Overview
The Thai national licensing examination for doctors is run by the Center for Medical Competency Assessment (CMA, Thai abbreviation ศรว.) on behalf of the Medical Council of Thailand (Thai: แพทยสภา). It checks that a medical graduate meets the Council's standard before receiving a licence to practise medicine in Thailand. It applies to students and graduates of Thai medical schools, and to graduates of foreign medical schools that the Council recognises.
The examination has three steps. Step 1 tests basic medical sciences, Step 2 tests clinical sciences, and Step 3 tests clinical skills and procedures. Every student entering a Thai medical school from 2003 onwards has had to pass all three. The CMA site is in Thai, and this page is based on its Thai-language pages and announcements.
Who can apply
Applicants fall into three types, and all must meet the Medical Council's membership conditions.
Type 1: currently studying for the MD at a medical school in Thailand (or abroad, for Steps 1 and 2) that the Council recognises.
Type 2: an MD graduate of a Thai institution the Council recognises.
Type 3: an MD graduate of a foreign institution the Council recognises.
Each step has its own conditions.
Step 1: Type 1 applicants need a certificate from their school that they have completed at least two academic years of preclinical study, covering every preclinical course, by the exam date.
Step 2: Type 1 applicants need a certificate that they have completed at least two academic years of clinical study, covering every course of those two years.
Step 3: the applicant must have passed Steps 1 and 2, each within seven years, counted from the date the Council approved the result to the application date. A step passed more than seven years earlier must be retaken. Type 1 applicants in Thailand must have completed at least five semesters of clinical study, including at least half of the credits of year six. Type 3 applicants need a licence to practise medicine abroad that the Council recognises. Thai nationals in this group may instead show at least one year of post-degree internship or equivalent at a recognised hospital, completed before applying.
There is no stated cap on attempts; the FAQ says candidates sit until they pass. Steps 1 and 2 must be passed before applying for Step 3.
Exam pattern
Steps 1 and 2 are written, with questions in English. Thai is allowed for terms specific to Thai law or forensic medicine. Step 3 is practical and conducted in Thai.
| Step | What it tests | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Basic medical sciences | Written, one-best-response questions; the blueprint lists 300 questions |
| Step 2 | Clinical sciences | Written, one-best-response questions; the blueprint lists 300 questions |
| Step 3 | Clinical skills and procedures | Practical, in four parts (below) |
Step 3 parts
OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination): the announcement for the 2027 sitting describes 10 stations of 10 minutes each. Depending on the station, a task may involve taking a history, examining a patient, making a diagnosis, ordering tests, interpreting lab results, solving problems, counselling or breaking bad news.
MEQ (Modified Essay Question): candidates from Thai schools apply through their own school. Candidates from foreign schools register on the CMA site and apply at the school where they registered.
Long case examination: candidates from Thai schools apply through their school. Candidates from foreign schools apply directly to a hospital that opens applications.
Manual skills: a check of 15 procedural skills, applied for in the same way as the long case.
Syllabus
The Step 1 blueprint is organised by body system, such as general principles, haematopoietic and lymphoreticular, nervous, skin and connective tissue, musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal, reproductive and endocrine. Within each system it covers normal processes, abnormal processes, principles of therapeutics, and gender, ethnic, behavioural and environmental factors. Blueprints for Steps 1 and 2 can be downloaded from the CMA information page.
The OSCE follows the Medical Council's 2012 competency criteria (notification 12/2555), part 2 on professional and clinical skills.
Marking and results
Since July 2024 the CMA reports Steps 1 and 2 only as pass or fail. It said the exam measures baseline competence for licensing, and the scores should not be used to compare candidates or for other purposes.
Passed results stay valid for different periods:
Steps 1 and 2: seven years, counted from the Council's approval to the Step 3 application date.
Step 3, each part (MEQ, long case, manual skills, OSCE): three years from the date the pass was approved.
OSCE results are published on the CMA site about four weeks after each round. Candidates can print Step 1 and 2 results from their CMA account until they obtain a licence, and OSCE results within 30 days of the announcement. Once a licence is issued the account can no longer be used, so the CMA advises printing every result after it is announced.
Important dates
The announcements use the Buddhist Era (B.E. 2569 is 2026 and B.E. 2570 is 2027); years are converted here.
Step 2, 4th round of 2026: exam on 11 October 2026. Applications ran 20 to 27 August 2026, with payment by 28 August 2026. An earlier Step 2 exam was held on 19 July 2026.
Step 3 OSCE for 2027: announced 4 September 2026. Applications run from 19 September to 8 October 2026, with payment by 9 October 2026 (before 23:00).
OSCE rounds in 2027: 10 January (Bangkok area and Chiang Mai), 7 February (Bangkok area, Songkhla and Phitsanulok), 7 March (Bangkok area and Khon Kaen), 28 March (Bangkok area and Nakhon Ratchasima) and 6 June (Bangkok area). The 28 March and 6 June rounds open for registration after the results of the previous round are published.
Application status check for the 2027 OSCE: candidates should check and fix any document problems by 20 October 2026. After that, seating is arranged and no further changes are considered.
Step 1 dates were not listed on the pages read; check the CMA announcements page.
Fees
Step 2 (4th round of 2026): 3,000 baht, not including bank service charges.
Step 3 OSCE (2027 sitting): 5,000 baht, not including bank service charges. The CMA does not refund the fee in any case. A candidate who cannot attend for a good reason may write to the CMA by 20 October 2026 asking to carry the fee to a later sitting.
A Step 1 fee, and the fees for the MEQ, long case and manual skills parts, were not confirmed; for those parts the host school or hospital sets the process for each sitting.
How to apply
Register on the CMA website (first-time applicants use the new registration option) and log in with an ID card number or passport number.
Fill in the application, including the ethics conduct declaration, and upload a recent passport-style photo, a copy of the ID card or passport, and the education documents required for your applicant type. Foreign-school graduates also need the Council's individual recognition of their curriculum.
Save the form and print the payment form. Pay at any Siam Commercial Bank branch, by the SCB Easy app from a personal account, or at an SCB ATM or CDM, before the deadline. Late payment voids the application.
Check your application status on the CMA site. Print your exam admission card about one to two weeks before the exam.
For the Step 3 OSCE you choose a date and venue when applying. Seats are limited, so a full venue cannot be chosen, and rounds cannot be moved.
On exam day bring the admission card and an unexpired Thai ID card (a passport for non-Thai candidates). Candidates who arrive more than 30 minutes late or go to the wrong venue are not admitted. Dress must be neat, with closed shoes.
After the exam
Passing Steps 1, 2 and 3 is part of obtaining a medical licence from the Medical Council. Keep printed copies of every result. Failed steps must be retaken, and the CMA schedules additional OSCE rounds for candidates who fail or who newly qualify.
Preparation tips
Read the Step 1 blueprint on the CMA site and plan revision around the listed systems.
Prepare for English-language exam papers, and for Thai-language communication in Step 3.
For the OSCE, practise timed 10-minute stations covering history, examination and counselling.
Foreign-school graduates should confirm early that the Council has recognised their degree, since this is needed for registration.
FAQs
How many times can I sit the exam?
There is no stated limit. Candidates sit a step until they pass, and Steps 1 and 2 must be passed before Step 3.
Can I bring a phone, notes or a calculator?
No. Only a plain watch that cannot communicate or calculate is allowed. The CMA supplies a 2B pencil for Steps 1 and 2, and a stethoscope for the OSCE.
Do I get a score?
For Steps 1 and 2 the CMA reports only pass or fail.