SMLE: Passing Score, Format, and Why Pass Rate Data Is Hard to Find

The SCFHS doesn't appear to publish an official overall pass rate for the SMLE — unlike PLAB, MRCGP AKT, or MCCQE, this figure just isn't public. What is well documented: the exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions (up to 20 of which are unscored pilot items) across medicine, surgery, paediatrics, and obstetrics and gynaecology, with a passing score reported around 560 on a 200–800 scale (some sources cite 500/800 — the discrepancy likely reflects different scoring periods, worth confirming against the current SCFHS materials directly rather than either figure here).

Study takeaway: with no public pass rate to benchmark against, the practical target is full coverage of all four major specialty areas under realistic timed conditions, since the exam explicitly spans the breadth of general clinical practice rather than concentrating in one area.