UKFP PSA mock paper – Guidance

In 2025, UK medical schools, the British Pharmacological Society (BPS) and UKFPO worked together to provide a suite of preparation materials to support international medical graduates (IMGs) starting the Foundation Programme to prepare to sit the PSA during their F1 year. These new materials were in addition to the resources that have been available on the PSA website for many years, include a small number of example questions, test papers and information about the style of questions candidates should expect.

These materials will continue to be available for the 2026-27 training year. In addition, the PSA team have developed a new 60-item mock paper for foundation doctors.

The PSA mock paper is intended to replicate a real exam experience for candidates, in preparation for sitting the formal assessment. Whilst providing a further practice opportunity, the main aim of the mock paper is to give candidates and foundation schools an early indication of likely exam performance, and highlight where there is a need for more exam preparation, support and remediation.

The ‘mock’ mode of delivery gives candidates a single attempt at an unseen paper and should be taken as a 2-hour timed test (with self-imposed timing and exam conditions, or invigilated events as preferred). The mock will be available for one week, but the time within that window for each individual to sit can be decided locally, as convenient. Candidates will access the mock from their own PSA account.

The PSA mock paper will be available to all candidates registered to sit the PSA during their F1 year from 09:00am Friday 21 August to 05:00pm Friday 28 August 2026.

Approximately two weeks after the mock sitting window, foundation schools and candidates will receive scores by domain, overall scores and an indicative pass mark. However, no feedback on the individual items will be provided, and the exam can’t be re-entered.

F1 candidates will also have access to the standard PSA practice material (120 questions), which comprises two 30-item practice papers and one 60-item practice paper. These provide candidates with the chance to have unlimited attempts at questions, getting feedback on their correct and incorrect answers, whilst also becoming familiar with using the BNF. Candidates will have access to these as soon as they are registered on the PSA interface in August, and should use these before attempting the new mock paper.

As mobiles cannot be used for taking the PSA, these should not be used for sitting the mock paper. Tablets and all types of computers can be used.