PLAB 1 and the UKMLA
The route to GMC registration for international medical graduates wanting to practise in the UK.
Registration with the General Medical Council so you can practise medicine in the United Kingdom.
Exam format
- •PLAB 1 is a single-best-answer (SBA) written paper
- •PLAB 2 is a practical assessment of clinical skills
- •PLAB 1 now sits within the UKMLA, so the two names refer to the same assessment space
- •Content is mapped to the MLA Content Map
What it covers
- •Blueprint: the MLA Content Map, organised into Areas of Clinical Practice
- •Clinical reasoning and applied knowledge at the point of care
- •Single-best-answer questions across the full clinical curriculum
Frequently asked questions
Is PLAB 1 now the UKMLA?▾
PLAB 1 now sits under the UK Medical Licensing Assessment, which is why the same paper is referred to by both names. If you are searching for PLAB 1 material, the UKMLA content map is the specification you should be studying against.
What is the MLA Content Map?▾
It is the GMC's specification of the knowledge, skills and behaviours the UKMLA assesses. It is organised into Areas of Clinical Practice and is the blueprint that well-aligned question banks reference.
What kind of questions are on PLAB 1?▾
Single-best-answer questions — one clinical scenario with one best option out of several. They test applied clinical reasoning rather than isolated recall.
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