The PLAB 2 exam can be tough, mainly because it doesn’t follow the usual, written examination format most people are used to.

Instead, candidates are required to work through 16 ‘stations’, which each has a different clinical scenario they must respond to. There are 2 rest stations during the exam.

The biggest pitfalls with PLAB 2 come down to timing and communication issues. Timing is an important factor, as candidates are given a limit (eight minutes) to respond to each scenario. To be successful, you must cover everything you need and ensure you’ve ticked all the right boxes, while still be succinct and methodical.

Good communication is also fundamental in the UK PLAB 2 examination. This is an interactive exam, so showing you can communicate your clinical knowledge and effectively support patients in this setting is fundamental.

Overall, proper preparation, including getting used to the timings, practicing how you will respond to a range of practice scenarios, and becoming well-versed in patient-friendly language will help you to pass PLAB 2 the first time around. Our PLAB 2 Gold Package focuses heavily on these areas.

General advice is that preparing for the PLAB 2 exam takes around six weeks. Candidates should get used to the format of the exam, and used to reacting to different clinical scenarios.

Having said this I have seen doctors prepare for PLAB 2 in 3 weeks and pass, as well as those who prepare for a year and fail. Having a good understanding of what the exam is actually assessing, and not following a scripted approach is more important than the time taken.

PLAB 2 preparation is very different from PLAB 1 preparation. With PLAB 1 you can prepare on your own – you can look through questions, you can simply learn the material. PLAB 2 is about regular practice and there are a few different ways that doctors can prepare.

1) Form a study group 

Find people that are doing the exam and practice various scenarios by looking at the PLAB 2 blueprint and using practice material.

2) Consider joining an Academy

By far the most common approach is to join an academy to pass PLAB 2. There are several academies available, both in the UK and internationally – each with their own pros and cons. We don’t run our own (simply as I do not have space in the calendar for this) but we do run our intense half day Live Role-play Course specifically for PLAB 2.

Academies may focus on getting you through common scenario-types, making sure you understand principles behind certain situations and learning how you can adapt to perform to the best on the day. It’s not the only way to pass PLAB 2 but it can be one of the best ways of getting some practice under your belt.

3) Online and Audio training

These can be very useful to get started and to prepare when on your own. There are numerous online and digital learning tools for PLAB 2 – we have our own audiobook courses and online course (both come as part of our Gold Package) but of course others also exist. They can be useful to understand key concepts and listen to or watch examples.

4) Mock Exams

Useful if you want to feel the ‘pressure’ of the exam before the exam date. These can help to feel what it’s like to go through back-to-back intense roleplays – not something you may have done too often in the past. They are also useful to figure out what you need to focus on in the last few weeks. We run our own mock exam sessions with some of our teachers being previous GMC PLAB examiners. Booking a mock can help you get feedback and useful tips on how to score more points or use your 8 minutes more effectively.

PLAB 2 is an examination which tests a candidate’s ability to recognise and respond to different clinical situations.

Currently, PLAB 2 is marked by assessing three key areas. These are:

1) Data gathering, technical and assessment skills.
2) Clinical management skills.
3) Interpersonal skills.

For each case on the day, a pass mark is calculated which is added up for all the scenarios. This coupled with one standard error of measurement forms the pass mark for the day – therefore the pass mark varies on each exam day, and from one assessment centre to the other.

To pass PLAB 2 you must achieve the pass mark for that day as well as pass at least 10 individual stations.

Domain 1: Data gathering, technical and assessment skills

This area assesses areas such as history taking, examination skills, your practical procedures and any investigations that you might think about – in essence how you gather data in order to try and work out what a potential diagnosis might be, or which issues arise in a certain situation.

Data gathering can include general history requirements – for example drug history, past medical history and red flags, as well as other areas that link with a presentation such as psychosocial history and ICE (ideas, concerns and expectations).

Examination may be tested on real-life actors, using anatomical models or as part of an electronic simulated mannequin. Areas tested include common everyday examinations (for example cardiovascular, respiratory, abdomen, various joints) and model examinations (such as breast examination, eye examination, rectal examination).

Practical procedures that may be tested are things that you might come across in a typical ward in the UK – measuring blood pressure, taking blood, urinary catheterisation, inserting cannulas, suturing, calculating common drug doses etc.

The PLAB blueprint has a more complete list of examinations and procedures which is worth reading through.

Domain 2: Clinical management

This area assesses how you manage the situation, both clinically and non clinically. For example if you’ve come up with the correct diagnosis, how do you now explain that to the patient? How do you involve the patient in a correct, safe, appropriate management plan?

Are you using UK current best practice when handling the situation? In essence, now that you’ve gathered the data in the first half, how are you now managing it, and is it appropriate for working as a UK junior doctor?

Domain 3: Interpersonal skills

This area assesses your ability to effectively tie together data gathering and clinical management in a patient-centred way.

For example, are you involving the patient regularly? What is the rapport like between you and the patient? Are you effectively using open and closed questions?

Are you thinking about ethics? It may include your ability to handle challenging situations such as breaking bad news, capacity and consent.

It can assess how you manage that situation from a patient’s point of view or perhaps a relative’s point of view, and if you handle the situation in a professional manner or not.

Our PLAB 2 Communication Skills Live Role-play Course, Online Course and Audiobook Courses all teach these areas in detail.

PLAB 2 runs throughout the year. You can book a PLAB 2 exam date only after passing PLAB 1.

Bookings can be made in the ‘My Tests’ section of your GMC online account. Demand for PLAB 2 dates is high and so waiting for available dates is possible.

However if you have a UK NHS Job offer or hold UK refugee status contact the GMC team as they may be able to help you secure a PLAB 2 place.

On the day when you arrive at the GMC building, reception will direct you to the assessment centre. Your ID will be checked and a locker will be provided to keep all your personal belongings. You will be provided with a badge that you must wear so that the examiner can easily identify you.

For each of the 16 scenarios you will be given 90 seconds to understand the scenario before commencing your 8 minutes for each task. At 6 minutes you will be given a 2 minute warning. There are 2 rest stations included and during this time you can have a glass of water or just rest. It is a circuit system and at the end of the exam you will be escorted out of the exam.

You can book PLAB 2 only after passing PLAB 1. If you have passed PLAB 1 within the past 3 years you will be able to book your PLAB 2 exam in the ‘My Tests’ section on GMC online.

The final closing date to book onto a test for PLAB 2 is either the day the test becomes fully booked or (if it has not become fully booked prior to this date) four weeks before test day.

Some PLAB 2 candidates ask about what to wear to their exam, since it is interactive and involves moving around different stations.

You should expect to dress smartly as you would do if you were a doctor working in a UK hospital setting or other clinical setting.

Generally, guidance is to dress in smart but comfortable shoes and clothing, and avoid anything that will obstruct you such as heavy jewellry, high-heeled shoes or large bags.

It is best to opt for bare arms below the elbows with no watches, bracelets etc. For men, a collared short sleeved shirt with no tie or a full sleeve shirt rolled up past the elbows with no tie, with trousers and smart shoes. No jeans, leggings or casual wear will be allowed. For females similarly, no casual wear is allowed- you may wear smart dresses, trousers, skirts etc.