PLAB 1 Paper Pattern 2026
PLAB 1 is a paper of 100 MCQs to be attempted in 180 minutes, set by General Medical Council (UK), with no negative marking. It covers 6 subjects: Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Microbiology, General Anatomy and Biochemistry.
100
MCQs
on the paper
180
Minutes
total time
108
Seconds per MCQ
if paced evenly
No
Negative marking
guessing is free
PLAB 1 subject weightage 2026
How many MCQs each subject contributes to the PLAB 1 paper. This is the order to revise in. Pathology is worth 25 MCQs against Biochemistry's 5, so an hour spent fixing a weak chapter in Pathology is worth more marks than the same hour anywhere else on the paper.
- PLAB 1 Pathology25 MCQs · 25%
- PLAB 1 Pharmacology25 MCQs · 25%
- PLAB 1 Physiology20 MCQs · 20%
- PLAB 1 Microbiology15 MCQs · 15%
- PLAB 1 General Anatomy10 MCQs · 10%
- PLAB 1 Biochemistry5 MCQs · 5%
| Subject | MCQs | Share | Free MCQs here |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLAB 1 Pathology MCQs | 25 | 25% | 289 |
| PLAB 1 Pharmacology MCQs | 25 | 25% | 476 |
| PLAB 1 Physiology MCQs | 20 | 20% | 437 |
| PLAB 1 Microbiology MCQs | 15 | 15% | 452 |
| PLAB 1 General Anatomy MCQs | 10 | 10% | - |
| PLAB 1 Biochemistry MCQs | 5 | 5% | 393 |
| Total | 100 | 100% | 2,047 |
PLAB 1 marking scheme 2026
Every PLAB 1 MCQ carries one mark, for a total of 100 marks, one per question. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, so an unanswered question and a wrong answer score exactly the same: zero. That makes leaving anything blank a pure loss. Attempt all 100 MCQs, and in the last few minutes fill in every remaining bubble even if you are guessing outright.
PLAB 1 time per subject
180 minutes across 100 MCQs is about 108 seconds a question. Split by weightage, that is the time each subject is worth. Going over on one subject is borrowed from another, not from spare time, because there is none.
| Subject | MCQs | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Pathology | 25 | 45 |
| Pharmacology | 25 | 45 |
| Physiology | 20 | 36 |
| Microbiology | 15 | 27 |
| General Anatomy | 10 | 18 |
| Biochemistry | 5 | 9 |
How to prepare for the PLAB 1 2026 pattern
The pattern tells you where the marks are, not where you are losing them. Start with Pathology, because it carries 25 percent of the paper and a weak chapter there is the most expensive weak chapter you can have. Inside each subject, work chapter by chapter and stay on a chapter until you are consistently above 80 percent before moving on.
Then practise at the real pace. Untimed revision hides the problem that actually costs marks in the hall, which is spending three minutes on a question worth 108 seconds and running out of paper before you run out of time. Sit full papers under the clock, and mark them honestly.
PLAB 1 paper pattern: common questions
What is the PLAB 1 paper pattern 2026?
PLAB 1 is a 100 MCQ paper of 180 minutes set by General Medical Council (UK), with no negative marking. It is split across 6 subjects: Pathology 25, Pharmacology 25, Physiology 20, Microbiology 15, General Anatomy 10, Biochemistry 5.
How many MCQs are there in PLAB 1?
100 MCQs in total, to be attempted in 180 minutes. The heaviest subject is Pathology at 25 MCQs, which is 25 percent of the paper.
Is there negative marking in PLAB 1?
No. PLAB 1 has no negative marking, so a wrong answer costs you nothing more than an unanswered one. Never leave a question blank: attempt every one of the 100 MCQs, even the ones you are guessing on.
How much time do you get per MCQ in PLAB 1?
180 minutes for 100 MCQs works out at about 108 seconds per question. That is the pace to practise at, and it is why timed practice matters more than untimed revision in the last month.
Which subject has the most weightage in PLAB 1?
Pathology, at 25 of the 100 MCQs, which is 25 percent of the paper. A weak topic in the heaviest subject costs you more marks than a weak topic anywhere else, so the weightage order on this page is the order worth revising in.