The AKT is not a test of medical trivia. The RCGP is explicit about this: the Applied Knowledge Test examines the knowledge base behind independent general practice in the UK, in the context of the NHS, and that passing demonstrates the ability to apply knowledge at a high enough level for independent practice. The questions are designed to test higher-order problem-solving rather than basic factual recall.
That changes what the right question bank looks like. AKT revision should not feel separate from becoming a safer GP. The best AKT bank combines exam-style questions with UK general practice reasoning, NICE and CKS alignment, prescribing safety, statistics, admin, organisational knowledge and the clinical uncertainty that defines real primary care.
This guide compares the credible MRCGP AKT options from the perspective of a qualified UK GP.
What the MRCGP AKT really tests
The exam structure follows the curriculum.
Independent GP knowledge. The threshold is whether the candidate can practise general practice independently in the UK, not whether they can list features of conditions in isolation.
NHS context. UK referral pathways, two-week-wait criteria, fit notes, DVLA rules, QOF indicators, safeguarding pathways — these are exam content because they are GP content.
Applied problem-solving. The exam tests reasoning, not recall. Questions are deliberately constructed to require integration of multiple pieces of information.
Clinical medicine plus evidence interpretation plus statistics plus admin plus organisational care. The AKT explicitly tests these dimensions in roughly 80/10/10 proportion. Candidates who neglect statistics and admin in favour of clinical content lose marks on the easiest topics.
Primary-care uncertainty. The exam reflects the real cognitive task of general practice: deciding what to do when the diagnosis is unclear, the evidence is incomplete and the patient is in front of you for ten minutes.
Why AKT revision is different from hospital exam revision
The cognitive demands differ from MRCP or finals in specific ways.
More breadth across undifferentiated symptoms. GPs see the patient before specialty filtering has happened. The question stems reflect this.
More primary-care pragmatism. The correct answer is often what a GP would do in a ten-minute consultation, not the ideal academic answer.
More guideline nuance. NICE CKS is the working reference for UK general practice. Candidates who do not know the CKS pathways for common conditions will not pass.
More prescribing safety. The PSA-style content within AKT is high-yield and discriminating.
More prevention, screening and chronic disease. QOF reflects the bulk of UK GP work, and exam content reflects QOF priorities.
More statistics and organisational knowledge. The non-clinical components are easy marks for candidates who prepare for them and expensive losses for candidates who do not.
PassMedicine for AKT
PassMedicine's AKT resource includes over 4,500 questions and a high-yield textbook, aligned to the updated 2025 RCGP curriculum. The bank size is large, the coverage is comprehensive and the interface is familiar.
The strengths are bank size and brand familiarity. Most GP trainees have used PassMedicine through medical school and the early postgraduate years, and the AKT bank fits a similar pattern: do many questions, read explanations, repeat.
The limitations are the static model and the relatively limited integration of CKS reasoning. Candidates who want NICE CKS pathways grounded into the explanations will find them present but not central to the design.
The fit is strongest for candidates who want high-volume conventional practice on a familiar interface.
Pastest for AKT
Pastest is a known revision brand and has AKT-related content in its product range. The precise current scope of the AKT product can change, so candidates should check the current product page before subscribing.
In general, Pastest offers the same structured premium approach for AKT as it does for other exams: polished interface, comprehensive content, Tutor Mode where applicable. For candidates who want a premium revision course rather than a Q-bank alone, Pastest provides this consistently across its product line.
The fit is strongest for candidates who already use Pastest for other exams and want a continuous platform experience.
iatroX for AKT
iatroX includes MRCGP AKT in its free UK core tier. No subscription required for AKT content specifically.
The architecture is adaptive: the system identifies weak topics across the AKT blueprint and surfaces them automatically. Spaced repetition resurfaces material at intervals designed for retention. Active recall replaces recognition. Explanations are grounded explicitly in NICE CKS, NICE guidelines, BNF and SIGN — the working evidence base for UK general practice and the exact reasoning the AKT tests.
The platform was created by Dr Kola Tytler, a qualified UK GP. This matters for the AKT because the exam is not abstract medical knowledge — it is a test of whether a doctor can apply knowledge safely in the NHS general-practice context. The platform's positioning reflects this: NICE CKS reasoning is not a bolt-on, it is the foundation.
Ask iatroX answers clinical follow-up questions with guideline-grounded reasoning. For AKT specifically, this is high-value: when the question explanation references "the NICE pathway for chronic kidney disease", the candidate can ask follow-up questions about how this applies in their actual patients, building real GP knowledge alongside exam preparation.
The platform also includes over 80 clinical calculators — the ones GPs use in real consultations — and CPD logging with FourteenFish integration. The CPD layer is particularly relevant for GP trainees, who need to log CPD as part of their training portfolio and benefit from a platform that captures revision learning automatically.
The qualified-GP founder angle
The relevant context for AKT candidates: iatroX was built by a working UK GP. Not a software founder who hired clinicians as advisors. A practising NHS doctor who has sat the AKT, used NICE CKS in consultations, and built the platform around the realities of UK general practice.
This is not a marketing claim. It is the architecture of the product. The NICE and CKS grounding in explanations, the focus on cognitive load reduction, the integration with FourteenFish for CPD, the clinical AI built on UK guideline sources — these decisions reflect the priorities of someone who actually uses these references in clinical work.
For AKT candidates specifically, this matters because the gap between "passing the AKT" and "being a competent UK GP" is smaller than the gap between "passing MRCP Part 1" and "being a competent physician". The AKT is closer to real practice. A platform built by a real GP fits that exam more directly than a platform built generically.
Recommended AKT revision workflow
The structure that works for GP trainees revising while working:
Start with a diagnostic block to identify weak AKT domains across clinical, evidence and admin content.
Use adaptive mode for the bulk of revision. The platform targets weak areas — no decisions required.
Use spaced repetition daily for topics flagged as weak. Short sessions, often more useful than long ones.
Use Ask iatroX to clarify NICE CKS reasoning whenever the explanation prompts a follow-up question. This builds real GP knowledge.
Run a weekly timed block for exam-condition practice.
In the final month, mix timed mocks with statistics and prescribing sprints. The non-clinical components are easy marks that candidates frequently leave on the table.
Use the CPD layer throughout — revision counts as CPD if it is documented, and the platform handles the documentation.
Verdict
PassMedicine is a strong traditional AKT Q-bank with familiar high-volume content. For candidates who want conventional practice and are confident self-directing, it works.
Pastest provides a premium revision experience consistent with its broader product range, suitable for candidates who already use the platform.
iatroX is the more modern GP-facing platform: NICE CKS reasoning embedded in explanations, clinical AI for follow-up questions, adaptive learning across the AKT blueprint, integrated CPD, free access to AKT content, and a founder-led GP perspective that informs the architecture from the start.
For GP trainees specifically — where the exam is closest to real clinical practice and where the platform that fits revision should also fit clinical work — iatroX is the most directly aligned option.
Traditional Q-banks help you practise. iatroX helps you learn, verify, retain and apply.