International medical graduates guide to the MLA (Part 1)

Written by Yousef Kamal; reviewed by DR. Tamer El Nakhal, edited by Majed Jaber

International medical graduates guide to the MLA

From early 2024, international medical graduates who would have sat our PLAB test will start to take the MLA if they’re applying for registration in the UK.

THE MLA WILL GIVE PATIENTS AND EMPLOYERS GREATER CONFIDENCE IN DOCTORS NEW TO WORKING IN THE UK, WHEREVER THEY WERE EDUCATED OR TRAINED.

Who is this guide for?

International medical graduates applying for registration, from early 2024.

What will our articles help you with?

It will give you background information on the MLA. It’s not intended to be a study guide.

Because the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has put significant pressure on health systems, doctors, medical schools and students, around the world, they have decided to develop the MLA to a revised timeframe.

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 license to practice in the UK. The MLA will replace the PLAB test.
At the moment, EU law doesn’t allow us to assess doctors from the European Economic Area and Switzerland.

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.

 first: 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.

They will set the AKT for international medical graduates and will use information and data from the UK exams to ensure that the assessment is comparable and consistent, where appropriate. It’s expected that the test will run four times a year for international candidates, at several locations worldwide.
You’ll need to pass the AKT before you can take the clinical and professional skills assessment.

second: The clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA)

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