UK Medical Exam Countdown

🔁 PLAB 2 runs year-round in Manchester. Once you pass PLAB 1 you book an available date via GMC Online — there is no fixed national diet.

📅 PACES runs in three UK diets a year, each an assessment window rather than a single date. Diet 2026/03 runs late September to late November 2026 (applications closed 27 July 2026); diet 2027/01 runs late January to mid April 2027 (applications open 10 November and close 17 November 2026, 08:00). Your exact date arrives with your admission documents at least four weeks before.

• • 3 - 6 Nov 2026
• • 12-15 Jan 2027
• • 9-12 Feb 2027
• • 9-12 Mar 2027
• • 13-16 Apr 2027
• • 11-14 May 2027
• • 8-11 Jun 2027

The SCA runs as monthly UK sittings; book via your MyRCGP portal.

• • 7–10 November 2026 (Egypt, Cairo)
• • 13–17 November 2026 (Egypt, Alexandria)
• • 5–10 December 2026 (Pakistan, Karachi)
• • 11–13 January 2027 (India, Hyderabad)
• • 30 January–14 February 2027 (UK)
• • 11–12 February 2027 (UK, Manchester)
• • 16–22 March 2027 (Egypt, Cairo)
• • 6–8 April 2027 (Pakistan, Lahore)
• • 8–23 May 2027 (UK)
• • 6–7 June 2027 (Sri Lanka, Colombo)
• • 11–17 July 2027 (Egypt, Cairo)
• • 24–28 July 2027 (UAE, Abu Dhabi)
• • 2–17 October 2027 (UK)
• • 5–8 November 2027 (Egypt, Cairo)
• • 11–13 November 2027 (Egypt, Alexandria)

MRCS Part B (OSCE) runs as several fixed diets a year, delivered jointly by the surgical royal colleges (RCS England, RCSEd, RCPSG, RCSI) through ICBSE; venues and exact days vary by college and diet.

• • 3–19 November 2026 (London)
• • 18–29 January 2027 (London)
• • 22–26 February 2027 (India – Chennai)
• • 18 May – 4 June 2027 (London)
• • 5–9 July 2027 (India – Hyderabad)
• • 5–21 October 2027 (London)
• • 24 January – 4 February 2028 (London)
• • 16 May – 2 June 2028 (London)

• • 7-8 November 2026 (Karachi, Pakistan)
• • 13-14 November 2026 (Doha, Qatar)
• • 20-21 November 2026 (Cairo, Egypt)
• • 22-23 November 2026 (Kolkata, India)
• • 27-28 November 2026 (Pune, India)
• • 11-12 December 2026 (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
• • 22-23 January 2027 (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
• • 29-30 January 2027 (Muscat, Oman)
• • 6-21 February 2027 (UK)
• • 13-14 February 2027 (Ahmedabad, India)
• • 20-21 February 2027 (Navi Mumbai, India)
• • 24-25 March 2027 (Colombo, Sri Lanka)
• • 16-17 April 2027 (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)
• • 7-8 May 2027 (Doha, Qatar)
• • 5-20 June 2027 (UK)
• • 9-24 October 2027 (UK)

UK dates for this diet were not yet published at verification — overseas centres shown.

• • 4–5 November 2026
• • 9–10 November 2026

MRCOG Part 3 runs twice a year, in May and November. November 2026 centres: London, Kolkata, Mumbai, Malaysia, Cairo, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong. May 2027 dates were not yet published when checked.

• • 8–11 December 2026 (Singapore)
• • 19–27 January 2027 (UK)
• • 1–4 June 2027 (Singapore)
• • 14–22 September 2027 (UK)

The September 2026 UK diet runs 15-18 and 21-23 September at the English Institute of Sport, Sheffield; results 23 October 2026. Applications closed 26 June.

• • Week commencing 16 November 2026
• • Week commencing 1 February 2027
• • Week commencing 17 May 2027

The Primary FRCA OSCE and SOE are sat together in the same week. From July 2027 the Primary FRCA moves to a new two-component format — check the RCoA’s 2027 launch pages if you will be a first-time candidate after that date.

• • Week commencing 30 November 2026
• • Week commencing 21 June 2027

Final FRCA SOE examination weeks. From July 2027 the Final FRCA moves to a new format — check the RCoA’s 2027 launch pages.

The exam was renamed FCICM in 2026. July 2026 to June 2027 is the final full year of the current OSCE/SOE format; from July 2027 a new exam launches and the legacy OSCE/SOE run only for candidates who already hold a partial pass.

• • 23–25 November 2026 (Cairo)
• • 15–16 January 2027 (Singapore)

Only overseas Part 2 Oral sittings were listed when checked; UK 2027 dates had not yet been published.

The MFOM Part 2 OSCE runs once a year. Registration for the 2026 sitting closed on 27 July 2026; 2027 dates were not yet published when checked.

📅 The MCSRH Part II (KAT and OSCE) runs once a year, online. In 2026 the KAT was on 20 May and the OSCE on 3 June; the 2027 dates had not been published when checked.

📅 The Faculty publishes MFPH (formerly Part B) sittings on its examinations pages; no upcoming dates were readable when checked.

Application dates for the 2027 Part 2 had not been published when checked.

• • from 1 November 2026 (Coventry)
• • from 7 February 2027 (Edinburgh)
• • from 25 April 2027 (Cork)
• • from 7 November 2027 (Oswestry)

JCIE publishes the first day of each Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery Section 2 diet; the oral exam runs over several days from that date. Application deadlines fall three to five months earlier.

• • from 3 February 2027 (Birmingham)
• • from 2 June 2027 (Coventry)
• • from 1 September 2027 (venue to be confirmed)

JCIE publishes the first day of each General Surgery Section 2 diet; the oral exam runs over several days from that date. Application deadlines fall three to five months earlier.

• • from 11 November 2026 (Edinburgh)
• • from 5 May 2027 (Edinburgh)
• • from 17 November 2027 (Glasgow)

JCIE publishes the first day of each Urology Section 2 diet; the oral exam runs over several days from that date. Application deadlines fall three to five months earlier.

• • from 9 November 2026 (Hull)
• • from 10 May 2027 (venue to be confirmed)
• • from 15 November 2027 (venue to be confirmed)

JCIE publishes the first day of each Vascular Surgery Section 2 diet; the oral exam runs over several days from that date. Application deadlines fall three to five months earlier.

• • from 17 March 2027 (Liverpool)
• • from 22 September 2027 (Dublin)

JCIE publishes the first day of each Paediatric Surgery Section 2 diet; the oral exam runs over several days from that date. Application deadlines fall three to five months earlier.

• • from 11 March 2027 (venue to be confirmed)
• • from 16 September 2027 (venue to be confirmed)

JCIE publishes the first day of each Plastic Surgery Section 2 diet; the oral exam runs over several days from that date. Application deadlines fall three to five months earlier.

• • from 4 March 2027 (Edinburgh)
• • from 7 October 2027 (Leeds)

JCIE publishes the first day of each Neurosurgery Section 2 diet; the oral exam runs over several days from that date. Application deadlines fall three to five months earlier.

• • from 25 November 2026 (Glasgow)
• • from 21 April 2027 (Dundee)
• • from 24 November 2027 (Newcastle upon Tyne)

JCIE publishes the first day of each Otolaryngology Section 2 diet; the oral exam runs over several days from that date. Application deadlines fall three to five months earlier.

• • from 10 March 2027 (Dublin)
• • from 8 September 2027 (Leeds)

JCIE publishes the first day of each Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Section 2 diet; the oral exam runs over several days from that date. Application deadlines fall three to five months earlier.

• • from 19 May 2027 (Sheffield)
• • from 20 October 2027 (Glasgow)

JCIE publishes the first day of each Cardiothoracic Surgery Section 2 diet; the oral exam runs over several days from that date. Application deadlines fall three to five months earlier.

📅 Medical school finals OSCEs (the Medical Licensing Assessment’s clinical and professional skills assessment) are set and run by each medical school, so there is no national date. Your school publishes its own assessment calendar.

📅 The General Dental Council runs the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) Part 2 in multiple sittings each year through its appointed examination consortium in London; booking opens during published GDC booking windows on eGDC for candidates who have passed ORE Part 1.

📅 The Faculty of Pain Medicine runs the FFPMRCA Structured Oral Examination once a year in autumn after the written MCQ sitting; check the Faculty of Pain Medicine examination calendar for the current diet's application window and oral dates.

📅 The Final FRCEM OSCE runs in multiple UK and international sittings across the RCEM examination year; check the Royal College of Emergency Medicine exam calendar for the current application windows and OSCE sitting dates.

📅 The Faculty of Occupational Medicine runs the DOccMed portfolio oral examination in two diets a year following the MCQ paper and portfolio submission deadline; check the FOM DOccMed examination page for current submission and oral dates.

📅 RCPCH START (Specialty Trainee Assessment of Readiness for Tenure) runs online in multiple sittings each year (typically spring and autumn); trainees apply during the RCPCH registration window for their ST7 cohort.

• • Week commencing 16 November 2026
• • Week commencing 1 February 2027
• • Week commencing 17 May 2027

The Primary FRCA OSCE and SOE are sat together in the same week. From July 2027 the Primary FRCA moves to the new Primary FRCA CASE format — check the RCoA’s 2027 launch pages if you will be a first-time candidate after that date.

The Final OSCE and SOE are sat together at the same sitting. On 1 July 2026 the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine became the College of Intensive Care Medicine (FCICM); July 2026 to June 2027 is the final full year of the current OSCE/SOE format before the new assessment launches in July 2027.

📅 The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG) and the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) hold multiple diets of the MFDS Part 2 OSCE across the year in UK and international examination centres.

📅 The Royal College of Surgeons of England holds the Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS RCS) Part 2 examination in London for candidates who have passed LDS Part 1; sitting dates and booking windows are published on the RCS England examinations calendar.