what subjects are included in plab 1
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PLAB 1 exam subjects topics included 2025
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PLAB 1 subjects topics syllabus
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GMC PLAB 1 blueprint subjects clinical areas official
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PLAB 1 subjects clinical areas blueprint topics
Here's a comprehensive breakdown of all subjects covered in PLAB 1 (now aligned with the UKMLA Applied Knowledge Test / AKT):
PLAB 1 — Subjects & Clinical Areas
Core Clinical Specialties
| Subject | Key Topics |
|---|---|
| Medicine | Cardiology, respiratory, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, endocrinology, rheumatology, dermatology, infectious diseases, haematology |
| Surgery | General surgery, orthopaedics, urology, vascular surgery, surgical emergencies |
| Paediatrics | Child development, paediatric emergencies, neonatal conditions, common childhood illnesses |
| Obstetrics & Gynaecology | Antenatal/postnatal care, labour, gynaecological conditions, contraception, fertility |
| Psychiatry | Mental health disorders, psychopharmacology, Mental Health Act, suicide/self-harm |
| Emergency Medicine | Acute presentations, resuscitation, ABCDE approach, trauma |
Applied & Professional Knowledge Areas
| Subject | Details |
|---|---|
| Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics | Drug prescribing, interactions, adverse effects, pain management |
| Medical Ethics & Law | Consent, capacity, confidentiality, end-of-life care, GMC Good Medical Practice |
| Microbiology & Infection Control | Antibiotics, infection prevention, sepsis management |
| Clinical Imaging | Selecting appropriate investigations, interpreting common findings |
| Laboratory Haematology | Blood tests, transfusion medicine |
| Clinical Biochemistry | Interpreting biochemical results, chemical pathology |
| Genetics & Genomics | Principles relevant to clinical practice |
| Histopathology | Including cytology basics |
| Human Factors & Quality Improvement | Patient safety, audit, clinical governance |
| Allergy & Immunology | Including clinical physiology and pathology |
| Biomedical Sciences | Anatomy, physiology, pathology, science of ageing |
Cross-Cutting Themes
- Primary care — long-term condition management (diabetes, hypertension, COPD, etc.)
- Patient safety — prescribing errors, duty of candour
- Public health & epidemiology — screening, population health
- Communication & professionalism — GMC standards
Exam Format (Quick Reference)
- 180 SBA (Single Best Answer) MCQs — 3 hours
- Questions based on clinical scenarios, not pure fact recall
- Aligned to NICE guidelines and UK best practice
- Standard equivalent to a UK Foundation Year 2 (FY2) doctor
- Held 4 times a year by the GMC
How to Prepare
The GMC directs candidates to the MLA Content Map as the official blueprint — it lists every topic area examined. Standard resources include:
- Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine
- NICE guidelines
- Passmedicine / Plabkeys / Pastest question banks
- BNF (British National Formulary) for pharmacology
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