The MLA content map is the GMC's official blueprint for the Medical Licensing Assessment. Every question in the UKMLA AKT — whether sat by UK medical students or international medical graduates — is derived from this document. The January 2026 update expanded the content map to 430 conditions (up from approximately 311) and 212 clinical presentations, removed the cross-reference mapping grid, and added new topics including genetics, transgender health, updated sepsis guidance, and social determinants of health.
This reference page provides the complete structured content map, organised by body system, with high-yield revision notes for each domain.
Source: GMC MLA Content Map (published October 2025, applicable to all MLA exams from September 2026 onwards). Available at gmc-uk.org/mla.
What Is the UKMLA Content Map and Why Does It Matter?
The content map defines every condition, presentation, and clinical capability that can be assessed in the UKMLA. It applies to all MLA AKT sittings from 2026 onwards and to all PLAB sittings from September 2026.
The map is described by the GMC as "indicative and non-exhaustive" — meaning the 430 conditions are the priority content, but the exam can test uncommon-but-critical conditions not explicitly named if they follow general clinical principles. This prevents purely tick-box revision strategies.
The January 2026 update made three significant structural changes. First, the condition list expanded from approximately 311 to 430 — a 38% increase in examinable content. Second, the mapping grid that previously restricted which conditions could appear in which clinical contexts was removed — any condition can now be tested in any specialty setting. Third, new topic areas were integrated: genetics (inherited conditions, genetic counselling), transgender health, updated sepsis guidelines (2024 Surviving Sepsis Campaign), social determinants of health, and enhanced emphasis on managing uncertainty.
How to Use the Content Map for Revision
Start with presentations, not conditions. The 212 presentations are the exam's entry points — clinical scenarios always begin with a presentation (chest pain, breathlessness, headache, confusion), not a specific diagnosis. Your revision should mirror this: for each presentation, know the differential diagnosis, the red flags, the key investigations, and the management pathway for the most common and most dangerous causes.
Use the traffic light system: rate yourself on every condition as Red (never heard of it / would fail), Amber (know the basics but could not teach it), or Green (confident). Prioritise Red topics, then Amber. Do not revise Green topics until the others are secure.
The iatroX Q-Bank is mapped to the 2026 MLA content map — every condition and presentation is covered. The adaptive engine identifies which content map areas you are weakest in and targets them automatically.
The 212 Clinical Presentations — Organised by System
Cardiovascular Presentations
Chest pain, palpitations, syncope and pre-syncope, peripheral oedema, breathlessness (cardiovascular causes), claudication, acute limb ischaemia, hypertension (incidental finding), heart murmur (incidental finding).
Respiratory Presentations
Breathlessness (acute and chronic), cough, haemoptysis, wheeze, stridor, chest pain (pleuritic), abnormal chest X-ray (incidental finding).
Neurological Presentations
Headache, dizziness and vertigo, loss of consciousness, seizures, weakness (focal and generalised), numbness and tingling, tremor, speech disturbance, visual disturbance, altered consciousness and confusion, memory loss, gait disturbance.
Gastrointestinal Presentations
Abdominal pain (acute and chronic), nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea (acute and chronic), constipation, rectal bleeding, dysphagia, jaundice, abdominal mass, weight loss, change in bowel habit.
Musculoskeletal Presentations
Joint pain (monoarthritis and polyarthritis), back pain, neck pain, muscle weakness, joint swelling, reduced mobility, fracture.
Psychiatric and Psychological Presentations
Low mood, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation, psychosis, eating disorder, substance misuse, behavioural change, insomnia, medically unexplained symptoms.
Dermatological Presentations
Rash, pruritus, skin lesion (new or changing), hair loss, nail changes, skin ulcer.
Obstetric and Gynaecological Presentations
Vaginal bleeding (pregnant and non-pregnant), pelvic pain, vaginal discharge, breast lump, amenorrhoea, subfertility, pregnancy-related presentations (hypertension, reduced fetal movements, abdominal pain in pregnancy).
Paediatric Presentations
Febrile child, failure to thrive, developmental delay, neonatal jaundice, childhood rash, limping child, abdominal pain in children, wheeze in children, behavioural concerns, safeguarding concerns.
Urological and Renal Presentations
Haematuria, urinary symptoms (frequency, urgency, dysuria), urinary retention, loin pain, abnormal renal function (incidental finding), scrotal pain/swelling.
ENT and Ophthalmological Presentations
Sore throat, earache, hearing loss, tinnitus, nasal symptoms, red eye, visual loss (acute and gradual), eye pain.
Endocrine Presentations
Weight gain, weight loss, fatigue, polyuria and polydipsia, neck lump, heat/cold intolerance.
Surgical Presentations
Acute abdomen, groin lump, rectal mass, post-operative complications, trauma.
Cross-Cutting Presentations
Falls (especially elderly), frailty, end-of-life care needs, safeguarding (adult and child), domestic abuse identification, capacity assessment need.
The 430 Conditions — Organised by Body System
The complete condition list is extensive. Below are the major conditions by system with high-yield revision notes. For the full list, consult the GMC MLA Content Map directly at gmc-uk.org/mla.
Cardiovascular Conditions
Acute coronary syndrome (STEMI, NSTEMI, unstable angina), stable angina, heart failure (acute and chronic), atrial fibrillation and flutter, hypertension, valvular heart disease (aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation), infective endocarditis, cardiomyopathies, congenital heart disease, aortic dissection, peripheral arterial disease, venous thromboembolism (DVT, PE), varicose veins, pericarditis, cardiac arrest.
High-yield: AF management (rate vs rhythm, anticoagulation — CHA₂DS₂-VASc), hypertension (NICE NG136 thresholds), ACS pathway, heart failure pharmacology (ACEi/ARB, beta-blocker, MRA, SGLT2i).
Respiratory Conditions
Asthma, COPD, pneumonia (community-acquired and hospital-acquired), pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax, lung cancer, pleural effusion, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, obstructive sleep apnoea, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis.
High-yield: Asthma stepwise management (NICE NG80/BTS-SIGN), COPD exacerbation management, PE diagnosis and treatment, pneumonia antibiotic selection.
Neurological Conditions
Stroke (ischaemic and haemorrhagic), TIA, epilepsy, migraine, tension headache, cluster headache, meningitis, encephalitis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, dementia (all subtypes), brain tumour, subarachnoid haemorrhage, Bell's palsy, trigeminal neuralgia.
Endocrine and Metabolic Conditions
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes (including DKA and HHS), thyroid disease (hyper and hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer), adrenal insufficiency (Addison's), Cushing's syndrome, phaeochromocytoma, hyperparathyroidism, hypoparathyroidism, pituitary disorders, PCOS, obesity, electrolyte disorders (hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia, hypercalcaemia).
Gastrointestinal and Hepatological Conditions
GORD, peptic ulcer disease, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis), coeliac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, colorectal cancer, liver disease (alcoholic, non-alcoholic fatty liver, viral hepatitis, autoimmune), cirrhosis and portal hypertension, pancreatitis (acute and chronic), gallstone disease, appendicitis, bowel obstruction, diverticular disease.
Renal and Urological Conditions
Acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, urinary tract infection, pyelonephritis, nephrotic and nephritic syndromes, glomerulonephritis, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, prostate disease (BPH, prostate cancer), kidney stones, polycystic kidney disease.
Musculoskeletal and Rheumatological Conditions
Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, pseudogout, osteoporosis, fractures (hip, Colles', vertebral), septic arthritis, SLE, vasculitis, spondyloarthropathies (ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis), fibromyalgia, back pain (mechanical, disc prolapse, cauda equina syndrome).
Psychiatric Conditions
Depression, anxiety disorders (GAD, panic disorder, phobias, OCD, PTSD), psychosis and schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia), substance misuse (alcohol, opioids, stimulants), personality disorders, self-harm, suicide risk assessment, delirium.
Obstetric and Gynaecological Conditions
Ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, placenta praevia, placental abruption, postpartum haemorrhage, endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, PCOS, menopause, pelvic inflammatory disease, contraception (all methods), STIs.
Paediatric Conditions
Neonatal jaundice, bronchiolitis, croup, febrile convulsions, meningitis (paediatric), pyloric stenosis, intussusception, Kawasaki disease, HSP, childhood asthma, type 1 diabetes in children, congenital heart disease, developmental conditions (autism, ADHD), non-accidental injury, childhood cancers, immunisation schedule.
Dermatological Conditions
Eczema, psoriasis, acne, skin cancer (BCC, SCC, melanoma), cellulitis, fungal infections, urticaria, drug reactions, skin manifestations of systemic disease.
New in 2026 Update
Transgender health (hormone therapy, mental health, referral pathways), genetics (inherited conditions, genetic counselling, pharmacogenomics), updated sepsis management (2024 Surviving Sepsis Campaign), social determinants of health (deprivation, health inequalities, housing), managing uncertainty (escalation decision-making when diagnosis is unclear).
High-Yield Conditions — What the Exam Tests Most
Safety-critical (always high-yield regardless of frequency): Sepsis, PE, meningitis, anaphylaxis, STEMI, stroke, ectopic pregnancy, testicular torsion, cauda equina syndrome, DKA, subarachnoid haemorrhage.
High-frequency primary care: Hypertension, T2DM, asthma, COPD, depression, anxiety, UTI, back pain, headache.
Paediatric (~20% of paper): Febrile child, wheeze, developmental delay, non-accidental injury, neonatal jaundice, childhood infections.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many conditions are in the UKMLA content map 2026? 430 conditions as of the January 2026 GMC update — expanded from approximately 311 in the previous version.
How many presentations are in the UKMLA content map? 212 clinical presentations, organised by body system.
Is the UKMLA content map the same as the PLAB syllabus? From September 2026, yes. All PLAB sittings from that date are based on the updated MLA content map. PLAB sittings from August 2024 onwards were already aligned to the MLA content map, though using the pre-2026 version.
Where can I download the UKMLA content map? From the GMC website at gmc-uk.org/mla. The document titled "MLA content map — Applicable to all MLA exams and assessments taken from September 2026 onwards" is the current version.
Has the mapping grid been removed? Yes. The 2026 update removed the cross-reference mapping grid that previously restricted which conditions could appear in which clinical contexts. Any condition can now be tested in any specialty setting.
How should I use the content map for revision? Start with presentations (the exam's entry points), not conditions. Use the traffic light system (Red/Amber/Green) to identify gaps. Prioritise safety-critical conditions and high-frequency presentations. Use an adaptive Q-bank mapped to the content map — iatroX is free and covers every condition and presentation.
Every condition and presentation in the content map is covered in the iatroX adaptive Q-bank — free at iatrox.com/boards.
Source: GMC MLA Content Map (updated January 2026). iatroX is an independent resource not affiliated with or endorsed by the GMC.