Plabcoach
PLAB vs UKMLA – What’s Changing and What Stays…
PLAB vs UKMLA – What’s Changing and What Stays the Same (2025 Guide)
If you’re aiming for the UK as an international doctor, you’ve probably heard two acronyms thrown around constantly: PLAB and UKMLA.
One sounds familiar and slightly terrifying.
The other sounds new, mysterious, and possibly even more terrifying.
So what exactly is happening? Is PLAB being scrapped? Is UKMLA replacing everything? Are you preparing for the “wrong” exam?
This guide is written to cut through the noise and tell you, in plain English, what’s actually changing and what is very much staying the same – especially from an IMG perspective – with direct references to official sources like the GMC and the Medical Schools Council. (GMC UK)
The Big Picture: PLAB and UKMLA on the Same Map
Let’s start with the key truth that often gets lost in social media discussions:
For international medical graduates (IMGs), PLAB is still the exam you sit – but its content and structure are now aligned with the UKMLA.
The Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) is the overarching framework introduced by the UK’s General Medical Council (GMC). It sets a single, national standard for medical knowledge, skills, and professional behaviours for anyone who wants to practise medicine in the UK – whether they trained in the UK or abroad. (GMC UK)
According to the GMC:
So in 2025, the landscape looks like this:
- UK graduates → take UKMLA (AKT + CPSA), built into their medical school finals.
- IMGs → take PLAB 1 and PLAB 2, which now follow the MLA content map and MLA delivery standards. (GMC UK)
In other words:
UKMLA is the umbrella. PLAB is the IMG route that now lives under that umbrella.
Quick Snapshot – PLAB vs UKMLA
Here’s a simple comparison to anchor everything:
| Feature | PLAB (IMGs) | UKMLA (UK grads + IMGs framework) |
| Who takes it? | IMGs who graduated outside UK/EEA/Switzerland and need GMC registration. (GMC UK) | All UK medical students (via their medical schools) + IMGs via PLAB-aligned assessments. (GMC UK) |
| Structure | PLAB 1: 180 SBA MCQs (3 hours); PLAB 2: OSCE-style clinical exam in Manchester. (GMC UK) | AKT: written SBA exam; CPSA: clinical & professional skills assessment run by medical schools (for UK grads) or PLAB 2 for IMGs. (GMC UK) |
| Content framework | Historically PLAB blueprint → now based on MLA content map. (GMC UK) | MLA content map – same topics and competencies for everyone. (GMC UK) |
| Purpose | Check that IMGs are at the level of a UK FY2 doctor starting the second year of the Foundation Programme. (GMC UK) | Ensure all new doctors in the UK meet a single national standard for safe practice. (GMC UK) |
| Name | Still officially called “PLAB test” (for now). (GMC UK) | Official name is Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) / UKMLA. |
PLAB Today: What It Looks Like in the MLA Era
The PLAB test remains a two-part assessment designed to check whether overseas doctors can practise safely at the level of a UK Foundation Year 2 doctor. (GMC UK)
PLAB 1 – Applied Knowledge in MCQ Format
- Format: 180 single best answer (SBA) questions, 3 hours, written exam. (GMC UK)
- Content: Core clinical medicine, emergency care, prescribing, ethics, communication, and patient safety – now explicitly aligned with the MLA content map. (GMC UK)
- Where: Multiple international locations and in the UK. (GMC UK)
PLAB 2 – Clinical and Professional Skills in OSCE Format
- Format: Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) style, typically 16 stations testing history, examination, procedures, communication, ethics, and professionalism. (GMC UK)
- Where: GMC’s clinical assessment centre in Manchester, UK. (GMC UK)
- Goal: Demonstrate that you can safely manage common scenarios you are likely to meet at the start of FY2.
Eligibility & Registration Route (Still the Same)
For IMGs, the main PLAB route remains:
The GMC explicitly confirms that PLAB eligibility criteria have not changed as a result of MLA compliance. (GMC UK)
UKMLA: The New National Benchmark
The UKMLA (often just “MLA”) is not just another exam – it’s a national licensing standard.
According to the GMC, the MLA: (GMC UK)
- Tests core knowledge, skills and behaviours required for UK practice.
- Applies to both UK graduates and IMGs (through their respective routes).
- Uses a single MLA content map which all assessments – PLAB, AKT, CPSA – must follow.
UKMLA Has Two Parts
Applied Knowledge Test (AKT)
- Written SBA exam.
- For UK students, set and delivered at medical school level but mapped to the national MLA content and assessment standards
Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment (CPSA)
- OSCE-style or similar clinical exam.
- Run by each UK medical school but must meet GMC’s CPSA standards for it to count as the MLA clinical component. (GMC UK)
For UK students, from the 2024–2025 graduating cohort, passing both AKT and CPSA is mandatory before they join the GMC register. (GMC UK)
So… Is UKMLA Replacing PLAB for IMGs?
This is where a lot of confusion – and slightly dramatic YouTube thumbnails – comes from.
Some third-party sites and blogs have described the MLA as a “replacement for PLAB” or stated that “UKMLA replaces PLAB for IMGs”. (bdiresourcing.com)
However, if you go to the official GMC pages in 2025, the message is more precise:
- International doctors will continue to take PLAB, which is now MLA compliant. (GMC UK)
- PLAB 1 and PLAB 2 explicitly meet the requirements for the MLA AKT and CPSA respectively. (GMC UK)
- The GMC states that “the PLAB test will keep its current name for now,” with plans to modernise the name in future. (GMC UK)
So practically:
- Yes, UKMLA is the overall framework and PLAB now operates inside that framework.
- No, you are not suddenly sitting a completely different, separate “UKMLA exam” instead of PLAB as an IMG in 2025.
- What has changed is alignment, content, and governance – more than your day-to-day exam format.
What’s Changing (Conceptually & Practically)
Let’s break the changes into things you will feel as a candidate.
Single National Standard for Everyone
Previously, UK medical schools had their own finals, and IMGs had PLAB; standards were aligned but not formally unified. With the MLA:
- UK grads and IMGs are assessed against the same core content map and delivery requirements. (GMC UK)
- That means greater consistency in what “safe to practise” actually means.
PLAB’s Blueprint → MLA Content Map
Historically, PLAB had its own blueprint. Now the GMC clearly states:
- The questions and stations used in PLAB are based on the MLA content map, which sets out the core topics and competencies needed for UK practice. (GMC UK)
For you, this means:
- Revision is now best guided by the MLA content map rather than older PLAB-only topic lists.
- You’ll see more emphasis on patient safety, managing uncertainty, and person-centred care – all central themes of the MLA. (GMC UK)
Quality Assurance & Compliance
UK medical schools’ AKTs and CPSAs must meet GMC MLA requirements to count towards the MLA. These requirements cover:
- How questions/stations are constructed.
- Sampling to ensure broad coverage of the content map.
- Standard-setting methods and quality assurance. (GMC UK)
PLAB has been brought under the same expectations, which increases the rigour and transparency of your exam.
Future Renaming of PLAB
The GMC has signalled that at some point, the PLAB test name will be modernised, but there’s no published date yet. (GMC UK)
So in the medium term, you may see:
- The structure and standards staying the same.
- The name (PLAB) possibly evolving to something like “MLA for international graduates” or similar.
But that’s a branding issue, not a fundamental rewrite of what you’re tested on.
What Stays the Same for IMGs
Even with the MLA era fully underway, a lot of things are comfortingly unchanged.
Two-Step Journey – Knowledge + Skills
You still need to clear:
The idea is identical: you must prove that you can think like a UK doctor and act like one at the bedside.
English, Internship and Registration Steps
- You still need English language evidence, usually IELTS or OET, at GMC-specified minimum scores. (GMC UK)
- You still need a completed internship/house job that meets GMC structure and duration rules. (GMC UK)
- You still apply for GMC registration with a licence to practiseafter passing both parts of PLAB. (GMC UK)
The Core Exam Feel
- SBAs with a clinical scenario + five options? Still there.
- OSCE stations with actors, data interpretation, counselling, and emergencies? Still there.
- Focus on UK guidelines, expected investigations, management plans, and communication style? Still very much there.
So if you started PLAB preparation a year ago and now keep hearing “UKMLA” all over Instagram, your preparation is not wasted – it just needs to be tuned to the MLA content map and current UK practice.
How Should You Adjust Your Preparation Strategy?
The smartest way to “future-proof” your prep is to think MLA-first, PLAB-format.
Anchor Yourself to Official Documents
Start with the MLA content map, hosted on the GMC site. It outlines:
- Systems (e.g. cardiovascular, respiratory, neurology).
- Presentations and conditions.
- Skills and professional behaviours expected. (GMC UK)
For PLAB-specific practicalities (booking, eligibility, cities, test-day rules), rely on:
- GMC – Guide to the PLAB test. (GMC UK)
These two together form your official “source of truth”.
Think Like an AKT + CPSA Candidate, Even If You’re “Just” Doing PLAB
For PLAB 1 / MLA-AKT-style knowledge:
- Focus on symptom-based and case-based learning.
- Practise large numbers of SBA questions, with strong emphasis on reasoning rather than recall.
- Pay special attention to ethics, law, prescribing safety, and red-flag emergencies, which are core MLA themes. (Geeky Medics)
For PLAB 2 / MLA-CPSA-style skills:
- Treat every station as a mini CPSA: structured, time-pressured, and holistic.
- Balance clinical fluency with communication finesse – UKMLA and PLAB both explicitly value person-centred, shared decision-making. (GMC UK)
Avoid Outdated or “Pre-MLA” Resources
Anything that was built on:
- Old PLAB blueprints,
- Non-UK guidelines,
- Or a narrow focus on rare “PLAB-favourite” questions
…without mapping to the MLA content map can leave gaps in your coverage.
When in doubt:
- Check whether resources explicitly mention MLA/UKMLA alignment.
- Cross-check key topics against the GMC’s content map and PLAB guide.
Common Myths – Debunked
Let’s address some of the most common rumours circulating in IMG groups.
Myth 1: “PLAB is being abolished; only UKMLA exists now.”
Reality:
- GMC clearly states that international doctors will continue to take PLAB, which is compliant with MLA requirements. (GMC UK)
- PLAB still exists in 2025 with the same basic structure – it has simply been integrated into the MLA framework.
Myth 2: “I should stop preparing for PLAB and switch to UKMLA prep.”
Reality:
For IMGs, this is a false choice – there isn’t a separate “IMG UKMLA exam” that replaces PLAB. Your job is to:
- Prepare for PLAB 1 and PLAB 2,
- Using content, methods, and standards that reflect the MLA content map and UK practice.
In other words, PLAB prep is UKMLA-aligned prep, if your resources are updated.
Myth 3: “The new system will be much harder.”
Reality:
The purpose of MLA alignment is consistency not brutality.
What This Means for Different Types of Candidates
If You’re an IMG Planning PLAB 1/2 in 2025–2027
- You will book and sit PLAB via the GMC as usual. (GMC UK)
- Your exam content and skills expectations are now explicitly tied to the MLA content map.
- You should choose question banks, notes, and mock OSCEs that are updated for MLA themes – not just “old PLAB recall”.
If You’re a UK Medical Student
- Your final assessments (AKT + CPSA) are now formally part of the MLA. (GMC UK)
- The Medical Schools Council has published specific guidance and handbooks on the AKT and CPSA for UK students. (Medical Schools Council)
- Your revision should be anchored to the MLA content map and your school’s AKT/CPSA structure.
Where to Check the Latest Official Information
Because things can evolve, always double-check against primary, official sources:
- GMC – Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA)
Overall explanation, candidate groups, and content map. (GMC UK) - GMC – PLAB and the MLA
How PLAB fits within MLA, confirmation that PLAB remains, and details about compliance with AKT/CPSA requirements. (GMC UK) - GMC – A Guide to the PLAB Test + PLAB 1 & PLAB 2 Guides
Eligibility, booking, format, sample questions, and test-day arrangements. (GMC UK) - Medical Schools Council – MLA AKT resources
Particularly relevant if you trained in the UK or want to understand how UK schools see the MLA. (Medical Schools Council) - Carefully chosen secondary sources
For example, detailed explainers from GMC-aligned or education-focused organisations can help you interpret official docs, but always cross-check key facts with the GMC. (Medibuddy)
Final Takeaway: Don’t Panic, Just Update Your Strategy
If you strip away the noise, here’s the simple, practical summary:
- UKMLA is the new national standard.
- PLAB is still the IMG exam route, now officially aligned with that standard.
- The labels and frameworks are changing more than the core idea: you must prove you can be a safe, UK-ready doctor.
Your winning move is not to chase every rumour, but to:
- Follow GMC guidance and MLA content map,
- Use up-to-date PLAB/MLA-aligned learning resources,
- And train your mind to think, speak, and act like a UK doctor – in both MCQs and OSCE rooms.