Your complete PLAB 2 Academy to pass with confidence.

UKMLA PLAB 2 preparation is very different from UKMLA PLAB 1 preparation. With UKMLA PLAB 1 you can prepare on your own – you can look through questions, you can simply learn the material. UKMLA 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 UKMLA 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 UKMLA PLAB 2. There are several academies available, both in the UK and internationally – each with their own pros and cons.

The Arora UKMLA PLAB 2 Academy SMART package is designed to cover all gaps – knowledge, technique and time management. It contains a combination of live, digital and mock teaching to give you the most comprehensive preparation programme.

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 UKMLA PLAB 2 – we have our own audiobook and online courses (all come as part of our Academy SMART Package and 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. 2x Mocks are included in UKMLA PLAB 2 Academy SMART. You can also book individual mocks here.

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

Currently, UKMLA 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 UKMLA 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 UKMLA PLAB 2 Academy SMART and Gold Package focus on all of these areas in detail.

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

Bookings can be made in the ‘My Tests’ section of your GMC online account. Demand for UKMLA 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 UKMLA 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.