Question To U Of T Med Students About Toronto Notes

[SEAL]

I want to ask a question please : why is Toronto Notes so poorly written so that it is incredibly difficult to follow a logical sequence of events ?

 

 

[schmitty]

Wow....what a well thought out piece of constructive criticism. 

[anxious_101]

While your post may come off as trolling, I feel compelled to reply because I actually thought the same thing when I first bought the notes in first year of medschool. The fact is that the notes are meant to be review for the LMCC in point form and is a very dense read. Thus, trying to use it to study for the first time in preclerk will make it seem way too point form and at times difficult to grasp concepts. It is meant to be a review and not a first time study aid.

[rmorelan]

While your post may come off as trolling, I feel compelled to reply because I actually thought the same thing when I first bought the notes in first year of medschool. The fact is that the notes are meant to be review for the LMCC in point form and is a very dense read. Thus, trying to use it to study for the first time in preclerk will make it seem way too point form and at times difficult to grasp concepts. It is meant to be a review and not a first time study aid.

 

yeah it really only has one purpose - you basically have to already know everything that is in it prior to using the book. It is purely for a very condensed review.

[amichel]

I use it for looking up clinical presentations of things. But yah, not meant as a primary resource.

[jmatt1122]

Currently using it to study for finals. I love it. It's organized, concise, and way better than flipping through individual lecture notes/slides. I wish it was sold unbound, though, so I could put the chapters I need in a binder rather than carrying the whole thing around. (I know the pages are perforated for removal... but I can see that not going well/taking a long time)

[Jaybird]

Currently using it to study for finals. I love it. It's organized, concise, and way better than flipping through individual lecture notes/slides. I wish it was sold unbound, though, so I could put the chapters I need in a binder rather than carrying the whole thing around. (I know the pages are perforated for removal... but I can see that not going well/taking a long time)

 

Hey jmatt I'll let you onto the 19 FB group if you photocopy me all the notes 

[SEAL]

I am sorry ....... organised ? It's all over the place !!! The same topic is repeated in different chapters !! You could find the incidence of a disease written under clinical features !!!

[jmatt1122]

I am sorry ....... organised ? It's all over the place !!! The same topic is repeated in different chapters !! You could find the incidence of a disease written under clinical features !!!

 

Meh, it's hard to compartmentalize like that. If I were reading nephrology and there wasn't a discussion on hypertension I'd be unimpressed (and same for cardio). I imagine it also has a bit to do with how they divide the writing. 

[rogerroger]

It's trash, and I say that as a former chapter editor who now is a couple years out from the final exam. The book is basically created by dozens upon dozens of med students mining information off the internet from random sources.

 

Do yourself a service and don't start using that book. It does not reflect the content of the LMCC exam. Nor, is is very correct. If you use it, then ween yourself off it. 

 

You can thank me later.

[bearded frog]

What should one use instead for LMCC prep?

[shikimate]

What should one use instead for LMCC prep?

 

I am a big fan of First Aid series for USMLE. I find those books organized and easy to understand.

 

However the downside is that books geared towards USMLE (first aid, case files, etc) obviously have different emphasis on important topics and may have different approaches to certain issues (eg. legal and regulatory aspects of medicine). Also all the chemistry units are different. 

 

Nonetheless they are great reviews and study sources.

[GrouchoMarx]

I don't like TO notes very much except for the ethics stuff since Canadian ethics are different than American ethics. For the rest I recommend USMLEworld step2.

[amichel]

I don't like TO notes very much except for the ethics stuff since Canadian ethics are different than American ethics. For the rest I recommend USMLEworld step2.

I get what you mean, but I laughed so hard at this sentence.

[rogerroger]

What should one use instead for LMCC prep?

I mainly used the First Aid series for LMCC step one.

[SEAL]

I mainly used the First Aid series for LMCC step one.

But here is the thing rogerroger .......... I am actually an IMG and I need to get very high scores on the LMCC exams to increase my chances of getting a residency spot .......... not just pass the exam like you guys ...... so First Aid is only sufficient to pass the exam ........ so what do you recommend to get a super high score on the LMCC exams ?

 

Unfortunately at the end of the day Toronto notes is the only thing available in the market that is geared towards canadian exams .......... it is frustrating really to see how much the book can be so much more organised but every year they just modify a few things and leave everything else as it is