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Are you planning to study medicine in Poland? Then, you must be aware of the Lekarski Egzamin Końcowy (LEK), or Final Medical Examination. This is an examination you need to clear after you complete your diploma and postgraduate internship in Poland. The examination is intended for both national and international students and is crucial for obtaining a medical license recognised in Poland and within the European Union. Keep reading to learn more about the LEK test, its structure, scoring, fees, application process, results, difficulty level, and exam preparation tips.
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LEK Test in Poland: Meaning and Importance
As an international student who has graduated from a Polish university (or is in their final year of study), you must clear the LEK. The exam is important for the following reasons:
- This examination will help you obtain medical licensure in Poland. Moreover, your medical license will be recognised in the entire European Union. This means you can practise within the EU after clearing this exam. The only prerequisite is that you obtain a diploma and complete the mandatory postgraduate internship.
- You will be qualified to pursue a medical specialisation in Poland.
The good news is that the exam can be taken in Polish or English. The English option is available to international students who have graduated from medical programs taught in the English language. To clear this exam, you must score at least 56% of the maximum possible points.
Lek Test Format
The LEK or the Final Medical examination is an MCQ paper. There are 200 questions, and each question will have 5 options out of which you will have to choose the correct answer. The questions are asked of the subjects of the medicine program. The table below showcases the topics covered in the exam and the number of questions asked. The table is in no particular order.
| S.No | Topics | Number of Questions |
| 1 | Family Medicine | 20 Questions |
| 2 | Psychiatry | 14 Questions |
| 3 | Pediatrics (Including Neonatology) | 29 Questions |
| 4 | Public Health | 8 Questions |
| 5 | Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 26 Questions |
| 6 | Bioethics & Medical Law | 10 Questions |
| 7 | Internal Medicine | 39 Questions |
| 8 | Emergency Medicine & Intensive Therapy | 20 Questions |
| 9 | Surgery | 27 Questions |
| 10 | Medical Certification | 7 Questions |
Note: As per the amendments to the Act on the Professions of Physician and Dentist and Certain Other Acts (July 16th, 2020), 70% of the questions in the exam must be from the CEM database. The CEM database itself consists of 1900-2000 questions from all the topics.
Also Read: What is GAMSAT? Exam Format, Scoring, Registration, and Top Universities Explained
Scoring Pattern
The Medical Final Examination scoring pattern is straightforward. There are a total of 200 questions given. Each correct answer will help you score one point. There is no negative marking. Hence, the total score is out of 200. To clear this exam, you must obtain a passing score of at least 56%. The table below explains the number of points required.
| S.No | Exam Feature | Description |
| 1 | Passing Score | Minimum of 56% of valid questions |
| 2 | Points Needed | At least 112 points (out of 200, assuming all are valid) to pass |
Fees For the LEK Exam in Poland
Just like every other medical exam, the LEK exam in Poland also requires payment of registration fees. The exam registration fees are set to be PLN 340. You need to pay these fees at the time of registration. The exam fees are not refundable.
| S.No | Exam Feature | Description |
| 1 | Examination Fee | PLN 340 |
| 2 | Refund Policy | Non-refundable, even if the candidate withdraws |
| 3 | Payment Method | Bank transfer to a specific account provided by CEM |
| 4 | Account Details | Individual account number generated after application via the SMK portal |
6 Steps To Register for the LEK Test in Poland
The registration for the Medical Final Examination or LEK is done through the System Monitorowania Kształcenia Pracowników Medycznych (SMK). The steps for the same are provided below:
- First, create an account in the SMK System. The SMK system is the Medical Employees’ Education Monitoring System.
- Create a new account, log in, and fill in your personal details.
- Thereafter, confirm your identity and role. If you are a student, you can contact your university’s Dean’s Office for this purpose. Those who have already graduated will have to visit the local District Medical Chamber (Okregowa Izba Lekarska – OIL) in person with ID to verify identity.
- You can then proceed to fill in the LEK test online application, confirm the exam session (February or September), and then submit your form.
- The system will generate a new bank account number to which you have to pay the fees.
- Once the payment is done, your registration is complete.
Key Exam Dates for the LEK Test
The Medical Final Examination is conducted twice a year. That is in September and February. The next scheduled examination is on February 7th 2026. The key details, like deadlines, are presented in the table below:
| S.No | LEK Application Feature | Key Details |
| 1 | Application deadline – September session | Forms must be submitted by July 15 of the same year for exams in Sept. |
| 2 | Application deadline – February session | Forms must be submitted by November 30 of the previous year for February. |
| 3 | Next scheduled LEK exam | The upcoming exam date is February 7, 2026 (Saturday) |
To learn what happens on the LEK exam day, watch this webinar:
LEK Test Results
The exam results are published by the Centrum Egzaminów Medycznych (CEM) on their website. The exam results are usually available on the first Tuesday evening after the exam on Saturday. You can view the certificates that are available within 4 weeks of the result day.
| S.No | Exam Feature | Description |
| 1 | Result announcement | Tuesday evening, following the Saturday exam. |
| 2 | Certificate release | Pass/fail certificates become available within four weeks of the result publication date. |
Result Implications
After you clear this Examination and complete your postgraduate internship, you can choose the medical residency program. This means a doctor can specialise in a particular field, such as surgery, cardiology, and pediatrics. Your exam score plays a key role in securing a residency spot.
The exam scores are used to create a national ranking. Those with a higher score can get priority in choosing their desired specialisation and the medical institution where they want to complete their residency program. Some specialisations are highly in demand. For this reason, you need a top score to get a place in these exams.
You will also get a full and unlimited license to practice medicine in Poland by the local District Medical Chamber. Qualifying for this exam means that you are qualified to practise medicine independently. Thus, you can launch your career in medicine.
LEK Test Centres in Poland
The exam is held at a limited number of centralised locations across Poland. While the main centre is the CEM (the primary exam organising body), it is also held at other cities in Poland, such as Warsaw and Gliwice. The location/ number of locations can vary for each exam session.
International students often prefer taking the exam in English. Therefore, the English language students are often placed in a single exam centre (irrespective of the university they attend). For example, in previous years, all English Division candidates had to give the exam from a single location, such as Gliwice or Warsaw.
It is important to know that you cannot choose your examination centre. It is allocated to you by the CEM. About two weeks before the exam date, you will receive a notification regarding the same in the SMK system.
Exam Difficulty Level
The LEK test difficulty level is moderately easy. There are mainly reasons why this medical licensure examination is considered manageable by students. Some of them are provided below:
- First of all, as per the law, 70% of the questions are taken from the CEM database. This is a publicly available database that consists of 2000 questions. 140 out of the 200 questions are taken from this database! This gives certainty to the kind of questions asked.
- Secondly, you only need to score 56% (112 out of 200) of the questions to clear it.
- Moreover, about 98-99% of the students who take the exam for the first time clear this paper!
Therefore, those who prepare well for the exam have a high chance of clearing it. This makes it a manageable exam for graduate students.
5 Tips To Prepare for the LEK Test
Clearing the LEK test means that you can practise in Poland and within the EU. The exam is moderately easy and is worth taking. Here are some of the tips you can follow to clear this examination:
- Focus on the CEM questions database, as 70% of the questions are going to come from there. Practise all the questions until you are confident you can get them right. You must go through these questions at least 3 to 5 times.
- Understand the exam format and practise accordingly. For example, the exam has no negative marking. Hence, try to answer all the questions. After all, you only need 56% to clear the examination. Practice time management and learn to complete your paper on time.
- Use learning techniques. For example, try to answer questions from memory while practising before checking the correct answer. This is called active retrieval practice. You can also use flashcards to make learning easy.
- Start your exam preparation early and ensure that you have a clear study plan that will help you cover all the topics. You need to set study targets and break down your time by subject to ensure that you cover all the necessary topics.
- Lastly, ensure that you are taking care of your physical and mental health. Also, try to simulate the exam in the weeks leading up to the test. This will give you the confidence to clear the exam. Ensure that you are prioritising your sleep before the exam day.
The LEK test is a mandatory medical examination. It is also called the Final Medical examination. This exam is for those who want to obtain medical licensure in Poland. After clearing the exam, you become eligible for independent practice within the EU, including Poland. Doctors can also choose their specialisation and the institution they want to practice their residency. The exam is available in both Polish and English, and is MCQ-based. It has a high pass rate, and the difficulty level is moderately easy.
FAQs
Yes. You can take the LEK exam in English. The exam is open for both national and international students and is available in both Polish and English.
To sit for the LEK examination, you must be in the final year or have completed a diploma from a Polish university. Additionally, you must have completed the 13-month internship.
About 200 MCQ questions are asked. Each question carries one mark, and there is no negative marking.
The LEK Exam Poland 2025 is over. The next scheduled examination will be held on February 7, 2026.
You have to create an account in the SMK System, verify your identity, log in to your account, and fill in the application form. Thereafter, you can pay the fees and confirm your registration.
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