-While Wall's text teaches the skills of airway management, this book teaches laryngoscopy and the skills of placing plastic between the cords. You need to read!
Surgery/Trauma
Cope's Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen (Silen, Early Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen)-If you have not read it during med school, pick it up during your surgery block from the library. Make sure it is the newest addition where they emphatically recommend pain meds for abd pain pts (and it is written by a surgeon)
Essential Emergency Trauma-Edited by my friend and colleague, Kaushal Shah. This is a perfect introductory text for residents. Covers Trauma from A to Z in a easy to read format.
Trauma, Seventh Edition-The be-all end-all of trauma management. Geared towards the surgeon so be prepared to skim.
Orthopedics
Emergency Orthopedics, Sixth Edition (Emergency Orthopedics: The Extremities (Simon))-Pick it up from the library during your ortho block and read it cover to cover. It is written by and for EM docs, so no boring crap, just the important stuff we need to know.
Common Hand Injuries by Carter-20 years old and still the best hand book out there. You need to know the hand; this book is the way to learn. It even has cartoons. Out of print forever, it has just been released in a 2nd edition as an ebook. ACEP put out a new book on the hand; I read it, but I was not impressed. Carter still has them beat.
Toxicology
Toxicology Secrets, 1e-Hate to recommend review books, but this series keeps coming through.
Radiology
Accident and Emergency Radiology: A Survival Guide, 3e-Written by Brits, but still a good book. : ) Has all the essential x-rays you need to know. No UTS or CT.
ECGs
The ECG in Acute MI: An Evidence-Based Manual of Reperfusion Therapy by Stephen W. Smith MD FACEP (2002-04-17)-You’ve probably already read Dubin, and may even have glanced at Marriot, but the book that should be required reading for ER Docs is this one. You think you know the signs of an MI on EKG, but you are only at level I, grasshopper. This book has gone out of print, so Steve Smith (who is super-kind) has decided to give away the full text for free.
Electrocardiography in Emergency Medicine-Until Dr. Smith's book returns to print, this incredible work edited by the master, Amal Mattu, is the one I recommend.
Emergency Ultrasound
Ma and Mateer's Emergency Ultrasound, Third Edition-Long awaited: before this there was no good book for EM UTS, now there is.
Critical Care Ultrasonography, 2nd edition-This book will take your ultrasound skills to the next level to be able to optimally manage the critically ill patient.
Pediatrics
APLS: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Resource-This is a must-own book for Peds Emergency Medicine.
Miscellaneous
Minor Emergencies: Expert Consult – Online and Print, 3e-Covers all the emergencies that need to be treated but don't need to come in by ambulance, ie. finger lacs and epistaxis. Basically everything you will see on a fast track shift. Of course our patients call ambulances for back pain for the past 7 years, but that is another story. A slightly abbreviated version of this book is available on the web at: http://www.ncemi.org/cse/contents.htm
Sapira's Art and Science of Bedside Diagnosis-this is your medical school physical diagnosis class taken to the next level. All the skills and tricks of the old time docs who could diagnose without the benefit of labs and x-rays (of course they did not have the benefit of any useful treatment one they diagnosed, sort of reminds me of the neuro folks.) I keep going back to this one to learn new skills as I get more comfortable with the old ones.
Auerbach's Wilderness Medicine, 2-Volume Set, 7e-If you are interested in wilderness and expedition medicine, save up for this book.
Avoiding Common Errors in the Emergency Department by Mattu MD, Amal Published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 1st (first) edition (2010) Paperback-This book provides help with the most important question in EM: suite 'em or street 'em.
An Introduction to Clinical Emergency Medicine-How about a book to recommend to rotating med students.
Emergency Medicine Decision Making: Critical Issues in Chaotic Environments: Critical Choices in Chaotic Environments-Can't help but place this plug for a familiar author.
Critical Care
Irwin and Rippe's Intensive Care Medicine-The big daddy; my favorite crit care text.
Marino's The ICU Book: Print + Ebook with Updates (ICU Book (Marino))-So much incredibly good stuff packed into an easily readable text. Should be required reading during an EM residency.
The NeuroICU Book, Second Edition-Kiwon Lee goes deep into the intricacies of Neurocritical Care and performing in the NeuroICU.
Principles And Practice of Mechanical Ventilation, Third Edition (Tobin, Principles and Practice of Mechanical Ventilation)-You need to really love vents to love this book. I do and I do.
Principles and Practice of Intensive Care Monitoring-Unfortunately out of print; but this is the bible of monitoring technology.
Diagnostic Bronchoscopy: A Teaching Manual-This book taught me how to bronch; good luck finding it though.
Board Review
Emergency Medicine Oral Board Review Illustrated-Best oral board review book I have come across.
Journals
Still need more to read?
These are the ones:
- Annals of Emergency Medicine
- Emergency Medicine Journal
- Journal of Emergency Medicine
- Academic Emergency Medicine
(Listed in order of descending relevance to a resident)
And of course, I can recommend the publications of EB Medicine (in my opinion, the best evidence-based EM publications out there–note I am biased as I am on the editorial board of two of their journals). Check out their publications. I especially recommend EM Critical Care for readers of EMCrit, but of course, EM Practice is the best general EM EBM publication out there, and if I treated kids, I'd be reading Pediatric EM Practice.
Want to see what journals I read each month?
Beware the path to madness lies here.
For some reason, people are curious what I read when I am not reading the 60 journals, if you are one of those people check out the EMCrit Shelf.
Hi Scott
This is a fantastic resource that pretty much every ED in Australia has in book form.
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/resources/gmct/ophthalmology/eye_manual_pdf.asp
it’s one of the benefits of living in the world of socialised medicine…
cheers
George
Hi George thanks for the ED reference. Just added it to my portable references…
Scott thanks for all you have been doing with the podcast and your website, and for making it available…
I just tried this link and it no longer works. Do you know if there is a new one?
Thanks 🙂
I was also unable to find the link, but doing a Google search, I did find this link. Perhaps this is the newest version?
http://www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/155011/eye_manual.pdf
Thank you, Ryan.
These are great books, I especially like the oral board review book, I’d also recommend boardvitals.com it’s the source I have been using for board prep this year, and it’s pretty great and helps to sort of assess where you are as far as board readiness too.
Marik has an evidence based review book…it’s a great read!
Excellent list, thank you. Many of those books fill in gaps in my library! Thank goodness for Amazon Wish List!
Even better – the Common Hand injuries book is available on kindle for £6.49 – bargain price!
Scott how do you find the time to read these articles, books, etc. and work like you presumably do?
i don’t sleep
[…] which is truly insane. Once Weingart has your head in the right space, revel in the reading at EMCrit’s Recommended Reading […]
[…] which is truly insane. Once Weingart has your head in the right space, revel in the reading at EMCrit’s Recommended Reading […]
Love your blog I’m a medical student resources here are really helpful thanks Scott
Hi Scott,
PR Carter’s “Common Hand Injuries” is now in its second edition on itunes for 9.99. It’s not in print and it doesn’t seem to be in digital form anywhere else. Thanks for the recommendation, it is great. The best books are so often single author books.
fantastic rec!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks, James.
Hey Scott,
Any good recommendations (books or other) for those of us with a mild aptitude and understanding of bio-statistics looking to get better at tearing research papers apart?
Thanks!
-Stowens
Users Guide to the Medical Literature is just about perfect
Hey Dr Scott,
I’m an EM 1st Year Resident, what do you think of the Textbook of Adult Emergency Medicine and Textbook of Pediatric Emergency medicine by Peter Cameron ?
Are they good?
PS- Any idea about the Tintinalli’s 8th edition release date?
Hi Scott,
Do you have any recommendations for written boards?
Thanks.
Mate, no wonder you are magnanimous and a maverick! (Like the way you sign off wrt the journals you read up every month !) , I belong to the same ilk and of course there lies a method to my madness! I have embraced A&E full time now and thank you sincerely for putting up the bucket list of books that, I m cocksure, would make me a better clinician than what I am currently. Thou shall be thanked for life,Keep us posted of your quirks ….best, K.
Kalyan, A&E Registrar, CMC, Vellore, India.
How about best hadbooks in emergency medicine: That’s more relevant in day to day practice and 3 months before exams.
I want to buy this book, waiting for a second opinion:
https://www.amazon.com/Manual-Emergency-Medicine-Michael-Bresler/dp/0815111428/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
Hello,
This list is great!
What do you recommend for reading CT?
For those who do treat kids; I’d recommend Lewis S. Nelson M.D. “Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants.” When the parents come in saying “Johnny ate some red berries or chewed a green leaf” : info on possible plant I.D. and toxidrome management (as well as color photos of the plants) is not readily available in any other ER book. I keep a copy with me in my briefcase at work all the time.
Hi.
please, could you give me a recommendation on electrolytes and metabolic disorders?
What I want is a to-the-point text on the most commonly encountered surgeries and complications for ED docs. Like- gastric bypass? Here are the types. Here’s what can go wrong. Do these things. Has it been written?