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Exam fundamentals22 min read·

UKMLA Exam Structure: AKT vs CPSA Explained

A granular walkthrough of UKMLA's two components — AKT question anatomy, CPSA station types, UK school vs IMG centralised CPSA differences, scoring mechanics, and the end-to-end timeline.

Most UKMLA guides describe the exam structure in a paragraph and move on. That's a problem — because the structure of an assessment tells you everything about how to prepare for it. Know how AKT questions are shaped and you write better flashcards. Understand how CPSA marking works and you practise the right behaviours. Confuse the two and you waste months.

This post is the detailed structural walkthrough of the UK Medical Licensing Assessment (UKMLA) — its two components, the way each is delivered, the key differences between how UK students and IMGs sit CPSA, the scoring mechanics, and the end-to-end timeline. If you've read What is UKMLA?, this is the deeper layer.

By the end you'll be able to picture the exam as clearly as if you'd sat it.

Table of contents

  1. Two-part assessment: the high-level map
  2. The Applied Knowledge Test (AKT): purpose and shape
  3. AKT question anatomy: scenario, lead-in, five options
  4. AKT platform and technical setup
  5. AKT domains: clinical, professional, behaviours
  6. AKT scoring mechanics
  7. AKT: UK student vs IMG differences
  8. The Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment (CPSA): what it actually is
  9. CPSA station types, explained
  10. UK med-school CPSA vs IMG centralised CPSA
  11. Anonymised station examples
  12. CPSA marking: checklists and global scores
  13. The CPSA pass threshold
  14. AKT → CPSA sequencing rules
  15. End-to-end exam timeline
  16. FAQ

1. Two-part assessment: the high-level map

The UKMLA is a two-component assessment. You pass both to meet the GMC's licensing standard:

  • The Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) — a written, computer-based examination of clinical knowledge, reasoning and professionalism.
  • The Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment (CPSA) — an OSCE-style practical examination of clinical skills, communication and applied professionalism.

Both are benchmarked against the same UKMLA content map — the 430-condition, 212-presentation blueprint the GMC publishes and updates. The distinction between AKT and CPSA isn't what you're tested on; it's how.

A useful mental model:

  • AKT tests recognition, reasoning and decision-making under time pressure. Can you identify what's wrong with this patient, what the next best investigation is, what the first-line management is? Answer 200 of these in one day.
  • CPSA tests enactment. Can you actually take the history, examine the patient, communicate the diagnosis, handle the ethical dilemma — in real time, with a real (simulated) patient, under examiner observation?

AKT is the head. CPSA is the hands and the heart. You need both.

2. The Applied Knowledge Test (AKT): purpose and shape

Purpose. The AKT assesses the clinical knowledge, reasoning and professional judgement that every newly-registered UK doctor is expected to demonstrate. It samples across the full content map — you can't predict which specialties will dominate a given sitting, so systematic coverage is the only reliable strategy.

Shape.

  • 200 single-best-answer (SBA) questions, delivered as two papers of 100 questions each.
  • Each paper is typically 100 minutes, giving roughly 60 seconds per SBA including re-reads and flagging. There's a scheduled break between papers.
  • Computer-based delivery. You sit at a workstation; questions appear one per screen; you click your answer and move on. You can flag, skip, return, review — the platform supports navigation.
  • No negative marking. Every attempted question scores either 1 (correct) or 0 (wrong or unanswered). Always answer every question; never leave one blank.

Timing in the calendar year. UK students sit AKT during their medical school's final-year assessment windows, typically between late autumn and early spring. IMGs sit AKT on a rolling worldwide schedule through Pearson VUE centres, with multiple sittings per year.

3. AKT question anatomy: scenario, lead-in, five options

The shape of a UKMLA AKT question is rigorously standardised. If you're coming from a US medical system, the format will feel familiar; if you're coming from an older UK finals format with essay or short-answer components, you'll want to internalise the SBA shape early.

A standard AKT question has three parts:

Part 1 — Clinical scenario (the "stem"). Three to six sentences describing a patient encounter. Typically includes demographics, presenting complaint, relevant history, examination findings, and key investigations. Written in a spare, clinical register — every word tends to matter.

Example stem: A 62-year-old man presents to the Emergency Department with 45 minutes of central crushing chest pain radiating to his left arm. He has a history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes. On examination he appears diaphoretic and anxious. Heart rate is 102 beats per minute, blood pressure 148/92 mmHg, oxygen saturations 96% on room air. An ECG shows 3 mm ST elevation in leads V1–V4.

Part 2 — Lead-in question. A single sentence asking the specific question the examiners want you to answer.

Example lead-in: What is the most appropriate immediate management?

Part 3 — Five answer options (A–E). Five possible answers, listed in a defined order (often alphabetical or clinically logical). Exactly one is the best answer; others may be plausible but are less correct.

Example options: A. Aspirin 300 mg orally B. Aspirin 300 mg orally plus primary percutaneous coronary intervention C. Intravenous morphine D. Intravenous streptokinase E. Oral bisoprolol

The discipline of SBA is reading the stem, identifying the signal, and choosing the best — not the first plausible — answer. Here, option B captures both the acute antiplatelet action and the definitive reperfusion pathway current UK practice demands for STEMI.

A sustainable exam-technique habit: read the lead-in before the stem. You'll focus on signal over noise, and you'll flag the distracting details faster.

See this in action. The 25-question free diagnostic on MLA Prep uses identical AKT structure — three-part anatomy, five options, NICE-aligned answers. Take the free diagnostic →

4. AKT platform and technical setup

The AKT is delivered on a standardised computer testing platform. For IMGs it's typically Pearson VUE, which most candidates encounter on exam day in a Pearson VUE centre. UK medical schools run AKT on local workstations configured to the same blueprint; the exact software may vary by school but the interface is deliberately simple and familiar.

What the interface looks like:

  • One question per screen. Stem at the top, five options below.
  • Question navigator in a sidebar or dropdown: lets you jump between questions, review flagged items, see which you've completed.
  • Flag button on each question: tag items to return to before submitting.
  • Countdown timer: visible in the corner; updates live.
  • End-of-paper review: you can usually sweep back through flagged and unanswered items in the final minutes.

On exam day, expect:

  • Arrival 60 minutes before start time.
  • ID check against your GMC application.
  • Lockers for phones and personal items.
  • Scratch paper or a whiteboard (policies vary by centre).
  • Between-paper break with food and water available.

Technical tips worth practising in advance:

  • Get used to reading long stems on screen, not paper. Scrolling fatigues you differently.
  • Don't highlight or take notes unless the platform explicitly permits — policies vary.
  • Navigate via keyboard shortcuts where available; it's faster than mouse-clicking through 200 items.
  • Full-length mocks on your prep platform (MLA Prep, Passmedicine, Quesmed, etc.) should replicate the on-screen format so exam day feels familiar rather than foreign.

5. AKT domains: clinical, professional, behaviours

The GMC maps every AKT question to one of three overarching themes, with clinical content dominating but professional and behavioural items appearing throughout.

Theme 1 — Readiness for safe practice. Clinical knowledge across every specialty domain. Diagnostic reasoning, investigation selection, management choices, risk stratification, prescribing. Roughly 85–90% of AKT items draw from this theme.

Theme 2 — Managing uncertainty. Decision-making under incomplete information. Recognising red flags. Deciding when to escalate, when to observe, when to investigate further. A smaller but distinct slice of items — roughly 5–10% — test this explicitly, and many clinical items embed managing-uncertainty as a secondary assessment.

Theme 3 — Person-centred care. Ethics, consent, capacity, shared decision-making, professionalism, communication under exam conditions. Roughly 5–10% of AKT items are explicitly professional, and professional reasoning often frames clinical items too.

Specialty mix within the clinical theme broadly follows the content map weighting:

  • Medicine (cardio, respiratory, gastro, renal, endocrine, neurology, infectious disease, haematology, rheum, dermatology): the largest chunk, often 45–55% of clinical items.
  • Surgery and emergency (general, trauma, acute abdomen, pain, peri-operative care): 10–15%.
  • Women's and children's health (O&G, paediatrics): 10–15%.
  • Psychiatry and mental health: 5–10%.
  • Public health, population health, GP-relevant topics (immunisation, screening, chronic disease management): 10–15%.
  • Radiology, pathology, perioperative, prescribing-pharmacology: distributed across items rather than a standalone block.

The practical point: no specialty is safe to skip. A 10% presence of psychiatry in your mocks is still 20 questions out of 200 on exam day. Our content map guide breaks the full weighting down with priorities.

6. AKT scoring mechanics

The AKT uses the modified Angoff method for standard setting — the same approach applied across most high-stakes medical assessments in the UK.

Here's how it works, in plain terms:

  1. Before each sitting, the GMC convenes a panel of experienced UK clinicians covering every specialty in the content map.
  2. Panellists review every AKT item and estimate the probability that a "minimally competent" candidate — someone just barely deserving to be licensed — would answer correctly.
  3. The panellists' estimates are averaged to produce an expected-score-for-minimum-competence. This becomes the pass mark for that sitting.
  4. The pass mark varies slightly across sittings (typically within a band of 60–70% correct), reflecting differences in item difficulty. The standard of competence is held constant; the raw mark isn't.

What this means for you:

  • The pass mark isn't published before the sitting. Don't ask "what mark do I need?" — the honest answer is "the mark that represents competence on your specific paper."
  • Aim for 75–80% on full-length mocks to give yourself a comfort margin. Candidates consistently scoring 70%+ on realistic mocks typically pass comfortably; scores below 65% signal the need for more preparation.
  • No negative marking. Always answer every question; there's no downside to guessing.
  • Your Q-bank accuracy is a reasonable proxy for your exam performance, provided your Q-bank is content-map-aligned and the questions match exam difficulty. Our deep dive on pass marks explains the Angoff method in full.

7. AKT: UK student vs IMG differences

Although the AKT blueprint is identical for UK students and IMGs, the delivery differs in a few practical ways.

UK students:

  • Sit AKT at their medical school, on workstations set up for the exam.
  • AKT is a component of final-year assessment; the rest of the degree (coursework, placements, OSCEs) continues alongside.
  • The specific sitting window is set by the school within the GMC's overall schedule.
  • No direct fee — the exam is part of your tuition.
  • Results feed into your final degree classification via your school's internal marking, plus contribute to your UKMLA pass.

IMGs:

  • Sit AKT at Pearson VUE centres worldwide.
  • AKT is called PLAB 1 for administrative purposes but is standard-set identically to the UK student AKT.
  • Multiple sittings per year; you choose a date and centre.
  • Fee: approximately £255 (2026 rates; confirm on the GMC website).
  • Pass is a prerequisite for CPSA booking.

Practical implications for preparation:

  • UK students often benefit from their school's internal mock exam schedule — use it.
  • IMGs must self-structure their mock cadence; at least two full-length timed mocks in the four weeks before your sitting is the minimum.
  • Both groups benefit from the same study resources: content-map-aligned Q-bank, NICE/BNF familiarity, active recall. See our Q-bank showdown for specifics.

8. The Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment (CPSA): what it actually is

The CPSA is the practical half of UKMLA. It's an OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) — a format UK medical education has used for decades.

Core structure:

  • A fixed number of stations (typically 18 for IMG CPSA; UK schools vary around 16–20).
  • Each station is 8–10 minutes long (some practical stations are shorter, some communication stations longer).
  • Short reset intervals between stations — usually 1–2 minutes to read the next brief and transition.
  • A mix of simulated patients (trained actors) and mannequins depending on station type.
  • Observing examiners at each station who score you against a defined marking scheme.
  • Real-time, continuous assessment — you rotate through all stations in a single sitting (typically half a day).

What CPSA actually tests:

  • Communication (with patients, families, colleagues, under stress).
  • History taking (focused, comprehensive, sensitive).
  • Physical examination (systems-specific, appropriate, professional).
  • Practical skills (clinical procedures within the scope of newly-registered practice).
  • Data interpretation (ECGs, ABGs, CXRs, bloods, under time pressure).
  • Ethics, consent, capacity (UK-specific frameworks — Mental Capacity Act, GMC Good Medical Practice).
  • Professionalism (handling complaints, escalating concerns, breaking bad news).

What CPSA does NOT test:

  • Knowledge you can't apply in real time. If a condition doesn't come up in a station, you won't be asked about it.
  • Rare procedures (arterial lines, chest drains) outside newly-registered scope.
  • Management of patients in specialties beyond the GMC licensing blueprint.

9. CPSA station types, explained

A typical CPSA session samples across six station archetypes. You won't get every archetype in a single sitting, but across your 18 stations you'll see most of them represented.

History-taking stations.

  • Task: take a focused or comprehensive history from a simulated patient in 8–10 minutes.
  • What examiners look for: structured approach (presenting complaint, HPC, PMH, DH, SH, FH, ICE), empathy, red-flag screening, summarising, appropriate next steps.
  • Example: a 40-year-old presenting with fatigue; identify the likely diagnosis via history alone.

Focused examination stations.

  • Task: perform a system-specific examination (cardiovascular, respiratory, abdominal, cranial nerves, peripheral nervous system, etc.) on a simulated patient.
  • What examiners look for: correct sequence, appropriate technique, interpretation of findings, communication with the patient during the examination, professional handling.
  • Example: cardiovascular examination of a simulated patient with aortic stenosis signs.

Communication stations.

  • Task: a specific communication challenge — breaking bad news, explaining a diagnosis, consenting for a procedure, managing an angry patient, handling a complaint.
  • What examiners look for: structured framework (Calgary-Cambridge, SPIKES for bad news), empathy, pacing, patient-centred language, handling emotional escalation.
  • Example: explain a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes to a 55-year-old and negotiate a management plan.

Practical skills stations.

  • Task: perform a specific clinical skill on a mannequin or model — blood pressure measurement, venepuncture, ECG placement, peak flow assessment, PPE donning and doffing.
  • What examiners look for: correct technique, safety (infection control, sharps disposal), patient communication, professional attitude.
  • Example: obtain consent for and perform venepuncture on a mannequin arm.

Data interpretation stations.

  • Task: interpret an ECG, ABG, CXR, blood panel or imaging study; explain findings to an examiner or simulated patient; decide next management.
  • What examiners look for: structured reading approach, correct identification of abnormalities, appropriate management plan, clear communication.
  • Example: interpret a 12-lead ECG showing anterior STEMI and explain management.

Ethics, consent and capacity stations.

  • Task: handle an ethical or legal scenario — capacity assessment, refusal of treatment, safeguarding concern, confidentiality breach.
  • What examiners look for: application of UK frameworks (MCA 2005, Gillick competence, GMC Good Medical Practice), balanced reasoning, appropriate escalation.
  • Example: assess capacity in a patient refusing life-saving treatment.

A single CPSA session typically balances these six archetypes so no candidate faces only one type. Preparation should follow suit — practise across all categories rather than over-investing in your strongest area.

10. UK med-school CPSA vs IMG centralised CPSA

Here's the structural difference most UKMLA guides skim over — and it matters for preparation.

UK medical school CPSA:

  • Delivered within each UK school's own OSCE programme.
  • Station count and timing vary by school — most run 16–20 stations, typically 8–10 minutes each.
  • Stations are written, delivered and scored by the school, with standardisation panels ensuring UKMLA blueprint alignment.
  • Simulated patients are typically school-based SP programmes (actors trained by the medical school).
  • Results are calibrated against the UKMLA pass standard using the GMC's standard-setting methodology.

IMG centralised CPSA:

  • Delivered at the GMC Clinical Assessment Centre in Manchester — the single UK location for all IMG CPSA sittings.
  • Exactly 18 stations, standardised across every candidate.
  • Stations are written and validated by GMC's central assessment team, not decentralised.
  • Simulated patients are GMC-trained, with high inter-rater reliability.
  • All candidates globally sit the same station bank in a given window — making the IMG CPSA more rigidly comparable than UK school variants.

Why the variation exists: UK medical schools have run OSCEs for 30+ years. The GMC's UKMLA framework accepts this mature infrastructure rather than centralising everything. For IMGs, there's no equivalent pre-existing infrastructure, so centralised delivery in Manchester is the cleanest solution.

What this means for preparation:

  • UK students should lean heavily on their school's OSCE materials — past station packs, peer practice against the school's SP pool, faculty-led mock OSCEs. Your school's blueprint is the most accurate signal for your exam.
  • IMGs should lean on Manchester-aligned mock-CPSA courses, CPSA-focused preparation, and peer groups specifically practising the 18-station format. Local revision courses in Manchester often run mock CPSA days specifically calibrated to the GMC blueprint.

Both paths lead to the same pass threshold; just the texture of preparation differs.

11. Anonymised station examples

Here are three anonymised station examples based on common CPSA patterns. These are composite illustrations — not leaked material — and are intended to help you picture the station texture.

Example station 1 — History taking. Brief: You are an F1 in general practice. Mrs. H, 38, has booked an urgent appointment with "headaches that won't go away." Take a focused history and summarise to the examiner at 7 minutes. What's being assessed: structured history, red-flag screening (SAH, raised ICP, meningitis, temporal arteritis), ICE elicitation, appropriate summary. Top scorers: take a clear HPC, screen each red-flag category methodically, use open questions early and closed questions later, summarise in structured format, flag next investigations.

Example station 2 — Focused examination with communication. Brief: Mr. J, 58, has been referred for assessment of shortness of breath. Perform a focused respiratory examination and explain your findings to him at the end. What's being assessed: sequence (inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation), appropriate exposure and positioning, draping/modesty, findings interpretation, patient-friendly explanation. Top scorers: follow a consistent sequence, verbalise findings as you go, use lay language in the final explanation, check patient understanding, identify next steps.

Example station 3 — Ethics and capacity. Brief: Mrs. K, 72, is in ED with a hip fracture. She is refusing surgery. Assess her capacity to make this decision and explain your reasoning. What's being assessed: application of the four-stage Mental Capacity Act test (understand, retain, weigh, communicate), appropriate communication during assessment, clear articulation of capacity conclusion, appropriate escalation. Top scorers: systematically cover all four MCA stages, use direct patient questions, maintain respect throughout, state a clear capacity conclusion, identify who else to involve (next of kin, best interests process).

12. CPSA marking: checklists and global scores

Each CPSA station scores on two dimensions:

Dimension 1 — The station-specific checklist. A list of key components the examiner expects to see — typically 15–25 items per station. Examples:

  • "Introduces self and checks patient identity."
  • "Gains consent for examination."
  • "Uses appropriate patient-centred language."
  • "Identifies red flags appropriately."
  • "Provides a structured summary."
  • "Discusses next steps."

You're scored against each item (usually tick / partial credit / not done). The checklist typically contributes 60–70% of the station mark.

Dimension 2 — The global performance rating. A holistic examiner judgement: "Overall, was this candidate safe, competent and professional in this station?" Scored on a scale (e.g., fail / borderline / pass / good pass / excellent pass). The global rating contributes 30–40% of the station mark and can pull a candidate up or down relative to their checklist score.

What this dual-scoring means in practice:

  • Mechanical checklist-ticking alone doesn't pass you — you also need to come across as a safe, competent doctor in the global rating.
  • Missing a few checklist items but handling the station with clear professionalism and empathy often still passes.
  • Ticking every checklist box while being wooden, unempathetic or rushed can fail you via global rating.

The examiner isn't just watching you perform a skill; they're evaluating whether you'd be safe to register as a doctor.

13. The CPSA pass threshold

CPSA uses a combined-stations approach: you don't have to pass every station to pass CPSA, but your aggregate performance across all stations must clear the standard-set threshold.

Mechanics:

  • Each station contributes a station mark (0 to full score).
  • Station marks are aggregated into a total CPSA score.
  • The aggregate threshold is set using standard-setting methodology (borderline regression across candidates and examiner judgement).
  • Candidates above threshold pass; below threshold fail and re-sit.

Practical implications:

  • A catastrophic failure on one or two stations can still be recoverable if other stations are strong.
  • Consistent borderline performance across many stations often fails (the aggregate misses the bar).
  • Focus preparation on evening out weak-area performance rather than perfecting one strength.

Per-station reporting: After CPSA, candidates receive a breakdown by station domain (history, examination, communication, data interpretation, etc.). This is gold for retake planning if needed — target your weakest domain first.

14. AKT → CPSA sequencing rules

The UKMLA components follow a defined sequence.

Rule 1 — AKT before CPSA. You must pass AKT before you can book CPSA. This applies to both UK students and IMGs. Some UK schools overlap the preparation windows (AKT in autumn, CPSA in spring), but the booking of CPSA is contingent on AKT pass.

Rule 2 — AKT pass validity window. Once you pass AKT, you have two years (24 months) to pass CPSA. If you don't sit or pass CPSA within the window, your AKT pass expires and you must re-sit AKT.

Rule 3 — Retake attempts. Up to four attempts at each component under current GMC rules. UK medical schools may set their own within-programme retake rules (usually two attempts per year, with remediation between). For IMGs, attempts count sequentially toward the four-attempt limit.

Rule 4 — Deferral. Genuine reasons (illness, bereavement, family emergency) allow deferral through your medical school (UK) or GMC (IMG). Documentation is required. A deferral doesn't count as an attempt.

Rule 5 — Reasonable adjustments. Disability and long-term health conditions can trigger reasonable adjustments (extra time, rest breaks, modified format). Apply early — adjustments need several weeks of lead time.

15. End-to-end exam timeline

A representative timeline for each cohort:

UK medical student.

  • Year 4/5 (or equivalent pre-final year): systematic content-map coverage begins; Q-bank subscription activated; OSCE skills practised during placements.
  • Final year, term 1: mock AKT papers increase in frequency; structured 12-week study plan engages.
  • Final year, AKT window (typically Oct–Mar): sit AKT via medical school.
  • Final year, CPSA window (typically Jan–May): sit CPSA via medical school.
  • Results released alongside finals results in late spring/early summer.
  • Graduation, provisional registration, F1 starts August.

IMG candidate.

  • Month 1: English language testing, document gathering.
  • Month 2–3: GMC submission, document verification.
  • Month 3–5: AKT preparation; verification completes.
  • Month 5: AKT booking at earliest Pearson VUE slot.
  • Month 5–6: AKT sitting; 4–6 weeks for results.
  • Month 6–7: CPSA booking in Manchester; wait 2–6 months for slot.
  • Month 7–9: CPSA preparation including Manchester mock days.
  • Month 9–10: CPSA sitting in Manchester; 4 weeks for results.
  • Month 10–12: GMC registration finalised; UK job applications and F2/trust-grade starts.

For a compressed last-minute route, our 4-week intensive plan covers the realities.

Both timelines are published broadly — check current GMC and your medical school's current schedule before relying on specific dates. The UKMLA exam dates 2026 post tracks the up-to-date sitting windows.

16. FAQ

Q. Can I sit AKT and CPSA in the same week? For IMGs, effectively no — CPSA requires an AKT pass confirmation, which takes 4–6 weeks. For UK students, yes — some schools align AKT and CPSA components within the same final-year assessment window.

Q. What format is the AKT — paper or computer? Computer-based for both UK students and IMGs. No paper papers.

Q. How many answer options does an AKT question have? Five (A–E). Always five, never fewer, never more.

Q. Is there negative marking? No. Every attempted question scores 0 or 1; unanswered scores 0. Answer every question.

Q. How many stations in CPSA? For IMGs: exactly 18. For UK students: varies by medical school, typically 16–20.

Q. Are all CPSA stations the same length? Mostly yes — 8–10 minutes each. Some schools run shorter practical stations (e.g., 5 minutes) or longer communication stations (e.g., 12 minutes). IMG CPSA is more uniform.

Q. Do I see a real patient or an actor? Actor (simulated patient) for history, communication, examination, ethics stations. Mannequin for practical skills. Sometimes both within a single station.

Q. Can I take notes during CPSA stations? Usually yes — the station brief is often accompanied by a notepaper allowance. Check each station's specific instructions; some data-interpretation stations encourage annotation, others don't.

Q. Are AKT questions the same for UK students and IMGs? The item bank is standard-set against the identical UKMLA blueprint, but individual sittings may draw different questions. The standard is the same; the specific paper varies across sittings.

Q. Can I bring a calculator to AKT? The exam platform usually provides an on-screen calculator for relevant items. External calculators are not permitted.

Q. What happens if I fail one station in CPSA? Nothing immediately — a single station failure doesn't automatically fail CPSA. Your aggregate score across all stations determines the pass/fail decision.

Q. Can I take breaks during CPSA? Between stations, you get 1–2 minutes to reset and read the next brief. There's typically a longer mid-session break (10–15 minutes) in a half-day CPSA, but during stations you stay on-task.

Q. What should I wear to CPSA? Smart clinical attire — closed shoes, tidy hair, no loose jewellery, nothing that impedes examination. Dress as you would for a UK hospital ward round. No scrubs unless explicitly stated.

Q. Can I retake individual stations? No. You retake the full CPSA sitting. If you fail a retake, the combined station bank will differ from your original sitting.


See the exam structure in action. Take MLA Prep's free 25-question UKMLA diagnostic — identical AKT format, NICE-aligned explanations, instant domain-by-domain breakdown. No credit card required. Start the diagnostic →

The UKMLA structure rewards candidates who understand it before they prepare. AKT is a 200-SBA, computer-based knowledge test where the clinical reasoning is structured, the scoring is standardised, and the preparation is about disciplined content-map coverage. CPSA is an 18-station (or 16–20 for UK schools) OSCE where the testing is about enactment — can you actually do the job? — and preparation is about deliberate practice with feedback.

You now know the shape. The next question is how to fill it.


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