Very few of you are probably baffled as to what this could possibly imply for you and what you can reasonably anticipate in the future. Don’t worry; we’ll cover any and all topics in this article.
What is UKMLA?
International medical graduates (IMGs) who wish to practice medicine in the UK must pass the new UK Medical Licensing Assessment (UKMLA) from early 2024. The UKMLA will assess the fundamental knowledge, abilities, and behaviors of doctors new to medical practice in the UK. It will give patients more trust in doctors starting employment in the UK, regardless of where they were schooled or trained.
Who needs to take UKMLA from 2024?
The MLA is a two-part test that will set a common threshold for safe medical practice in the UK.
- All medical students graduating from UK universities from the academic year 2024–25 onwards will be required to pass the MLA as part of their degree before they can join the medical register.
- International doctors who want to practise in the UK and who currently take PLAB will need to take the MLA from 2024.
How many parts does UKMLA have?
The UKMLA is a two-part assessment made up of an applied knowledge test and a clinical and professional skills assessment.
1. Applied knowledge test
This exam will be multiple-choice. It will assess your ability to apply medical knowledge to a variety of situations. The AKT will resemble the present PLAB 1 examination.
2. The clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA)
This will be an objective structured clinical exam (OSCE). It will involve scenarios that reflect real life settings, including a mock consultation or an acute ward.
What are the entry requirements?
You must create a GMC Online account and demonstrate that your medical credentials and English language proficiency are acceptable before you can take the UKMLA test.
You must fulfill the following requirements in order to take the UKMLA test.
- You’ll need an acceptable overseas primary medical qualification.
Your qualification must be awarded by an institution listed on the World Directory of Medical Schools. If you haven’t graduated yet, you need to provide evidence that you have passed your final examinations and have met all other requirements to be eligible for the qualification.
Where a qualification is not listed in the directory, GMC may still accept it if the reason it’s not listed is because either:
- the country awarding the qualification is not recognised by the United Nations, or
- the institution that awarded the qualification no longer exists or no longer delivers medical education and we are certain the qualification is valid.
In each of these circumstances, the qualification must satisfy all of the other criteria for an overseas qualification to be acceptable.
Read more about acceptable primary medical qualifications at GMC website.
- You’ll also need to demonstrate you have the necessary knowledge of English by providing your English language evidence.
IELTS
You need to have a score of at least 7.0 in each testing area and an overall score of 7.5 in the academic version of the test.
OET
You need to have at least a grade ‘B’ in each testing area (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in the medicine version of the test.
How much does it cost?
As for the current PLAB test, you’ll need to pay a fee to take the MLA as an international medical graduate. GMC will regularly review the fees, so the exact cost may change in the future.
When and where can I take the UKMLA test?
1. Applied knowledge test
The test will run four times a year for international candidates, at a number of locations worldwide, as it currently does for PLAB 1.
2. The clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA)
You’ll need to pass the AKT before you can take the clinical and professional skills assessment.
GMC will run a CPSA for international medical graduates at our clinical assessment centre in Manchester. The CPSA will be similar to the current PLAB 2 exam.
How do I prepare for the UKMLA test?
MLA will test medical graduates in following six domains:
1. Areas of clinical practice
this domain contain a mixture of specialties, body systems and patient types, reflecting the complexity of medical practice and the range of care settings and patient scenarios that a doctor is likely to encounter in a first appointment within the UK Foundation Programme.
2. Areas of professional knowledge
This domain sets out generic areas of professional clinical and scientific knowledge as applied to the care of patients, at the level expected of a doctor entering the UK Foundation Programme.
3. Clinical and professional capabilities
his domain sets out the abilities required to provide clinical care for patients in line with the values and behaviours in Good medical practice.
4. Practical skills and procedures
It sets out the skills, procedures and levels of competence newly qualified doctors must have, so they can practise safely when they start work.
5. Patient presentations
This domain is defined as signs, symptoms, investigation results and other relevant patient-related issues typically seen by doctors in a first appointment within the UK Foundation Programme.
6. Conditions
This domain is defined as pathophysiological diseases or clinical diagnoses typically seen by doctors in a first appointment within the UK Foundation Programme.
Medvin Academy is the most comprehensive resource for getting through the UKMLA and becoming registered with the GMC. The GMC MLA content map serves as the basis for our comprehensive UKMLA study guides, which are updated on a regular basis. Medvin Academy provides a variety of online learning resources, including video lectures, question banks, an ebook, and practice mock tests, that can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.
To learn more, click here.
FAQs
What happens if I have attempted PLAB 1 but not passed it when the UKMLA is introduced in 2024?
You’ll be able to sit the AKT. There will be a maximum number of attempts and any previous attempts at PLAB 1 will count towards the maximum number.
When you pass the AKT, you will need to take the CPSA within the AKT validity period.
What happens if I have passed PLAB 1 but have not attempted PLAB 2 when the UKMLA is introduced in 2024?
If you have passed PLAB 1, instead of taking PLAB 2 you’ll take the CPSA. You’ll need to pass this within your PLAB 1 validity period, which is currently three years.
When you pass the CPSA, you’ll be able to apply for registration with a licence to practise. You’ll need your application to be approved within two years of passing the CPSA.
What happens if I have passed PLAB 1, and attempted PLAB 2, but have not passed when the UKMLA is introduced in 2024?
You won’t need to take the UKMLA AKT if your PLAB 1 pass is still valid. Currently, a PLAB 1 pass is valid for 3 years.
You’ll be able to take the CPSA. There will be a maximum number of attempts and any previous attempts at PLAB 2 will count towards the maximum number.
When you pass the CPSA, you’ll be able to apply for registration with a licence to practise. You’ll need to do so within two years of passing the CPSA.
What happens if I have passed both parts of the PLAB test when the UKMLA is introduced in 2024?
You can apply for GMC registration with a licence to practise in the UK within two years of passing PLAB 2.
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