After successfully passing the first year of MBBS, these are the recommended books for the second year.
The second year of MBBS is a 1 and a half year long term and has three semesters. The year is divided into 4 broad subjects-
Pharmacology
Pathology
Microbiology
Forensic medicine
How to study well for the second year
Understand the syllabus
It’s essential to know the syllabus during the preparation for the second year of MBBS.
Microbiology is broadly classified into – General microbiology, immunology, systemic bacteriology, systemic bacteriology, mycology, virology and parasitology, and laboratory diagnosis.
Pharmacology is broadly classified into – general pharmacology, autonomic pharmacology, haematinics, chemotherapy, operative drugs, and neuropsychiatric Pharmacology.
Forensic medicine is broadly classified into personal identity and its importance, mechanical injuries, medico-legal aspects, forensic psychiatry, and toxicology
Stick to important books
To study well for the second year of MBBS, it’s important to stick to a few essential books. This will help you in making good notes, giving you a thorough understanding of the subject.
Here are a few important books for these subjects-
PATHOLOGY
Textbook of Pathology by Robbins
Textbook of General Pathology by Bhende and Deodhare
Clinical Pathology by Talib
Oxford textbook of Pathology Vol. I, II & III
Pathology by Rubin and Farber
PHARMACOLOGY
Basic & Clinical Pharmacology by Katzung BG
Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics by Satoskar RS, Bhandarkar SD
Clinical Pharmacology by Laurence DR, Bennet PN, Brown MJ
A Textbook of Clinical Pharmacology, a book by Roger HJ, Spector RG, Trounce
MICROBIOLOGY
Textbook of Medical Microbiology by Rajesh Bhatia & Ichhpujani
Textbook of Medical Microbiology by Arora and Arora
Textbook of Medical Parasitology, a book by C. K. Jayaram Paniker
Mackie McCartney practical Medical Microbiology by Colle JG, Fraser AG
Principles of Bacteriology, Virology & Immunology by Topley Wilsons
Medical Mycology by Kwon – Chung
Review of Medical Microbiology by Jawetz
FORENSIC MEDICINE
The Essentials of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology a book by K.S. Narayan Reddy
Parikh’s Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology
Russell S. Fisher & Charles S.Petty: Forensic Pathology

Make strong notes
To study well in the second year of MBBS, it is essential to make strong notes. Remember to make your own notes and not just copy and paste them from these reference books and textbooks. Use illustrations, mind maps, flow charts, diagrams, etc. to make notes which summarize the concept. Highlight the keywords, so you remember the concept well for exams. Be crisp, concise, and use acronyms and other tools to summarize the topic well.
Pay attention to the concepts
The second year of MBBS forms the base for the years to come. It’s important to have the concepts clear and understand each and every detail of the same. Pay attention in classes, during self-study, and during practice tests to find out how well versed you are with the subject. For this, you need to use different tools for your understanding and simplify the concept in your mind