Updated MLA content map (applies from September 2026)

The purpose of the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) is to make sure that doctors seeking registration with a licence to practise medicine in the UK have met a threshold for safe practice that is appropriate to their point of entry to the medical register.

The MLA content map sets out the core knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for UK practice as a doctor.

The MLA has two components: an applied knowledge test (AKT) and a clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA). Through these, candidates can demonstrate their readiness for safe practice and their ability to manage uncertainty and deliver patient-centred care.

The content map provides the framework for the content of the AKT and CPSA. It is annexed to – and forms part of – Assuring readiness for practice: a framework for the MLA.

In October 2025, we published an updated content map in both English and Welsh, along with a 'You said, we did' summary, outlining key feedback themes and resulting updates from the original 2019 version. The original map remains the reference for exams and assessments sat up to and including August 2026, while the updated version displayed here applies to all MLA exams and assessments from September 2026 onwards.

We've published the updated map now to support preparation for this transition and to help candidates begin using it for revision ahead of future assessments.