PLAB 1 Complete Guide 2026: Everything You Need to Know

From eligibility to exam day — the definitive guide for IMGs preparing for PLAB 1 under the new MLA framework.

What is PLAB 1?

PLAB 1 (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board Part 1) is the first step for international medical graduates (IMGs) seeking to practise medicine in the UK. It is set and marked by the GMC (General Medical Council).

Since August 2024, PLAB 1 follows the UKMLA (UK Medical Licensing Assessment) content map — meaning the same framework used to assess UK medical graduates. The exam tests clinical reasoning across all major specialties.

Who needs to take PLAB 1?

You need PLAB 1 if:

• You graduated from a medical school outside the UK, EEA, or a country with a GMC-approved qualification
• You want to apply for GMC registration to work as a doctor in the UK

You do NOT need PLAB 1 if you qualified in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Singapore, or another country with a GMC-accepted qualification.

Exam format

• 180 Single Best Answer (SBA) questions
• 3 hours 20 minutes (plus pre-exam admin time)
• All questions are clinical vignettes — realistic patient scenarios
• No negative marking
• Pass mark set by the GMC using standard-setting methods each sitting

What's in the MLA content map?

The UKMLA/MLA maps all clinical content across 14 Generic Professional Capabilities and a condition list of 156+ conditions. You will encounter questions on:

• Cardiology and circulatory problems
• Respiratory and ENT
• Gastroenterology and hepatology
• Neurology and neurosurgery
• Mental health and psychiatry
• Musculoskeletal problems
• Kidney and urology
• Paediatrics and neonates
• Obstetrics and gynaecology
• Dermatology
• Ophthalmology
• Haematology
• Infectious disease
• Endocrinology and metabolic

The emphasis is on clinical reasoning — not just recall. Questions test your ability to prioritise, investigate, and manage patients in realistic UK NHS settings.

How to register

1. Verify your primary medical qualification (PMQ) with the GMC

2. Achieve English language proficiency (IELTS Academic 7.5+ or OET Grade B)

3. Register at mymmc.io and select a PLAB 1 sitting date

4. Pay the sitting fee (currently £239)

Sittings are held multiple times per year at Pearson VUE test centres in the UK and internationally.

How to prepare effectively

1. Learn from a quality question bank

The most effective preparation is doing hundreds of MLA-aligned SBA questions with detailed explanations. Look for questions that:

• Use UK-specific terminology and drug names (BNF)
• Reference NICE and CKS guidelines
• Follow the actual MLA question format (long vignettes, five plausible options)

2. Study NICE guidelines, not textbooks

PLAB 1 tests UK clinical practice. The correct answer is always what NICE, BNF, or UK specialist guidelines recommend — not what you may have learned in your home country's system.

Key resources: NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS), the BNF, and NICE guidelines (NG/CG series).

3. Use active recall, not passive reading

Reading notes is the least effective revision method. Do questions first, then read explanations. Use spaced repetition to revisit topics you find difficult.

4. Understand why wrong options are wrong

Distractors in PLAB 1 are carefully chosen to catch common errors. Understanding WHY each option is wrong builds deeper clinical reasoning — not just pattern matching.

Useful dates and links

• GMC PLAB information: gmc-uk.org/plab

What about PLAB 2?

PLAB 2 — also known as the MLA Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment (CPSA) — is the second part of the PLAB route to GMC registration. It is an OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) held in Manchester, UK.

The name: The GMC has confirmed the exam keeps the PLAB 2 name for now, with plans to update it in future. It is now formally MLA-aligned as the CPSA component.

Format: 18 stations, 8 minutes each. Stations test history taking, clinical examination, communication skills, breaking bad news, consent, and prescribing in simulated patient encounters.

Eligibility: You must have passed PLAB 1 (valid for 3 years) before sitting PLAB 2.

MedReadyUK PLAB 2 / CPSA preparation is coming soon.

• Exam sittings calendar: Check the GMC website for current dates
• NICE guidelines: nice.org.uk
• NICE CKS: cks.nice.org.uk
• BNF online: bnf.nice.org.uk

Summary

PLAB 1 in 2026 is a clinical reasoning exam set against the MLA content map. The key to passing is: high-quality MLA-aligned practice questions, UK guideline knowledge, and understanding clinical reasoning deeply — not surface memorisation.

MedReadyUK is part of StudyCoach AI — an independent study resource, not affiliated with the GMC, RCGP or NHS. Guideline references reflect guidance at the time of writing; always confirm against the current source.