A History of Immunology by Arthur M. Silverstein explores the field of study from both a scientific and sociological perspective.
Free Medicine Textbooks
Medical related textbooks are without a doubt some of the most expensive in the marketplace. They are also some of the books most likely to be out of date before they hit the presses.
Medical science is perhaps one of the most crucial for students to have the most accurate and up-to-date information possible. Open textbook and living textbook initiatives are both a blessing and a curse in this field. Practitioners have to balance a rush to publish with maintaining standard research protocols. There are some companies within the industry publishing truly exceptional materials and others who are simply trying to promote their product or service through dubious science.
For the most part, I’m sticking to medical textbooks in this section so hopefully the materials are well-vetted and well-designed. My only frame of reference is that of a patient so I will try my best to ensure that only top quality resources are included here but medical students should use their own judgement. Additionally, while many of these textbooks for medical students are written in language laypersons can understand, they should not be used for self-diagnosis.
List of Free Medicine Textbooks
Anatomy Articles
Series of Anatomy Articles from the folks at WebMD. Topics include photos and reference lists.
Anatomy Atlases
Written by: Ronald A. Bergman, Ph.D.
Digital library for medical students, professionals and patients. Anatomy Atlases has an encyclopedia, images, videos and a section on first aid anatomy.
Basics of Sleep Behavior
Written by: Sleep Research Society
Call it a Sleep Syllabus or Basics of Sleep Behavior textbook. Either way, it talks about sleep, its functions and what happens in our brains during sleep.
Dermatology Articles
Series of dermatology articles with information on pathophysiology, etiology, epidemiology, prognosis and patient education. For professionals and patients.
Doctor Fungus – a Free Mycology Textbook & Knowledgebank
Knowledgebank is essentially a mycology textbook for medical students and doctors. Covers 100,000+ species of fungi. Offers treatments, anti-fungal agents, lab procedures and image bank.
Kevin and Indira’s Guide to Getting Into Medical School
Written by: Kevin Ahern (Oregon State University) and Indira Rajagopal (Oregon State University)
Getting into medical school is about more than taking the right classes. This free guide helps students make the right decisions academically and offers sage advice on the application process.
Medicines By Design
Written by: National Institute of General Medical Services
Introduction to pharmacology textbook offered by the National Institute of General Medical Services. Written for general public and undergraduates.
Pathophysiology of the Digestive System
Written by: R.A. Bowen DVM PhD, Department of Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University; Laura Austgen DVM PhD and Melissa Rouge DVM
Free resource and digestive system textbook for both beginning and advanced students. Contains information on human digestion as well as herbivores and birds.
The Electronic Textbook of Dermatology
Written by: Internet Dermatology Society
This resource is part website part dermatology textbook for medical students. Text written by scholars and private and military practitioners from around the world
