How many times have you seen the questions related to UKMLA floating around the various forums and groups on the net? Many of you must be (rightly) confused what this all can mean for you, and just what you need to expect for the future. Never fear, we’ll discuss everything here.

What is the UKMLA?
I hear PLAB will be replaced?
When will this happen?
Do I still plan for PLAB?
Should I give up my road to UK dream?

UKMLA

It is the United Kingdom Medical Licensing Assessment. It will be a requirement for both UK graduates and well as international graduates, unlike the PLAB exams. There will be two parts.

  1. The Applied Knowledge Test (AKT). This test will be the same for all UK students and IMGs. GMC will decide the pass standard, and the exam will be held four times a year. UK medical students will face the exam in their schools, while IMGs will be able to take it at select locations around the world. It will be a computer-based test for all candidates.
  2. The Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment (CPSA). This will be similar to PLAB 2 and GMC will take it at their Clinical Assessment Center in Manchester.
Wondering what information may be covered in the exam? Check out the MLA content map.

When will it be instated?

PLAB 1 became UKMLA AKT compliant from AUGUST 2024. PLAB 2 became UKMLA CPSA compliant from MAY 2024.

The requirement to have passed the MLA will also apply to UK students graduating in the academic year of 2024-2025.

Are you a European/EU/EEA graduate and wonder if you require UKMLA? Don't miss this video:

Is PLAB different from UKMLA?

The PLAB exam follows the PLAB blueprint, while the UKMLA follows the UKMLA content map. GMC has stated that the hope is to provide a more standardized exam for international and UK graduates alike- hence the new approach to the licensing exam in order to get GMC registration.

How do I prepare for UKMLA?

You may be worried as to how best to prepare for UKMLA, especially if all the advice you have seen thus far has been related to question banks doctors have been using for PLAB.

Luckily, we've got your back. We spent more than two years creating a question bank that completely follows the UKMLA content map, so you can rest assured you are preparing in the best way possible. We even created Master Mocks to help you review right before the exam!

I still have a lot of questions!

That’s completely understandable. If you are still unsure about something, you can always email GMC’s MLA team at mla@gmc-uk.org.