Prepare in four moves
- Use the content map as your checklist.
- Do mixed-topic question blocks every week.
- Review every wrong answer in one line.
- Sit a full timed paper before the real one.
On the day
- Read the whole stem, then the options.
- Pick the best answer, not just a true one.
- Flag and move on; return with time left.
Three sample questions
Original practice questions in the AKT style. Choose an answer, then read why. They are not GMC questions and do not predict your exam.
A 65-year-old man has sudden, severe, tearing chest pain that radiates to his back. His blood pressure is 180/100 mmHg in the right arm and 140/80 mmHg in the left. A chest X-ray shows a widened mediastinum. He is haemodynamically stable. What is the most appropriate next investigation?
Show the answer and explanation
Best answer: A. CT angiography of the thoracic aorta
The tearing pain, differing arm pressures and widened mediastinum point to acute aortic dissection. In a stable patient the investigation of choice is urgent CT angiography of the aorta. A D-dimer is not used to exclude dissection when suspicion is high, an exercise test is dangerous, and discharge or delayed imaging risks death.
Exam point: Recognise the red flags, then choose the fastest definitive test.
A 72-year-old woman with atrial fibrillation is stable on warfarin. She is given a course of clarithromycin for a chest infection. What is the most likely effect on her warfarin?
Show the answer and explanation
Best answer: A. Increased INR and a higher risk of bleeding
Clarithromycin inhibits the liver enzymes that clear warfarin, so the INR rises and bleeding risk increases. Check the BNF for interactions whenever you add a drug, and arrange an early INR.
Exam point: Prescribing questions reward checking interactions before you prescribe.
As a final-year student on placement you notice the registrar smells strongly of alcohol before starting a clinic. What is the most appropriate action?
Show the answer and explanation
Best answer: A. Raise your concern promptly with a senior colleague or your clinical supervisor, following local policy
Patient safety comes first. Good medical practice expects doctors, and students, to raise concerns promptly through the proper route. Public confrontation or social media breaches professionalism, and waiting could harm patients.
Exam point: When safety is at risk, act early and use the proper channel.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the AKT the same for every student?
The test is set centrally by the GMC, so the standard is common. Your medical school arranges the sitting.
Can I see past papers?
The GMC and Medical Schools Council publish sample material. Real questions are confidential and must not be shared.
Do international graduates sit it?
Not yet: they currently sit PLAB 1, which is aligned with it. Watch the GMC for any change.
How should I use question banks?
Use them for mixed, timed practice, then read every explanation. Check anything surprising against NICE or the BNF, because banks vary in quality.
How long should I revise for?
It depends on you and your course. Many students find steady weekly practice over several months more effective than a short burst. Ask your school what it advises.
What if I am ill on the day?
Contact your school at once. Rules on illness and mitigating circumstances are set locally, so do not wait until after the exam.
Keep going
- UKMLA AKT questions: what to expect · What UKMLA AKT questions look like: single best answer format, how a stem is built, a method for answering, and common traps to avoid.
- UKMLA pass mark: how it is set · There is no single percentage that passes the UKMLA AKT. See how the pass mark is set, what it means for revision and where the GMC explains it.
- Question banks and practice · How to choose and use practice questions well.
- UKMLA revision plan: a 12-week timetable · A realistic 12-week UKMLA revision plan: week-by-week focus, how to fit it around placements, and how to check you are on track for the AKT and CPSA.
- Recommended books
- The step-by-step guide to the AKT
- Discuss it in the community
General education, reviewed 27 October 2026. Formats and rules change: confirm with the GMC and your medical school. Sample material is our own and is not from the GMC.