When I teach medical undergraduates I pitch at three levels: things that if you do not know, you will fail (for example, what is Kernig’s sign); things to know that will secure you a safe pass (for example, knowing the ABC of basic resuscitation); and things that will get you into the honours class (for example, use of DNAses in cystic fibrosis). I have yet to see a core textbook based on these key desiderata of the …