About the Healthcare Entry Exams tests
~8 min read · Updated April 2026
Practice for healthcare admissions and registration — UCAT, OET and PLAB 1, plus BMAT legacy biomedical admissions-style practice.
Our free healthcare entry mocks mirror the official UCAT subtests, OET medicine sub-tests and PLAB 1 single-best-answer format — UK English, NICE-aligned scenarios and current syllabuses. Practice is the only proven lever for these tests; raw IQ matters far less than exam familiarity.
What the tests actually involve
UCAT now has three cognitive subtests — Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning — plus Situational Judgement. Abstract Reasoning was removed from the test from 2025. The cognitive subtests return scaled scores (300–900 each); SJT is reported as a band (1 to 4). The full sitting runs around two hours at Pearson VUE.
OET (Healthcare English) is a four-skill test (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) lasting around three hours. The Writing and Speaking sub-tests are profession-specific — doctors write referral letters, nurses write discharge summaries.
PLAB 1 is a 180-question single-best-answer paper sat over three hours at British Council centres worldwide and at Pearson VUE in the UK. The pass mark is set per sitting using a modified Angoff method, typically around 60–65%.
What's covered
UCAT Verbal Reasoning tests reading speed and inference; Quantitative Reasoning tests data interpretation under time pressure; Decision Making tests logical and probabilistic thinking; Situational Judgement tests professional dilemmas mapped to GMC Good Medical Practice. (Abstract Reasoning was withdrawn from 2025 and is no longer part of UCAT.)
OET Medicine covers clinical conversations, patient information leaflets, medical case notes and clinician-to-clinician referrals.
PLAB 1 covers the full UK medical curriculum: cardiology, respiratory, gastroenterology, endocrinology, neurology, paediatrics, obstetrics & gynaecology, psychiatry, ethics and prescribing, all aligned to NICE / BNF guidance.
How to study and pass first time
For UCAT, drill timing first and content second. Most candidates can answer Verbal Reasoning correctly given enough time — the test is whether you can do it in 22 seconds per question.
For OET, practise writing referral letters under a 45-minute timer. Candidates fail Writing more often than Listening, Reading or Speaking, almost always due to running out of time.
For PLAB 1, work through the official GMC sample questions and a full bank like Plabable or Pastest. Anchor every answer in NICE guidance and the BNF — the GMC tests UK practice, not your home country's protocols.
Common mistakes to avoid
On UCAT, treating SJT like a personality test. The 'right' answer is the one that protects the patient first and the team second; pick the textbook professional response, not the diplomatic one.
On OET Writing, exceeding the 180–200 word target on referral letters. Examiners penalise wordy letters even when the clinical content is correct.
On PLAB 1, applying non-UK first-line treatments. If NICE says paracetamol first, choose paracetamol — even if your training elsewhere taught otherwise.
Why active practice testing works
These exams are speed tests as much as knowledge tests. Mocks build the timing reflexes that no amount of textbook reading can.
PLAB fees change regularly. From 1 April 2026, the GMC lists PLAB 1 at £283 and PLAB 2 at £1,036, but candidates should always check the official GMC fees page before booking.
Booking and what to expect
UCAT books through the official Pearson VUE UCAT site between June and September each year. OET books through occupationalenglishtest.org with monthly sittings. PLAB 1 books through the GMC online services portal.
On the day, bring photo ID matching the booking, arrive 30 minutes early and expect a strict no-phones policy. UCAT and PLAB 1 are computer-based; OET Speaking is delivered face-to-face or by video call.