As I hoped, I got a lot of responses from our readers (now approaching almost 2,500!) on the question “do you still use textbooks”? Here is a sample of the responses. Myron Yaster MD
From Nancy Glass
Yes, I occasionally use textbooks (hardback), though much less frequently than I did earlier in my career. I do think they are important for foundational learning for our anesthesia fellows; ideally fellows should should try to systematically read the text of their choice during the year. For most really weird conditions—rare diseases or brand-new procedures, I’m much more likely to go straight to PubMed.
One point to consider is that textbooks do—for better or for worse—define the breadth of our specialty and as such, they form the basis on which the pediatric board exam is written.
From Carolyn Butler
Yes, I continue to use the hardcover Cote for an overview of things I need a refresher on and I plan on buying the next edition.
From Gabriel Zuckerberg, pediatric anesthesia and critical care fellow (CHOP)
I still use textbooks, though these days I haven’t had the time to do as much book reading as I'd like. I actually have a sixth edition of Smith’s on my bookshelf, which I bought at my medical school’s old edition book sale during my first year of medical school. Funnily enough, I saw the title (not being familiar with it) and jokingly sent a photo to my dad, Dr. Aaron Zuckerberg, a pediatrician, anesthesiologist, pediatric anesthesiologist and critical care physician in Baltimore, saying “should I get a head start on reading?” He responded “I think you may know one of the authors,” and I then realized that you (MY) and he had written one of the chapters together!
I have a few textbooks on various pediatric subspecialties, and I try to use them for background time. I know they are written and researched by my colleagues, so I feel like they are mostly accurate. Something better about flipping pages than swiping on a screen for me...
From Paul Halweg
I still use hard cover textbooks, primarily Smith’s, Cote, .and Baum’s Anesthesia for Genetic, Metabolic, and Dysmorphic Syndromes of Childhood. I intend on buying new editions.
From Horvath Balazs
I believe we have been sold to the quick accessibility of information that helps us solve patient care issues in front of us, or helps write a manuscript. I consider it a great benefit of the internet and the devices that connect us to it 24/7. At the same time we sacrifice true comprehension and building a lasting memory of useful information and being knowledgeable in the classical sense.
I attached a great review article on this topic, I hope you will enjoy reading it. I fully agree with the authors' conclusion, both reading formats have their place in our life, we just need to know how to utilize them. (Singer LM and Alexander PA Reading on Paper and Digitally: What the Past Decades of Empirical Research Reveal. Review of Educational Research December 2017, Vol. 87, No. 6, pp. 1007–1041)
I sometimes use printed textbooks, primarily Gregory’s and may buy the next edition.
From Carol Pasquariello
As much as it pains me, I do not refer to textbooks as much as I used to. I, like you, devoured the books you mentioned. I would also add Litman's book "Basics of Pediatric Anesthesia" which has nice summaries of important topics and was what I used to study for the Peds Anesthesia Boards (that and chapters on cardiac anesthesia...just in case). I probably will not buy another book.
I do think that there is a value for textbooks, although maybe ebooks are better cost wise and can more easily be updated. Some day, however, the network may go down...and those textbooks will be worth their weight in gold.
From Robert Christensen
I don’t use textbooks; I don’t own any and I don’t plan on purchasing any.
Instead Dr. Google is faster than flipping through a physical book and will lead me not just to recent journal articles, but also to valuable, updated resources on individual conditions like Orphan Anesthesia https://www.orphananesthesia.eu/en/ or room tips style resources on particular procedures like https://www.soonergas.com/home/pediatric-room-tips
From Norah Jaonsy
I love text books, but I am old ….Cote is my go to
From George Politis
I do use text books on a semi-regular basis. I am an author for Smith’s so I have a hard copy and access to the digital. I admit that I rarely open the hard copy, mainly because it sits in my office and therefore is not where I am when I want to access information, which is more commonly when I am in the OR. Smith’s is the only text I use. I would purchase it if I didn’t have it provided to me, more so to have access to the digital copy. BTW, our library purchases access to Smith’s, and Smith’s is the only one of the three that UVA gives us free access to. So, even if I were not an author, I would have free access and would not be purchasing individually.