Point-of-care tools are designed for speed, not memory. BMJ Best Practice is structured around the consultation and provides step-by-step guidance that is updated frequently. That structure is exactly what you need to build exam recall — if you convert it into prompts and decision rules.
The ‘rule extraction’ mindset
You are not memorising a page. You are extracting a small set of stable rules that recur across questions. The smallest useful unit is a rule you can apply in 10 seconds.
1
Step 1 — Identify 5 recurring decision points
Examples of decision points (non-clinical): when to escalate, when to reassess, what changes risk category, what triggers urgent action. Your job is to name them clearly.
2
Step 2 — Convert them into prompts
Write prompts like: “What feature forces escalation?” “What is the single best discriminator?” “What is the common trap?” These are portable across exams and settings.
3
Step 3 — Immediate stress test with mixed questions
Do 10–20 mixed questions that should trigger those prompts. If your prompts do not trigger, they are too vague.
4
Step 4 — Build a short spaced loop
Re-answer the prompts (from memory) at 48 hours, 7 days, and 14 days. Treat this as maintenance, not ‘new study’.
5
Step 5 — Track what actually improves
If a prompt repeatedly fails, rewrite it. Your prompt quality determines your retrieval quality.
SourceBMJ Best Practice: Clinical decision support tool overview
Open Link SourceBMJ Best Practice: Product information
Open Link SourceDunlosky et al. (2013): High-utility techniques emphasise practice testing + spacing (PubMed)
Open Link