Best Internal Medicine Books – 2022 Review Guide

If you are in the process of researching Internal Medicine books, you might agree with this statement:

With all the choices out there, selecting the best Internal Medicine books can be challenging if you are trying to get the best value for your money.

As I started my Internal Medicine rotations, I experienced this problem myself and worked with some residents and attendings to research and review all of the Internal Medicine resources out there. We finally got around to putting our notes together and this list of the best Internal Medicine books and study guides is the product of dozens of hours of work.

Best Internal Medicine Books – 2022

Some of these books are core Internal Medicine textbooks for your library while others are great as a resource while on the go. Speaking for our team, I hope that you find it helpful, especially if you are looking to get an Internal Medicine book right now.

1. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine – Editor’s Choice

Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine is an epic textbook in Internal Medicine and the one we consider the best Internal Medicine book out there today. Now in its sixth decade and over 19 editions, there is probably no other textbook series that has trained more Internal Medicine medical practitioners than Harrison’s.

While many people have thumbed through Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine at one point or another, it is still helpful to review the content in this massive scope of Internal Medicine knowledge. Broken out into two distinct volumes, volume one of Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine covers fundamental principles of disease and classic approaches to differential diagnosis while volume two covers pathogenesis, management and treatment in addition to some wider ranging topics such as men’s health and infectious disease in a changing global landscape.

Adapting to an ever-changing Internal Medicine body of knowledge, Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine stays largely relevant across a range of topics. Updates in specialties such as cardiology, neurology and other major organ systems are paired with newer, evolving topics such as Ebola.

Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine continues its tradition of helpful graphics which accompany its core text. From hundreds of imaging and radiographic insets to algorithms, vivid pathological images to anatomical drawings, Harrison’s provides interesting and useful adjuncts that span dozens of conditions and diseases. Truly a digital atlas with hundreds of beautiful photographs, Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine continues its tradition of being a core Internal Medicine textbook.

Like most core Internal Medicine books, Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine is now available in both print, multimedia and online formats. Multimedia enhancements include videos that help enhance the approach to the H&P – including physical examination and bedside maneuvers – as well as more advanced topics in areas such as endoscopy.

Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, like most core medical textbooks, is on the expensive side. Also, it is quite heavy and meant as more of a reference than an Internal Medicine book to be taken on the go. Nonetheless, Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine continues its prominence as one of the best Internal Medicine books available today.

2. Pocket Medicine – Best Pocket Book

Pocket Medicine: The Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of Internal Medicine, often just referred to as Pocket Medicine, is a legendary Internal Medicine pocket reference guide. Used at all levels of training by providers in Internal Medicine and in other specialties, Pocket Medicine is our choice for the best Internal Medicine pocket book available.

Pocket Medicine has been created and edited by both attendings and residents at, as one would expect from the name, the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital. A quick reference guide that will fit snugly into your white coat pocket, Pocket Medicine covers a wide range of general and specialty Internal Medicine topics. Packed full of algorithms, charts and lists, Pocket Medicine is a great resource for everything from staying sharp during rounds to quickly looking up a reference on a rarer case.

Presented in a 6-ring binder format, Pocket Medicine combines text on loose pages with 15+ color inserts that show classic and common findings related to imaging, echocardiograms and lab findings.

Pocket Medicine also covers specialty areas such as ID, heme-onc, cardiology, pulmonology, GI and renal medicine and more. Additionally, Pocket Medicine helps frame important questions to consider when a difficult case requires you to pull in specialists from other fields such as surgery or ophthalmology.

The main complaints regarding Pocket Medicine have to do with the actual product rather than the content. While the cover is relatively durable, the pages do get stuck together and occasionally fall out due to the way the volume is bound. Cosmetics aside, however, it should last a while if you take care of it and it is inexpensive enough that you can upgrade as needed. Highly popular with everyone from medical students to attendings and nurse practitioners to physician assistants, Pocket Medicine is a great choice for anyone who wants a pocket medicine handbook that will provide value far beyond its cost.

3. Goldman-Cecil Medicine – Best Value Textbook

Goldman-Cecil Medicine is an iconic textbook that has been around for almost a century. Written by a number of influential practitioners, it is fair to say that Goldman-Cecil Medicine is moving into the digital age with a digital companion to the textbook that is updated frequently as new knowledge comes out.

Fairly clear and concise, Goldman-Cecil Medicine features concise and relevant information. Presented on quality, glossy pages, Goldman-Cecil Medicine presents an organized approach to all aspects of Internal Medicine from symptoms, pathophysiology and disease management. Goldman-Cecil Medicine also contains excellent graphics and charts relevant to the practice of Internal Medicine. Keeping current with modern issues, Goldman-Cecil Medicine also has sections on global health, genetics and the microbiome.

Goldman-Cecil Medicine’s digital companion is a great adjunct to the textbook. The book’s editor provides ongoing updates to the information. Goldman-Cecil Medicine digital presence also offers thousands of questions to help people who are utilizing the book as part of a board review program. Multimedia components help bring Internal Medicine knowledge to life which is great for enhanced learning.

Because Goldman-Cecil Medicine packs so much information into a slightly smaller text (when compared to Harrison’s), it does contain small fonts which can make reading, especially for tired residents with blurry eyes, a bit more challenging. At 3,000+ pages, it definitely is not a lightweight but some might find the level of detail to be lacking when compared to Harrison’s. Nonetheless, at its current price point, Goldman-Cecil Medicine is an excellent value for someone who wants a slightly smaller, dense Internal Medicine book for someone who needs a textbook to anchor their core library.

4. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment

CURRENT Medical Diagnosis & Treatment (CMDT) by Lange is another stalwart in the realm of practitioners who want to connect clinical practice with evidence-based guidelines. Edited by respected clinicians, CMDT offers concise information that spans everything from epidemiology to diagnosis and management for over 1,000 conditions. Serving as a resource to keep up with new clinical strategies, CMDT is a useful adjunct for providers working in both outpatient (ambulatory and primary care) and inpatient settings.

As typical, CMDT covers core topics and conditions in both internal medicine and primary care. CMDT also folds in guidelines from related fields such as neurology, OB/GYN, podiatry and dermatology. It features a relatively robust infectious disease section that updates current practice around ID topics such as HIV, Zika and dengue.

CMDT also has a useful pharmacology section that includes charts and tables, new FDA approved medications and some pricing data. There is also a current review covering updated vaccine information. Featuring color graphics, CMDT offers quite a bit of bang for the buck.

Unfortunately, CMDT is not very durable. The paper is thin and the binding rips easily. Given that many people may want to use it as a reference (even daily), this can be a problem. Additionally, the Kindle version of CMDT is reportedly not very good. Nonetheless, CMDT offers a great resource for anyone looking to juice their clinical practice with more current evidence-based guidelines.

5. On Rounds – 1000 Internal Medicine Pearls – Best for Medicine Rounds

On Rounds: 1000 Internal Medicine Pearls is a useful book more designed for students and junior residents. Internal Medicine rounds can make even the most stalwart student nervous and this book will help ease the transition into becoming resilient to incessant pimping from your attendings. Written by an attending who is supposedly an excellent educator on rounds, On Rounds: 1000 Internal Medicine Pearls is nice for improving your recall of quick information.

Focused on aspects of direct patient care, 1000 Internal Medicine Pearls contains, as one would expect, a thousand clinical pearls to help an aspiring practitioner tease out the important from the irrelevant to make accurate diagnostic and management decisions. 1000 Internal Medicine Pearls goes after areas of frequent confusion and creates a context of learning involving case information and/or graphics to augment learning around specific points.

1000 Internal Medicine Pearls also has a companion digital version that will help assimilate and navigate information while on the go. Rather than attempting to be a core textbook with definitive statements about specific Internal Medicine snippets, 1000 Internal Medicine Pearls serves as a helpful starting point for rounding out one’s knowledge about how aphorisms translate into practical clinical care.

6. Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination & History Taking – Best H & P book

Regardless of the performance of modern day diagnostic equipment, a mastery of Internal Medicine still requires expertise in performing a detailed history and physical examination. With that understanding, we find that the Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination & History Taking is an authoritative book to help one learn and apply the subtleties of the history and physical examination.

Step by step, the Bates’ Guide walks the reader through the necessary inquiries and reasoning processes required in approaching a patient complaint. Full of interesting and detailed illustrations, the Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination & History Taking pairs procedural information side-by-side with potential diagnoses within one page. In addition to covering standard diseases and conditions, the Bates’ Guide also addresses unique considerations in special populations such as the pregnant and the elderly. It also touches on subjects concerning related specialties like dermatology and psychiatry / mental health.

Some might complain that Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination & History Taking is excessively complex, particularly in this day and age. After all, does one really need to learn esoteric aspects of the history or physical examination, particularly if one is working in even a minimally modern medical setting? Ultimately, it depends on one’s philosophical belief in the value of the patient interview and, for those who want to dig deep on all aspects of this study, Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination & History Taking is a good choice.

7. Step-Up To Medicine – Best for Students

Step-Up to Medicine is a newcomer to our list and one that found met its primary purpose of helping students survive their clinical rotations. The step from the classroom – focused on memorizing large volumes of material – to the wards can be a big one for many people and Step-Up to Medicine can aid in that transition.

Designed in an efficient outline format, Step-Up to Medicine combines clinical pearls with algorithms and helpful illustrations which will improve your performance on rotations and on exams like the USMLE Step 2. Material covered in this book include all ranges of Internal Medicine topics as well as ancillary subjects such as radiology, EKG interpretation, physical exam skills, and ethical considerations. Step-Up to Medicine also includes exam questions to help with testing your knowledge as you progress through your rotations.

By design, Step-Up to Medicine is meant to help students in their clinical years and advanced providers will move on to other texts and research over time. Nonetheless, for students who want a smoother transition from the classroom to clinical practice, this book is worth checking out.

8. Harrison’s Manual of Medicine

Harrison’s Manual of Medicine is the “pocket” guide to Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine comprehensive textbook series. Designed as a concise yet thorough Internal Medicine to be used at a patient’s bedside, Harrison’s Manual of Medicine covers a wide range of Internal Medicine topics with a depth that ranges from diagnosis to treatment.

Pairing outlines and tables with full color images, Harrison’s Manual of Medicine provides the Harrison’s foundational experience while on the go. Harrison’s Manual of Medicine is full of helpful material and worth grabbing for a quick review on a break or during lunch.

Given that the Harrison’s Manual of Medicine represents an effort to squeeze the best of Harrison’s into a pocket guide, one might wonder whether it is even worth bothering with an in-depth pocket book versus pairing the Harrison’s textbook series with a more concise pocket book like Pocket Medicine. Also, Harrison’s Manual of Medicine is not light at almost two pounds which might deter anyone who likes to keep their white coat pockets empty.

9. Johns Hopkins Internal Medicine Board Review

Johns Hopkins Internal Medicine Board Review is a helpful Internal Medicine board review resource that will win the hearts of Internal Medicine and Family Medicine physicians alike. Featuring concise, yet comprehensive, information, the Johns Hopkins Internal Medicine Board Review course is one to consider for anyone who wants to self-study for their IM boards.

As one might guess from the name, the Johns Hopkins Internal Medicine Board Review originates for the institution of the same name and is designed around helping with the board recertification process. Covering a wide range of topics, the Johns Hopkins Internal Medicine Board Review features text matched with algorithms and other graphics to help reinforce knowledge. Additionally, this Internal Medicine review course also contains 1,000+ questions – ranging from common questions to visual findings – that will help you assess your Internal Medicine knowledge after covering the core content.

There are some minor complaints about the Johns Hopkins Internal Medicine Board Review series. The content does have infrequent typos and errors in the questions which does result in the sense that the material may not be as top notch as it likely is. Also, the Johns Hopkins Internal Medicine Board Review is compact and efficient. For people wanting a detailed board review preparation experience, this might not be adequate from a preparation standpoint when compared to a full Internal Medicine board review course.

Internal Medicine as a Career

Internal Medicine is a great career choice for anyone interested in largely non-surgical medicine. Internal medicine builds a general medicine foundation that integrates diverse specialties into a holistic understanding of the body that is rivaled by no other specialty.

On top of that, Internal Medicine provides access to a wide range of fellowships that can satisfy most people’s needs. Interested in doing procedures and mastering the subtle aspects of human physiology? Pursue a fellowship in critical care. Fascinated by the heart or the lungs? Cardiology or pulmonology fellowships are available to Internal Medicine graduates. Many would argue that no other specialty leads to such a wide range of diverse options after residency as Internal Medicine does.

With that in mind, some might be more inclined to choose the best general medicine book to anchor their knowledge base rather than an Internal Medicine book specifically. If that is the case, it still holds that Harrison’s Internal Medicine provides the breadth and depth of general medicine knowledge to satisfy even hungry minds eager to soak up a broad base of general medicine knowledge.

Internal Medicine Books by Training Level

Looking back on career development as one matures through their training in Internal Medicine, one can see that different Internal Medicine books have increasing and decreasing relevance during the various stages of training. And, in addition to getting one of the best stethoscopes and other necessary equipment, choosing the right Internal Medicine prep books and other types of preparatory experiences for your stage of training can make a big difference.

Internal Medicine Student Rotations
Getting to the Internal Medicine rotation is a big step. For medical students, it means that you have spent long hours with USMLE Step 1 study books and passed that challenging hurdle. For every student, it is a time to start getting direct experiences with patients and patient care to see what being an Internal Medicine practitioner is really like.

To be more precise, students on their Internal Medicine rotations can be divided into two groups. The first group are those Internal Medicine students who are at the beginning of their clinical years and are largely green to the ways of the Internal Medicine wards. The other group consists of medical students who have already been through months of clinical training on the wards and either are starting Internal Medicine having completed a number of other rotations or are performing their subinternships in advanced preparation for residency.

Regardless, the needs of both groups are largely the same which is why we have grouped them into one Internal Medicine category. In both cases, medical students selecting top Internal Medicine books should be focused on building a core understanding of the larger fundamentals of the vast amount of information and scope of knowledge that Internal Medicine represents. As such, medical students should be focused on selecting core textbooks like Harrison’s Internal Medicine for foundational reading and Pocket Medicine for rapid reference while on the wards.

Internship (Year 1)
It really is true that, even though you have credentials, you are not a doctor until you have finished your internship in Internal Medicine. During your internship, you are thrown into the fire and forced to make the decisions that matter, often by yourself. During an internship in Internal Medicine, all of the Internal Medicine knowledge you have accumulated to date comes to life and you get to start utilizing what you have learned.

Because an internship in Internal Medicine is fairly high velocity and time consuming, we would emphasize more of a “just-in-time” learning approach when in comes to selecting the best Internal Medicine books. Said another way, rather than committing to digging through 30 pages of Harrison’s every day, it is preferable to dig into selected topics when you have a specific patient with the condition or disease. The combination of digging into foundational and experimental knowledge while watching the disease progression in real life creates a synergistic learning environment that will lead to rapid learning in most cases. The downside of this approach is that you might skimp out on certain topics while becoming an expert on others but it is, in our opinion, a necessary tradeoff given the time limitations that you will have while finishing your Internal Medicine internship. For internship, Pocket Medicine is a must to help you get your hands on quick information, particularly at the bedside. For those clinic months when you are not exhausted, it might be worth getting a copy of Harrison’s Internal Medicine to start expanding your breadth and depth of knowledge.

Internal Medicine Residency (Years 2-3)
The last two years of Internal Medicine residency consist of a steady trajectory upwards in both quality of life and knowledge. At this stage, you can contemplate the poor interns who are paged in the middle of the night to administer anti-pyretics and draw blood cultures while and then roll over in your call room bed (assuming you are at a residency that even has one anymore).

From our standpoint, there are two key aspects to reading Internal Medicine textbooks and pocketbooks at this stage of training. Now that you have a foundation of knowledge built on experience, it is time to start actively drawing in current literature to pair with the existing knowledge in your Internal Medicine books. Doing this helps you uncover the gaps in your own knowledge as well as the gaps in the body of knowledge of Internal Medicine. For a core Internal Medicine textbook during residency, Harrison’s is a great choice. While you are in the hospital and clinic, definitely keep Pocket Medicine in your white coat.

Additionally, these years of residency are good for reinforcing the fundamentals and basics through again reading foundational Internal Medicine books. You may be surprised at how easy it is to read Internal Medicine textbooks that you once found quite challenging as your knowledge base, by now, should be much bigger than when you started this journey. At this stage, digging into the fundamentals of quality books will make you aware of subtle aspects of subjects like pathophysiology that were lost on you when you went through the books the first time. It will also reinforce the fact that learning Internal Medicine and the knowledge behind it is a lifelong journey and one that is constantly changing.

Summary of Internal Medicine Books

We hope that you found this review of the best Internal Medicine books helpful. Even with all the electronic and online internal medicine resources available today, there is something about drinking deeply from a book itself that cannot be replaced by modern screens. Best of luck in your career progress as an Internal Medicine practitioner.