Stage 02 — Exam Preparation

Pass PLAB on your first sitting.

The complete IMG playbook for PLAB 1 and PLAB 2 — GMC blueprint, all 16 OSCE stations, a 12-week adaptive plan, the resource library that actually matters, and the costs spelled out in pounds.

Side by side

Two parts, two very different exams.

PLAB 1

Written
Format
180 single best answer (SBA) questions
Length
3 hours, computer-based
Where
Pearson VUE test centres worldwide
Fee
£268 (verify current GMC fee)
Pass mark
Criterion-referenced — set per sitting (~60–65%)
Result in
~4 weeks
Common trap
UK-specific guidelines (NICE, BNF) vs home-country practice

PLAB 2

Clinical
Format
16-station OSCE circuit, 8 minutes per station
Length
~3 hours including rest stations
Where
GMC Clinical Assessment Centre, Manchester only
Fee
£934 (verify current GMC fee)
Pass mark
Borderline regression — must pass enough stations
Result in
~4 weeks
Common trap
Communication structure under 8-minute pressure

PLAB 1 blueprint

Every topic area weighted, not guessed.

The GMC publishes the content areas. We map each one to SBA counts in our bank so hours and questions scale to weight, not gut feel.

Medicine

~22%

400+ SBAs

CardioRespEndoRenalNeuro

Surgery

~14%

250+ SBAs

Acute abdoVascularUrologyBreast

Obs & Gynae

~10%

180+ SBAs

AntenatalBleedingContraception

Paediatrics

~10%

180+ SBAs

FeverRashesSafeguarding

Psychiatry

~10%

180+ SBAs

RiskMSEMental Capacity Act

GP / Community

~12%

220+ SBAs

Minor illnessChronic disease

Ethics & Law

~8%

140+ SBAs

ConsentConfidentialityGMP

Pharmacology

~8%

140+ SBAs

BNFInteractionsPrescribing

Emergency

~6%

110+ SBAs

ALSSepsisTrauma

PLAB 2 OSCE

All 16 stations, drilled before you fly.

Eight minutes each. Examiner-marked against published criteria. We rehearse every station with a mark scheme and feedback loop.

01

History taking

Structured ICE + red flags inside 6 minutes

02

Examination

System exam with running commentary

03

Counselling

Lifestyle, contraception, screening

04

Practical procedure

Cannulation, suturing, blood cultures on manikin

05

Teaching

Explain a procedure or device to a colleague

06

Ethics

Four-quadrant reasoning, GMC Good Medical Practice

07

Breaking bad news

SPIKES framework with realistic actor responses

08

Acutely unwell

ABCDE assessment with escalation handover

09

Data interpretation

ABG, ECG, U&E, CXR under time pressure

10

Prescribing safely

BNF lookup, allergy & interaction check

11

Colleague communication

SBAR handover, raising a concern

12

Consent

Capacity, material risks, alternatives

13

Capacity assessment

Mental Capacity Act four-step test

14

Safeguarding

Child or vulnerable adult disclosure

15

Discharge planning

Safety-net, follow-up, social context

16

Telephone consultation

Triage, safety-net without visual cues

Sample 12-week plan

From diagnostic to sit-the-exam.

Adapts weekly based on your mock scores. PLAB 2 drills layered in from W7 once your SBA foundation is solid.

  1. W110h

    Diagnostic mock + baseline

    Set blueprint

  2. W212h

    Medicine + cardio block

    150 SBAs

  3. W314h

    Surgery + emergency

    200 SBAs

  4. W414h

    Obs & Gynae + Paeds

    200 SBAs + mock

  5. W514h

    Psychiatry + Ethics

    200 SBAs

  6. W616h

    Pharmacology + GP

    Full mock #2

  7. W716h

    Weak-topic resurfacing

    OSCE drills begin

  8. W818h

    Communication stations

    8 OSCE drills

  9. W918h

    Clinical exam stations

    Full mock #3

  10. W1016h

    Ethics + safeguarding

    Mock circuit

  11. W1114h

    Timed full circuit

    Final mock

  12. W128h

    Taper + exam-day prep

    Sit exam

How the plan adapts

An adaptive engine, not a study planner.

Step 1

Diagnostic

10-question pre-test per blueprint area sets your baseline so the planner knows where to spend hours.

Step 2

Weekly recalibration

Every Sunday your mock scores recompute next week's topic mix — strong areas shrink, weak ones expand.

Step 3

Spaced repetition

Missed questions resurface at 1d, 3d, 9d, 21d. Get one right twice in a row and it drops out of rotation.

Resource library

Only the resources that actually appear.

Curated, mapped to the blueprint, and pruned every cycle. No "everything ever written about PLAB" lists.

SBA banks

  • PLABable — mapped to blueprint
  • Plabkeys — high-yield recalls
  • Pastest — explanation depth

Guideline maps

  • NICE CKS shortlist
  • BNF & BNFc prescribing rules
  • GMC Good Medical Practice 2024 (current edition)

OSCE prep

  • 16-station video walkthroughs
  • Mock circuits with IMG examiners
  • Marking schemes per station

Books

  • Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine
  • Oxford Handbook of Clinical Specialties
  • PLAB 2 Made Easy

Budget

What it actually costs, in pounds.

Fees verified against current GMC publications. Confirm before you book — the GMC reviews fees annually.

ItemCost
PLAB 1 fee£268
PLAB 2 fee£934
IELTS / OET£200–£250
Manchester travel£150–£400
Accommodation (3 nights)£200–£450
Total budget£1,750–£2,250

Logistics

On the day, don't lose marks.

PLAB 1 (test centre)

  • Arrive 30 minutes before the start slot — Pearson VUE check-in is strict.
  • Bring the exact photo ID you used to book. Mismatch = no entry.
  • No watches, phones, or notes — lockers provided.
  • 180 questions in 3 hours = ~1 minute each. Flag and move on.

PLAB 2 (Manchester)

  • GMC Clinical Assessment Centre, Manchester city centre.
  • Smart professional dress — no white coat. Bare below elbows.
  • 16 stations, 8 minutes each + 1 minute reading. Bells signal rotation.
  • Rest stations are real breaks — use them to reset, not over-analyse.

Frequently asked

PLAB questions, answers.

How many times can I retake PLAB?

Four attempts per part. After four failed attempts at PLAB 1 or PLAB 2 you are not eligible to retake without exceptional grounds.

How long is a PLAB 1 pass valid?

Two years. You must pass PLAB 2 and apply for GMC registration within two years of passing PLAB 1, or you'll need to re-sit PLAB 1.

IELTS or OET — which should I take?

Either is accepted. OET is medical-context English and many IMGs find it easier; IELTS Academic is more widely available worldwide. Both need an overall 7.5 (IELTS) or B in each domain (OET).

How far ahead should I book?

PLAB 1 sittings open ~4 months ahead and fill in days for popular centres. PLAB 2 Manchester slots can be 4–8 months out. Book the moment you have a target date.

When can I apply for GMC registration?

Within two years of passing PLAB 2, provided your primary medical qualification, English test and identity checks are all in date.

When do results arrive?

Typically four weeks after the sitting, on a Thursday. The GMC publishes the result schedule for each sitting in advance.

Do I need to be in the UK for PLAB 1?

No. PLAB 1 runs at Pearson VUE test centres in many countries. PLAB 2 is Manchester-only.

What's the realistic prep timeline?

Most IMGs need 10–14 weeks of focused study for PLAB 1 (15–20 hours/week) and 6–10 weeks for PLAB 2, with at least one mock circuit in person.

Is the IMG2NHS plan free?

Founding-member waitlist signups get the first cohort of personalised plans at no cost. We'll email you before public pricing goes live.

Exam Prep launches with the IMG2NHS platform.

Join the waitlist for early access — founding members get the first cohort of personalised PLAB study plans at no cost.

Join the Waitlist