Clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA)
- Applied knowledge test (AKT)
- Clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA)
- Supporting medical schools
The clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA) is a performance-based assessment of clinical and professional skills, knowledge and behaviours. It's one of the two components of the MLA, alongside the applied knowledge test (AKT).
UK medical schools will set and deliver the CPSA for students in their penultimate or final year of study.
Our role is to quality assure these CPSAs against a set of requirements for quality, consistency and fairness.
CPSA requirements
The CPSA requirements, published in September 2019 and re-issued as an annex to the MLA framework in March 2021, specify the requirements that CPSAs must meet - evidenced by schools preparing a submission for us - for their CPSA to count towards a student's MLA.
The requirements were developed in collaboration with medical schools and with the support of independent assessment experts. Reports on both the engagement undertaken as part of their development and the subsequent pilot, can be viewed under CPSA downloads below.
To help support in the preparation of your CPSA submission, please use the additional information and guidance on creating, preparing and submitting a return, also available below.
Quality assuring your CPSA: deadlines and next steps
If medical schools have any questions, or would like further support, our team are happy to help. Please email us at: mla@gmc-uk.org.
