PLAB 1 / UKMLA-AKT

PLAB 1 / UKMLA-AKT:Complete Guide to Format, Syllabus, Dates & Preparation

PLAB 1 is the written knowledge exam set by the General Medical Council (GMC), part of the two-part PLAB assessment that international medical graduates (IMGs) must pass for UK medical registration. It consists of 180 single-best-answer (SBA) questions completed in 180 minutes, testing clinical knowledge at the standard of a doctor completing UK Foundation Year 1. Passing PLAB 1 is the prerequisite step before sitting PLAB 2, the clinical OSCE.

What is PLAB 1?

PLAB 1 is the first part of the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test, set and administered by the General Medical Council (GMC), the UK's medical regulator. It is a computer-based written examination designed to test whether international medical graduates (IMGs) have the clinical knowledge required to practice safely in the UK, at a standard equivalent to a doctor who has completed UK Foundation Year 1 (FY1).

Since 2024, PLAB 1 questions are drawn from GMC's Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) content map, the same knowledge framework used to assess UK medical graduates — meaning a PLAB 1 pass is now benchmarked to the same standard as UK finals, even though IMGs continue to sit an exam named "PLAB 1" rather than a separately branded UKMLA paper.

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FAQS

PLAB 1 FAQs

Not exactly — GMC states PLAB has become compliant with the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) content map, not that it has been renamed. IMGs sit an exam still called "PLAB 1," calibrated to the same MLA standard that UK graduates' UKMLA-AKT paper is calibrated to.

Yes. PLAB 1 can be sat immediately after graduating from medical school; a completed internship is required later, for full GMC registration, not for sitting the exam.

GMC allows a standard number of attempts (commonly cited as four); candidates who don't pass within that limit may apply for an additional attempt with evidence of further learning.

At British Council or GMC-approved test centres worldwide, including UK and international venues — unlike PLAB 2, which is only held in Manchester.

The pass mark is set per sitting using a standardised process rather than a single fixed number. GMC's own guidance is the authoritative source.

See the comparison section below.

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COMPARISON

PLAB 1 vs PRES 2 Comparison

Regulatory relationship (verify against Irish Medical Council before publish — active/evolving area)

The Irish Medical Council already treats PLAB 1 as equivalent to PRES 2 in practice — candidates who pass PLAB 1 can be exempted from sitting PRES 2.
PLAB 1 and PRES 2 are set independently by different regulators (GMC vs Irish Medical Council) and are not sat on a shared date or joint booking system, even though their content/standard is treated as equivalent.

FEATURE

PLAB 1

PRES 2

Governing body

GMC (UK)

Irish Medical Council (IMC)

Format

180 SBA questions, 180 minutes

Written MCQ, clinical scenarios, ~3 hours

Registration granted

UK (GMC)

Ireland

Recognised equivalence

PLAB 1 ≈ PRES 2 (exemption in practice)

Irish Medical Council recognises PLAB 1 pass as PRES 2-equivalent

Candidates targeting UK GMC registration primarily should sit PLAB 1; candidates targeting Ireland who already hold a PLAB 1 pass do not need to separately sit PRES 2.

PRES 2

EXAMS