Best books and resources for the OB/GYN shelf and rotation 2024
We know that getting a consensus on the best books and resources for any given rotation can be difficult. Asking friends, searching SDN, and consulting seniors can provide a confusing mixed bag of advice.
Turns out, we've done the work for you. Compiled below are comprehensive recommendations on the best books and resources. Click here to find out how we ranked each resource as well as a description of the tiers used. Happy studying!
Highest Yield — The best OBGYN book for medical school
Blueprints Obstetrics and Gynecology — Callahan & Caughey
Blueprints is a paragraph-based, detailed textbook purposefully written for the Ob-Gyn rotation and shelf exam which has been well touted by SDN and Reddit. The current edition comes with clinical vignettes and questions at the end of each chapter. This is not the proper text if you have a week to cram but, if time permits and you schedule out your studying the rotation, this is a fantastic resource tailored for the shelf.
Step-Up to Obstetrics and Gynecology — Snyder, Dent, Fowler
Where Blueprints is a thorough textbook, Snyder’s Step-Up is an excellent concise resources to quickly learn commonly tested Ob-Gyn pathology and pertinent details. Chapters are outline based, sprinkled with appropriate tables and diagrams to help guide understanding. “Quick Hits” on the side highlight testable material and clinical pearls are emphasized with high yield situations that are commonly tested on the Shelf exam. A great supplemental text—or primary if used in conjunction with plenty of questions.
uWISE — APGO
The Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) has developed 500+ questions which are similar to shelf questions (most likely since the same physicians that write questions for this question bank are also the ones that write for the shelf). The caveat is that the question bank is only for schools that have a subscription to the question bank; contact your clerkship coordinator to see if your school already has one. There are some sample questions you can access with the username: apgouwise@apgo.org and password: apgouwise.
Next Steps
Case Files Obstetrics and Gynecology — Toy, Baker, Ross, & Jennings
Case Files Ob-Gyn is one of the better written Case Files, following the same vignette, explanation, and question format that the series is well known for. It is a quick and easy read and can serve as a primary text, in conjunction with questions, if you are strapped for time.
If you have time
Obstetrics and Gynecology — Beckmann
If your Ob-Gyn clerkship has a required textbook, there's a good chance that this one it is; its chapters are congruent with ACOG's objectives. It is a beefy 528 pages long with great pictures and diagrams. A great text to reference when you have question regarding specific management issues or pathology and a must have for future Ob-gyn applicants who are planning to do their Sub-Is in Ob-gyn.