The GMC updated the MLA content map in January 2026. This is not a minor revision — it is a substantive expansion that affects what the UKMLA AKT and PLAB 1 can test. Any candidate preparing with pre-2026 resources has gaps.
The Scale of Change
The core conditions list expanded from approximately 311 to 430+. The map is now described as "indicative and non-exhaustive" — meaning even the 430 named conditions are not the ceiling. The exam can test uncommon-but-critical conditions that fall within the general principles of the curriculum.
This expansion was deliberate. The GMC wants to prevent tick-box revision strategies where candidates memorise only the named conditions and are unprepared for anything outside the list.
Women's Health: The Biggest Expansion
The most significant content increase is in women's health. The pre-2026 map grouped many gynaecological and obstetric conditions together. The updated map breaks them out individually, adding specific conditions and expanding the clinical detail expected. Areas of new or expanded coverage include a broader range of menstrual disorders, expanded contraception content (all methods including LARC), additional obstetric complications (beyond the core emergencies), cervical and endometrial pathology, fertility and subfertility basics, and menopause management.
Candidates who treated O&G as a minor specialty in their revision now face a content map that gives it substantially more weight.
Safety-Critical Presentations: New Additions
The updated map adds conditions where delayed diagnosis causes serious harm. These "don't miss" diagnoses include giant cell arteritis (risk of irreversible vision loss), testicular torsion (risk of testicular loss), torsades de pointes (risk of cardiac arrest), cauda equina syndrome (risk of permanent neurological deficit), and ectopic pregnancy (risk of life-threatening haemorrhage).
These conditions appear as clinical vignettes where the key skill is recognising the presentation and acting urgently. The questions test pattern recognition and appropriate escalation.
Mental Health: Expanded Scope
The mental health content has been broadened to include personality disorders (previously underrepresented), complex psychiatric comorbidity, eating disorders in greater detail, substance misuse and dual diagnosis, and updated depression and anxiety management aligned with recent NICE updates.
Transgender Health: New Topic
Transgender health has been added as a distinct topic area — covering assessment, referral pathways, and management considerations. This reflects the GMC's expectation that all doctors should have foundational knowledge in this area.
How to Adjust Your Preparation
Verify your resources are current. Any Q-bank, textbook, or study notes produced before January 2026 will have gaps. iatroX Q-Bank is mapped to the current content map and updated to reflect the 2026 changes.
Increase your women's health preparation. If you previously allocated one week to O&G, consider expanding to two. Use the Knowledge Centre for structured access to the expanded obstetric and gynaecological guideline content.
Learn the safety-critical presentations. These are high-stakes questions — getting them wrong may cost you the exam. For each one, know the presentation, the investigation, and the immediate management. Ask iatroX provides the guideline-grounded management for each in seconds.
Do not ignore mental health. The expansion means more mental health questions per sitting. Cover the stepped care model for depression, antipsychotic prescribing for psychosis, lithium monitoring for bipolar, and the Mental Health Act sections.
Cover the breadth, not just the depth. The "indicative and non-exhaustive" description means you cannot afford to skip topics entirely. Use the iatroX Q-Bank across all domains — the adaptive algorithm ensures broad coverage while targeting your specific weaknesses.