Pass Your UKMLA AKT With Arora

Exam Overview

The Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) is the first section of the new UK Medical Licensing Assessment (UKMLA or MLA), which is being introduced by the General Medical Council (GMC) for all UK medical school graduates and international medical graduates.

The MLA content map sets out the core knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for UK practice. These are the topics which could be assessed within the AKT (and CPSA exams).

The content map is based on the GMC’s Outcomes for Graduates, which outlines what newly qualified UK medical graduates must know and be able to do.

As part of the MLA, for UK medical students there will be two AKT papers, each with 100 SBA (scenario-based single best answer) questions. For IMG doctors however, it will be the same as the previous PLAB 1 set up.

The AKT is a test of applied knowledge rather than factual recall, so where relevant this will include basic science, for example, the pathophysiology behind a symptom. 

For UK medical students, each paper will last two hours, although students with reasonable adjustments may be granted additional time. 

As a result of aligning PLAB with the MLA requirements, a greater level of fairness is granted to international doctors and medical students alike.

Exam Format

FAQs

When will the UKMLA be implemented?

The UKMLA will be implemented for all UK medical students set to graduate in 2025. Initially, this was planned to be rolled out a year earlier, but the GMC delayed the schedule due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. For overseas doctors, the exam will be implemented in 2024 – The AKT will be introduced in August 2024 and the CPSA will be introduced in May 2024.

What is the UKMLA cost?

UK students will not need to pay anything extra than their tuition fees to take the UKMLA.

Those who have graduated from a medical school outside the UK will be required to pay a fee to sit their UKMLA. The GMC have not confirmed the fees as of yet, however it is believed it will not be more than the current PLAB fees, as they have mentioned there will be no changes.

What are the UKMLA exam dates?

The UK Medical Licensing Assessment will become an essential exam for all UK medical school graduates and Internal Medical Graduates who want to practice medicine in the UK.

For international doctors and international graduates, the UKMLA will replace the PLAB exams in May 2024, but will still be referred to as the PLAB exams for the time being.

IMG doctors can expect to sit their CPSA MLA exams from May 2024, although this will still be called PLAB 2 for the time being.

What is the UKMLA content map?

The MLA content map sets out the core knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for UK practice. You can find it here.

Is the UKMLA pass or fail?

Yes. This also means that the Medical Schools Council will not be using the scores from the AKT or CPSA for national ranking purposes.

Will international students who want to be registered with the GMC need to take the UKMLA?

International medical graduates who want to practice in the UK – and who must currently take the GMC’s PLAB tests – will need to take an MLA that includes an AKT, but this will be a separate assessment designed and delivered by the GMC rather than medical schools.