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36 of 37 found the following review helpful:
 Too confusing for begginers,excellent if you know the basics Dec 21, 2003
By ana-marija
I have bought 4 physiology books during my medical studies and i am only a second year student! And i must say, that this book is definetely the best one, if you have the basic knowledge. If you are a new begginer though, it is very very difficult to start with this book, since the explanations are very detailed and require a certain level of 'scientific way of thinking'. There are many research examples and historical links, something that a student prepearing for an exam doesn't want to waste time on. Some of the explanations are too long and complicated, that one looses the initial idea of what the explanation was about.On the other hand, if you are quite skilfull in physiology, this is a great book. The pictures are extraordinary and very scematic and understandable!!! You definetely get a lot for your money! So, in conclusion, if you buy yourself a simpler physiology book and get the basics from there, Medical Physiology is the perfect choise to go on expanding your knowledge with. But don't buy it as your very very first physiology book. It will just confuse and frustrate you.
27 of 27 found the following review helpful:
 A must for medical school! Apr 13, 2009
By SmileyFace
While in my first year of medical school, I have gone to the library and tried out the most popular physiology books. Guyton and Hall and Berne and Levy left much to be desired. The Lange Review is more of a review and simply doesn't teach things. There were concepts that I just didn't understand in these books that the authors assume a medical student should have as pre-req knowledge.
An example is a concept that relies a lot on physics (NOT one of my strengths!) Surfactant and surface tension. When I opened up Boron, it explained in detail with FOUR pictures... and A-ha! I understood in 5 minutes what had taken ages of confusion in Berne and Levy.
So, if you learn visually, need pictures and would like a bit more explanation and teaching in your physiology book, Boron is the textbook for you!
Yes, it does go deep into detail that is beyond what I will need during first year... but I just skim over those areas and focus on the parts that are most critical. It is so well-written that it is truly a joy to read! The authors are excellent teachers and have made many complicated subjects understandable.
A hint to Beginners: As I am a beginner in physiology, I MUST start a body system by reading the introduction chapter. For example, I read the intro to cardiovascular system before jumping into how the heart pumping mechanism works... But as long as I read the intro chapter and have a decent grasp on the organs involved, I can hop right into the physiology on my next read.
Medical Physiology inspires me to keep reading and keep learning. There are clinical examples, good referencing to topics previously discussed, and an extra plus, I can download ALL the diagrams and text from the studentconsult website! This allows me to download and carry the entire textbook around with me on my iPhone! Very convenient to review on my morning bus commute. (This book weighs a ton! Awesome to be able to fit it all into my pocket!)
In addition to all of the Pros of buying this textbook, I should also point out that it was released in 2009 and currently is the most up-to-date textbook. Thus, it incorporates quite a bit from molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics. It is truly on the cutting-edge of current understanding in these fields.
If in doubt, go to the bookstore or library and skim through several physiology books. Pick up Medical Physiology and try reading a topic that you find complicated. You will find that Boron outshines the other texts by far!
Happy Reading!
26 of 27 found the following review helpful:
The best and most comprehensive physiology text Feb 26, 2003
By Dr. Michael E. Maguire
No question this is the best physiology text going. Thorough, detailed, but has plenty of summary sections to keep everything organized. Very biophysical in sections, which I suspect many med students won't like, but everything's here you'll need. The sole (minor) problem is that the jpeg files on the CDRom are rather low resolution which makes them look fuzzy in a Powerpoint presentation. Otherwise, superb.
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
My bible Jun 21, 2007
By Rabbit
A+ This book spectacularly integrates modern understanding of biochemical and genetic processes with clinically relevant explanations. Medicine cannot avoid the increasing focus towards the molecular and genetic bases of disease, so I disagree with some of the other reviews that there is too much of a molecular focus. If you plan to enter into medicine and be the best physician/researcher you can, get comfortable with this stuff early. That said, if you are not someone who thrives on filling their head up just for the sake of more deeply understanding processes, and instead have limited time and memory and simply need MCAT or USMLE-relevant information, perhaps you are better off getting another book. Because of its multiple contributors, each section manages to go into incredible detail that would not have been possible with a single author. The result is a 1200+ page beast that assumes relative comfort with biochem, genetics, thermodynamics, etc. If you read this book and understand it, you're on your way.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Amazing book that really gets at the "how" of "how your body works"! Feb 05, 2010
By Richard Tapnio
Like many first-year medical students, I've done a lot of research into figuring out which books to buy for specific subjects. Most of the time, class notes can be simply supplemented with a well-written USMLE-style review book. However, some very broad and important subjects (such as physiology) need much more than that... you NEED a good grounding in physiology to succeed as a physician or other medical professional.
That being said, I had already purchased a couple physiology books: Costanzo (4th edition) for class and BRS Physiology (also written by Costanzo) to review for the boards next year. However, as the class lectures went on, I found myself realizing how much isn't covered in these books - and with good reason; many class details simply aren't "high yield" material. However, if you really want to learn more about the "how and why" to build a better foundation, you need to buy a comprehensive physiology textbook as a reference.
I narrowed it down to three books, all of which I think are very good for medical students and professionals: Berne and Levy, Guyton and Hall, and Boron and Boulpaep. I was able to borrow a friend's Guyton and Hall... and while I think it's an amazing feat that Guyton himself completely wrote the first few editions of the book, it was clear that some sections were more fluid than others (cardiovascular was very strong). In addition, it felt more like a dictation than a textbook: tons of details and snippets of information, but the text seemed more dry and figures weren't nearly as clear, plentiful, or colorful. I also took a short look at Berne and Levy: a great book with lots of details as well...
...but what really drew me specifically into Boron and Boulpaep were its crystal-clear figures and the way it explained "how things work". Simple example: blood pressure. This book best explained how sphygmomanometers (blood pressure cuffs) and other measurement techniques work, complementing the text with very good diagrams of each "blood-pressure taking phase". Several authors contribute to this book (unlike Guyton), though every chapter I've read so far is equally as clear. True, sometimes the authors go into "too much detail" (such as channels-related work), but it does really serve to reinforce certain principles. Because of this level of detail, however, I would say that this book might be more useful for an actual physiologist... and as a topic reference for medical students.
In conclusion, I think this book is a perfect complement to a "review" or "high-yield" book such as Costanzo. Boron and Boulpaep has BY FAR the best figures and diagrams of any book. I was an engineering student in undergrad, and I DOUBLY recommend this book if you are more of a physical science based learner. If you want a book that actually tells you how things work in a more "logical manner" and gives you some (not too complicated) equations to help you drive the point home, this is it. PERIOD!
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