PLAB 2026: How IMGs Pass PLAB 1 & 2 and Register with the GMC

The PLAB Pathway: Overview

The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) exam is the primary route by which International Medical Graduates (IMGs) demonstrate that their skills and knowledge meet the standards required for practising medicine in the UK. PLAB has two parts:

PLAB 1: Preparation Strategy

The PLAB 1 blueprint is based on the conditions of an FY1 doctor. The key resource is PLABABLE (the most widely used Qbank), supplemented by Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine.

• Focus on management questions — PLAB heavily tests "what do you do next?" scenarios
• Know the NICE guidelines for common conditions: hypertension, diabetes, asthma, MI, stroke
• High-yield topics: Medicine (30%), Surgery (20%), Obstetrics/Gynaecology (10%), Paediatrics (10%), Psychiatry (10%), Ethics/Law (10%)
• Complete 2,000+ PLABABLE questions and review all incorrects with explanations

PLAB 2: OSCE Preparation

PLAB 2 is held only in Manchester at the GMC Clinical Assessment Centre. Most candidates travel from overseas for a 2–4 week residential preparation course.

• Each station is 8 minutes — 1 minute reading time + 7 minutes with the simulated patient
• Consultation structure: ICE model (Ideas, Concerns, Expectations) must be used in every history station
• Communicate clearly and compassionately — communication failures are the most common reason for failing individual stations
• Practise with a partner for at least 4–6 weeks before the exam — role-playing is non-negotiable