How many years or hours of experience are required before appearing for the license exam in UK for a Postgraduate?

You need at least one full year, 12 months, of post-qualification clinical experience before you can sit either the PLAB licensing exam or an entry-level Royal College postgraduate exam in the UK. This one-year rule applies whether you are pursuing GMC registration through PLAB or entry-level membership exams like MRCP or MRCS. Higher specialty tiers will ask for more supervised years within that specific pathway.

Experience Requirements by Exam Route

What Counts as Qualifying Experience

• You must hold an acceptable primary medical qualification (a medical degree) before the experience clock starts
• Your experience must involve direct patient care, not just observation or shadowing
• A completed medical internship generally satisfies the 12-month PLAB requirement
• Royal College written papers are the first hurdle; practical and clinical components at higher levels demand additional specialty-specific years

My Advice

Start logging your internship hours and patient-care rotations from day one, since both the GMC and the Royal Colleges will ask you to document this experience formally. If you are still finishing your primary medical degree, plan your PLAB or Royal College exam application for at least 12 months after you begin full clinical practice, and talk to us early so we can map your specific specialty pathway and timeline.