*All information taken from GMC website*

From early 2024, international medical graduates who would have sat our Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test will start to take the MLA if they’re applying for registration with a licence to practise in the UK. Until 2024, international medical graduates can still apply for the PLAB test, if they want registration with a licence to practise in the UK. 

And UK medical students graduating in the academic year 2024-25 will need to pass the MLA as part of their medical school degree before they can join the medical register.

The MLA will replace the PLAB test.

What the assessment involves

The MLA is a two-part assessment made up of an applied knowledge test and a clinical and professional skills assessment.

The applied knowledge test (AKT)

This will be an on-screen exam, with multiple choice questions. It will test your ability to apply medical knowledge to different scenarios. The type of questions will be like the current PLAB 1 exam.

We will set the AKT for international medical graduates. We will use information and data from the UK exams to ensure that the assessment is comparable and consistent, where appropriate. We expect that the test will run four times a year for international candidates, at a number of locations worldwide.

You’ll need to pass the AKT before you can take the clinical and professional skills assessment.

The clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA)

We will run a CPSA for international medical graduates at our clinical assessment centre in Manchester. It will be similar to the existing PLAB 2 exam.

Preparing

The MLA content map tells you more about the topics and areas that your AKT and CPSA assessments could cover. In the future, we’ll provide sample questions for the AKT so that you can understand the format of the test.

Costs

As you do now for the PLAB test, as an international medical graduate, you’ll need to pay a fee to take the MLA. We will regularly review the fees, so the exact cost may change in the future.

Resitting the MLA

If you fail the MLA, you’ll have to take the assessment again before you can apply for registration with a licence to practise medicine in the UK. 

We expect to set a maximum number of times you may attempt the MLA. We’re considering the exact number and will make sure there is a fair and robust appeals system in place.

English language requirements 

The MLA won’t change our English language requirements for registration. You’ll still need to prove that you have the necessary knowledge of English to practice safely in the UK.

The information below explains what happens if a doctor has just finished one or both parts of the PLAB test when the MLA is introduced.

Passed both parts of the PLAB test 

This won’t change – the same as now, you will have up to two years to apply to us for registration with a licence to practise from the date that you passed PLAB part 2.

Passed PLAB 1 but not attempted PLAB 2 

Provided you passed PLAB 1 less than two years ago, you won’t need to take the MLA applied knowledge test (AKT). Instead of PLAB 2, you will be able to take the MLA clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA). 

When you pass the CPSA, you’ll be able to apply for registration with a licence to practise. You will need to apply within two years of passing the CPSA.

Attempted PLAB 1 but not passed it

You will be able to sit the MLA applied knowledge test. There will be a maximum number of attempts and any previous attempts at PLAB 1 will count towards the maximum number. We’re finalising that maximum number and will let you know as soon as we can. 

When you pass the AKT, you will need to take the clinical and professional skills assessment within two years.

Passed PLAB 1 and attempted PLAB 2, but not passed 

Provided you passed PLAB 1 less than two years ago, you won’t need to take the MLA AKT. 

You will be able to take the MLA CPSA. There will be a maximum number of attempts and any previous attempts at PLAB 2 will count towards the maximum number. We’re finalising that maximum number and will let you know as soon as we can. 

When you pass the CPSA, you’ll be able to apply for registration with a license to practice. You will need to apply within two years of passing the CPSA.