In this article insights are provided about the new book “Learn Antibiotics: Book of Games” which is available for purchase today on most Amazon marketplaces around the globe.
Authored By: Timothy P. Gauthier, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCIDP
Posted 17 February 2024
The book Learn Antibiotics: Book of Games was released for sale on Amazon in late 2024. It is the second book in the Learn Antibiotics series. The first book was released in 2022 on Amazon, titled Learn Antibiotics: A Collection of Resources for Learning Antimicrobial Drugs. With the availability of a new second print resource to learn about infectious diseases, this article seeks to help people understand what it offers.
Here are 5 things you need to know about Learn Antibiotics: Book of Games…
1. Learn Antibiotics Book of Games is a new print resource
All of the content in the Learn Antibiotics books is available electronically at www.LearnAntibiotics.com where active members can access it (code LEARNABX takes 10% off). LearnAntibiotics.com was launched in 2018 as a training arm of IDstewardship.com, with the vision of providing clinically relevant and practical electronic resources that are easy to access online 24/7/365. Over the course of about 4 years we put the first Learn Antibiotics book together as a way to diversify our products. As we composed it, we did not expect people to be too excited about having a physical copy of our content, but figured some would appreciate it. It turns out folks actually really enjoy having a hard copy of select content to hold in their hands! Due to the success of the first book, we then took another 2 years to develop and release Learn Antibiotics Book of Games as our second book. As we have developed our print products, we have been placing all of the new content online for our members to use electronically.
The two Learn Antibiotics books we currently have available through Amazon offer different content. If you want a printed resource with focused cheat sheets and practice tests then our first book may be right for you. If you want a printed resource that has a variety of games to help with strategic memorization, then the second book may be for you. If you are looking for content in electronic format only, then an online membership would be the best option. Some people opt for print and electronic. We do not off our books in electronic format due to issues with unauthorized content sharing.
2. Learn Antibiotics Book of Games helps learners move from basic to advanced knowledge
People struggle with learning infectious diseases because it requires a lot of memorization. The game book strategically builds on fundamentals, with content progressing through the following topic areas:
- Microbiology, stewardship, and infection prevention basics
- Drug classes
- Mechanisms of action
- Antimicrobial toxicities
- Clinical microbiology
- Bugs & drugs (antimicrobial spectra)
- Disease state key points
These topics can be good for a refresher or for a fresh learner.
3. With the Learn Antibiotics Book of Games you can play the games or just study the answers
The first half of the book is the blank games to play and the second half of the book provides the answers to the games. You can play the games or just focus on studying the answer sheets.
- Word searches help with name identification
- Match games are a relaxed and easy way to match a word and definition
- Tic-tac-toe boards provide a dynamic way for repetitive study
- Word scrambles enables a focus on learning/spelling similar names
- Crossword puzzles support reflective thinking about key disease states
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Chunking study topics into smaller bites is a great study strategy, which is also how many people are looking for educational content on social media. The Learn Antibiotics Book of Games makes it easy to chunk key antibiotic information into digestible pieces.
4. Learn Antibiotics Book of Games is for everybody
While it may arguably be most helpful for pharmacy students and residents, it can also be useful for practitioners and people working in other professions (e.g., nurses, physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses).
Preceptors may also find the book helpful for assigning a novel yet fun way to help guide their trainees through the learning process. For people that have multiple trainees, some healthy competition can be a nice way to spice up a difficult study subject.
5. The Learn Antibiotics Book of Games might help with burnout
Burnout is a big deal in the health professions. Did you know that gamification has emerged as a novel technique for improving mental health and enhancing treatment effectiveness?
This can be a nice gift for a mentor or it might make a good group activity for your department. Gaming makes life fun. Learning while gaming + reducing stress = winning!
Closing comments
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