Wiki: What is RAG, and why should doctors care?

Definition Retrieval-augmented generation, or RAG, means the model does not rely only on its training memory. It first pulls relevant source material, then writes from that context.

Why it matters in medicine Doctors do not need eloquent answers alone. They need answers tied to a guideline, paper, protocol, or teaching module.

Practical effect Without retrieval, the model may sound confident but improvise. With retrieval, the model has a bounded evidence frame and can be checked against a real source.

Clinical analogy Think of RAG as asking a registrar to answer with the chart open, not from memory alone.