PLAB 1 exam guide
The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test is the route many international medical graduates take to join the UK medical register. PLAB 1 is the written part. This PLAB 1 exam guide explains what the General Medical Council (GMC) tests, how the paper works and how to plan 12 weeks of revision.
Exam facts come from the GMC's What is the PLAB 1 exam? page, checked on 13 November 2026. Check fees, dates and test centres with the GMC before you book.
PLAB 1 exam at a glance
- 180 multiple choice questions in three hours.
- Each question opens with a short scenario, then asks a question with five answer options. You choose one.
- It is an applied knowledge test: it tests how you use knowledge in patient care, not how much you can recall.
- Answers follow current UK best practice and published evidence, not local arrangements.
- It covers common, important and acute conditions an F2 doctor sees, and the care of long-term conditions in primary care.
What to revise for PLAB 1
The GMC bases PLAB on the Medical Licensing Assessment content map, so use it as your checklist. Cover every area on it, including emergency care, medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, psychiatry, and professional and legal practice in the UK. Learn the UK way of doing things from NICE guidance and the GMC's Good medical practice.
A 12-week PLAB 1 plan
- Week 1: sit a full mock as a baseline, untimed if you need to.
- Weeks 2 to 8: one or two systems a week: read short notes, then answer topic questions the same day.
- Weeks 9 to 12: full timed mocks, one or two a week, each followed by a day of review.
Our guide How many PLAB 1 mock exams should you do? explains how to time and review your mocks.
Common PLAB 1 mistakes
- Answering from the practice of your home country instead of current UK guidance.
- Reading the options before the scenario.
- Skipping professional and legal practice. It is part of the content map, and the GMC guidance behind it is short to learn.
How Kung Medics can help
PLAB 1 Pro gives you 2,449 original single best answer questions and five full mocks. The PLAB 1 Mock Bundle adds six full themed mocks. Take both with the PLAB 1 Complete bundle. For notes, see The Complete PLAB 1 and AKT Notes.
Kung Medics is an independent training provider. It is not part of, or endorsed by, the General Medical Council.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are in PLAB 1?
180 multiple choice questions in three hours, each with five answer options, according to the GMC on 13 November 2026.
What does PLAB 1 test?
How you apply knowledge to patient care at the level of an F2 doctor, following current UK best practice.
What should I revise for PLAB 1?
Use the Medical Licensing Assessment content map as your checklist and learn current UK practice from NICE guidance and the GMC's Good medical practice.
How long should I revise for PLAB 1?
Many candidates plan about 12 weeks: topic revision first, then regular full timed mocks in the last four weeks.
Is Kung Medics part of the GMC?
No. Kung Medics is an independent training provider and is not part of, or endorsed by, the General Medical Council.