Intro to the GMC PLAB
- By (11 articles)
Todays Blogpost will help you gain a firm grasp of what Plab is and what it covers.
What is PLAB?
• The PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board) test is for doctors who have completed their training outside of the United Kingdom and seek to practise medicine in the United Kingdom under limited registration. The exam evaluates your ability to operate safely as a senior house officer (SHO) in a UK NHS hospital as a doctor.
• If you graduated from a medical school outside of the United Kingdom, the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland, you will certainly be required to take the PLAB test. The PLAB test will ensure that you understand and can perform the same tasks as a doctor beginning their second year of Foundation Programme training in the United Kingdom.
What do you need before you can take PLAB?
• Before you may take the PLAB test, you must first create a GMC Online account and demonstrate that your medical certification and English knowledge are adequate.
• You will need to pass your IELTS/OET exam to prove to the GMC that your English is good enough to practice medicine in the UK.
• Your information will be reviewed, and if it fits the GMC standards, you will be able to register for the first portion of the PLAB test.
PLAB part 1:
• The exam assesses your ability to apply your knowledge to patient care. It does not assess your ability to recall and recite facts. Questions concern current best practise in the UK and equipment often found in UK hospitals. You must answer the questions based on published evidence rather than your local arrangements.
WHAT DOES PLAB 1 COVER:
• The test covers the common, important, or urgent problems observed by trainees entering the second year of the Foundation Programme (F2), as well as the management of long-term conditions found in primary care. It does not include a general practitioner's advanced tasks (GP).
How do you answer the questions?
• PLAB 1 is a written test consisting of 180 multiple-choice questions that must be answered in three hours. Each one begins with a brief scenario, followed by a question. You must select the correct answer from the five options provided.
PLAB part 2:
• PLAB 2 is an objective structured clinical test (OSCE). It consists of 16 scenarios, each lasting eight minutes, and is designed to mimic real-life circumstances such as a mock consultation or an urgent ward.
• The test covers everything that a UK-trained doctor would see on the first day of Foundation Year Two (F2).
• You will enter the exam cubicle and perform the work indicated after reading the directions and patient information outside each room. A timer will indicate when it is time to move on.
• The amount of time you have between stations is determined by the centre where you are taking your exam.
• There will be at least two rest stations, allowing you to take breaks. The whole exam will take around three hours.
