The CPSA tests what you can do with patients, not just what you know. It is made of timed stations, each focused on a clinical or professional task. Your medical school designs and runs it within GMC requirements, so ask yours how it is set out.
Kinds of station you may meet
| Station type | What it tests |
|---|---|
| History taking | Gathering a focused history and showing empathy |
| Examination | A safe, logical examination and what you find |
| Procedure or skill | Practical skills done safely, with consent and hygiene |
| Explaining and communication | Explaining a diagnosis, plan or risk in plain English |
| Data and prescribing | Interpreting results and prescribing or managing safely |
| Professionalism and ethics | Consent, capacity, confidentiality and raising concerns |
How stations are usually marked
- Marks usually reward clinical content, communication and professional behaviour together. Your school publishes its own criteria.
- Safety matters: a missed red flag or an unsafe action can cost you the station.
- Look at your school’s mark sheets to see what an examiner will tick.
How to practise
- Practise each routine aloud, with a partner, to time.
- Learn an opening: introduce yourself, confirm identity, gain consent.
- Record yourself and watch it back.
- Ask a partner to be a difficult patient: anxious, angry or confused.
Quick answers
- What is the CPSA?
- The Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment is the practical part of the UKMLA, made up of timed stations run by each medical school.
- Who marks the CPSA?
- Your medical school designs, runs and marks it within GMC requirements. Ask your assessment office for its marking criteria.
- How do I prepare for CPSA stations?
- Practise aloud with a partner and to time, learn a routine for each station type, and get feedback on your communication.
- Do international graduates sit the CPSA?
- Not as such. PLAB 2 is the stations-based exam for most international graduates and is built on the same content map.
General education, reviewed 27 October 2026. Guidance changes: confirm with the official sources. Not medical, legal or immigration advice.