PLAB 1 Most Important Topics 2026
Which PLAB 1 chapters are worth the most marks, ranked from the General Medical Council (UK) subject weightage for PLAB 1 and, where the same chapters appear on papers TestUstad has counted, from the distribution measured across those papers. Every subject page below states exactly which of the two it used.
Start at the top and work down. Every chapter here links to free PLAB 1 MCQs with a written explanation on every answer, no fee and no account needed.
PLAB 1 most important topics by subject
The full ranked chapter list for each subject on the PLAB 1 paper, with how the numbers for that subject were arrived at stated on the page.
PLAB 1 Pathology most important topics
8 chapters, 25 MCQs on the paper
Estimated from the official PLAB 1 syllabus weighting
Top 3: Haematology, Inflammation and Repair and Haemodynamic Disorders
PLAB 1 Pharmacology most important topics
8 chapters, 25 MCQs on the paper
Estimated from the official PLAB 1 syllabus weighting
Top 3: Antimicrobial Agents, Central Nervous System Drugs and General Pharmacology
PLAB 1 Physiology most important topics
9 chapters, 20 MCQs on the paper
Estimated from the official PLAB 1 syllabus weighting
Top 3: Blood and Immunity, Endocrine Physiology and Neurophysiology
PLAB 1 Microbiology most important topics
7 chapters, 15 MCQs on the paper
Estimated from the official PLAB 1 syllabus weighting
Top 3: Bacteriology, Immunology and Virology
PLAB 1 Biochemistry most important topics
8 chapters, 5 MCQs on the paper
Estimated from the official PLAB 1 syllabus weighting
Top 3: Vitamins and Minerals, Metabolism and Bioenergetics and Proteins and Amino Acids
PLAB 1 chapter weightage at a glance
PLAB 1 Pathology: 25 MCQs
All 8 chaptersEstimated from the official PLAB 1 syllabus weighting
| Chapter | Est. MCQs | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Haematology | 5.4 | Critical |
| Inflammation and Repair | 4.6 | Critical |
| Haemodynamic Disorders | 4.4 | Critical |
| Systemic Pathology | 3.4 | Important |
| Neoplasia | 2.9 | Important |
PLAB 1 Pharmacology: 25 MCQs
All 8 chaptersEstimated from the official PLAB 1 syllabus weighting
| Chapter | Est. MCQs | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobial Agents | 7.6 | Critical |
| Central Nervous System Drugs | 5.6 | Critical |
| General Pharmacology | 4.3 | Important |
| Cardiovascular Drugs | 2.9 | Important |
| Autonomic Pharmacology | 2.5 | Standard |
PLAB 1 Physiology: 20 MCQs
All 9 chaptersEstimated from the official PLAB 1 syllabus weighting
| Chapter | Est. MCQs | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Blood and Immunity | 3.7 | Critical |
| Endocrine Physiology | 3.4 | Critical |
| Neurophysiology | 2.9 | Critical |
| Respiratory Physiology | 2.1 | Important |
| Gastrointestinal Physiology | 2.0 | Important |
PLAB 1 Microbiology: 15 MCQs
All 7 chaptersEstimated from the official PLAB 1 syllabus weighting
| Chapter | Est. MCQs | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Bacteriology | 5.5 | Critical |
| Immunology | 3.0 | Critical |
| Virology | 2.8 | Important |
| Infection Control and Sterilisation | 1.3 | Standard |
| Parasitology | 1.1 | Standard |
PLAB 1 Biochemistry: 5 MCQs
All 8 chaptersEstimated from the official PLAB 1 syllabus weighting
| Chapter | Est. MCQs | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamins and Minerals | 1.0 | Critical |
| Metabolism and Bioenergetics | 0.9 | Critical |
| Proteins and Amino Acids | 0.7 | Critical |
| Lipids | 0.7 | Important |
| Clinical Biochemistry | 0.5 | Important |
PLAB 1 most important topics: frequently asked questions
Is it enough to study only the most important PLAB 1 topics?
No, and no honest ranking says otherwise. The top chapters on this page are where your first hours should go because they carry the most marks per hour, but PLAB 1 is a competitive exam decided by a few marks, and the chapters at the bottom of this table still appear on the paper every year. Use this order to decide what to do first and what to revise last, not what to skip.
Where do these PLAB 1 topic rankings come from?
TestUstad does not hold solved PLAB 1 past papers yet, and this page does not pretend otherwise. The ranking is built from the General Medical Council (UK) subject weightage for PLAB 1, combined, for subjects whose chapters are also examined by papers TestUstad has counted, with the chapter distribution measured across those papers. Each subject page states exactly which of the two applies to it.
How many MCQs is each PLAB 1 chapter worth?
Chapter by chapter, that is exactly what the tables on this page show.
Can I practise the most important PLAB 1 topics free?
Yes. Every chapter listed on this page links to free MCQs on TestUstad, with unlimited attempts, no daily limit, no card and no account needed to start. Each question carries a written explanation of why the correct option is correct, so a chapter you are weak in teaches you as you work through it.