During a 10-minute consultation, you have approximately 30 seconds to look something up. The reference tool you reach for in those 30 seconds determines whether you get a fast, accurate answer or a frustrating search.
The Essential Three
NICE CKS (free). Authoritative UK primary care management pathways. Approximately 400 topics with evidence-graded recommendations. This is the management reference the AKT tests and the reference ARCP panels trust. Use for: first-line treatment, referral criteria, investigation pathways, safety-netting advice. Bookmark the 20 CKS topics you encounter most frequently.
BNF app (free for NHS). Essential prescribing reference. Drug interactions, dosing, contraindications, monitoring. Use for: every prescribing decision. Install on your phone before your first clinical session.
Ask iatroX (free). AI-powered clinical Q&A grounded in NICE/CKS/BNF with citation-first answers. Use for: specific clinical questions that would otherwise require searching across multiple resources. "What is the first-line treatment for newly diagnosed AF in a patient with CKD stage 3?" — one question, one cited answer, 10 seconds. MHRA-registered medical device.
Broad Reference
GPnotebook (free tier / Pro £7.99/month). 30,000+ pages covering conditions, differentials, investigations. Faster than CKS for quick lookups. Use for: differential diagnosis lists, unfamiliar conditions, clinical pearls. The GEMs and quizzes add learning value.
Deep Medical Knowledge
AMBOSS (subscription). Global medical library. Excellent pathophysiology explanations. Use for: refreshing core medical science for conditions you haven't thought about since medical school. Less relevant for daily primary care management decisions.
BMJ Best Practice (free via NHS OpenAthens). Evidence-based clinical guidance with diagnostic algorithms. Use for: complex differential diagnosis, structured diagnostic approach.
When to Use Which
Management decision → CKS. Prescribing query → BNF. Specific clinical question → Ask iatroX. Quick condition lookup → GPnotebook. Deep pathophysiology → AMBOSS. Diagnostic algorithm → BMJ Best Practice.
Where iatroX Fits
Ask iatroX synthesises across NICE, CKS, BNF, and peer-reviewed literature — one interface for citation-first answers instead of switching between multiple tabs. Combined with 84+ clinical calculators on the same platform.