Dubin’s Rapid Interpretation of EKG’s is a one-of-a-kind book that is often referenced in medical schools due to its fun and simple methods of teaching the evaluation of electrocardiograms. More importantly, it provides a high-yield, low-stress method of conveying these otherwise difficult concepts.
In each chapter, the fundamental concepts of EKG’s are delineated in a crisp and clear format. What makes up the bulk of the book is actually not free-text but illustrations that significantly help correlate concepts and electrocardiogram images. Individual diagnoses or findings on an EKG are accompanied by full explanations, including clearly delineated criteria and just enough information to teach pertinent core cardiology concepts (without overwhelming the reader). In fact, the information in Dubin’s EKGs is known for being dumbed down and presented in a “flashcard” style so that it is easy to understand and absorb on-the-go. All concepts are reiterated and presented repeatedly to ensure maximum retention and an appropriate pace. Interestingly, despite the repetitiveness of the material and the seemingly “dumbed down” façade, the book covers all the necessary information that students needs for medical school, and even quick review during residency. Specific chapters include: Basic Principles, Recording of the EKG, Autonomic Nervous System, Rate, Rhythm, Axis, Hypertrophy, Infarction, and a catch-all Miscellaneous section.
While this title remains highly endorsed by the editors of this site, it is important to still note the drawbacks, for completeness. Due to the ease of use, some students find Dubin’s EKG to not be challenging enough. While it remains a strong primer, some students (especially those with prior cardiology experience) believe that several pages of information can be condensed into a page or less. It is important to realize that the aim of this title is to teach only the fundamentals of EKG knowledge. For depth and advanced nuances not needed for medical students, a larger, more condensed resources is warranted. As such, Dubin’s Rapid Interpretation of EKG’s should be used as a quick and superficial “top of the iceberg” but “solid foundations” reference guide to learning the basics of EKG’s.
For medical school: exceedingly useful.
For residency: potentially helpful.
For cardiology fellowships: trainees ought to be well past the basics presented within this book.
Reading Dubin’s Rapid Interpretation of EKG’s cover to cover takes about 4 or 5 hours total, but it is more highly recommended that students periodically return to the book over time for increased retention of the repetitious material. Overall, this earns a strong endorsement and is highly recommended for any new second year medical student learning cardiology.
Respiratory Physisology: The Essentials 9th Edition (2011) by John B. West is a beautifully constructed book for understanding the fundamentals of respiratory physiology in about 1 to 2 weeks. Initially opening the book may bring a bout of anxiety due to the seemingly dense text and black-and-white (or rather red-and-gray) visual aids and illustrations. However, when you actually begin to read this book, it is quite easy to follow and learn the essentials of respiratory physiology. Only a few sections seem slightly more difficult to understand despite the explanations provided. In each chapter, the content is provided in a narrative manner, interjected by diagrams, charts, equations, summaries of main points, and finishes up with a summary of important pulmonary concepts and some relevant review questions for the chapter. Although the presentation is not colorful, the material is presented clearly and concisely. All the fundamentals medical students need to know are contained within, and there is very little digression or extraneous material.
The book not only covers gross anatomy, but also illustrates peripheral innervations, arterial supply and venous drainage, lymphatics, etc. The anatomy is bolstered by clinical correlations, and important details are summarized in wonderfully easy-to-understand tables. The Muscle Fact pages organize the essentials of origin, insertion, innervations in one place, making it much easier to memorize and review. The book also comes with access to 
