A Comprehensive Guide To PLAB Exam: Preparation, Eligibility & Fees
The licensing exam called PLAB stands for Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board examination, a two-part assessment devised to evaluate the practical and theoretical knowledge of medical graduates who wish to practice medicine in the UK. This exam is conducted by the General Medical Council (UK) across several countries.
After passing the PLAB exam, you are eligible to apply for job opportunities in both the government and private sectors of the UK.
Read on to find out more about PLAB like PLAB after MBBS, PLAB exam dates, PLAB preparation, etc.
SheikhMehreen
Oct 10 2023
10 Min
Why You Need To Take the PLAB Exam?
If you are an Indian student or a student who has pursued medical education out of the UK and wishes to seek job opportunities and practice medicine in the UK, you need to undertake the test called PLAB.
Through this examination, you will be able to obtain a medical license to practice medicine in the UK and explore job prospects across different sectors.
Here are some important PLAB exam dates 2023:
PLAB Exam Pattern & Subjects
Here’s all you need to know about the PLAB exam pattern and subjects. Starting off with PLAB 1.
- PLAB 1:
- PLAB 2:
As per the General Medical Council,“PLAB 1 is a written exam made up of 180 multiple choice questions which you must answer within three hours. Each starts with a short scenario followed by a question. You need to choose the right answer out of the five possible answers given.”
As per the details given by the General Medical Council,“PLAB 2 is an objective structured clinical exam. It's made up of 16 scenarios, each lasting eight minutes, and aims to reflect real-life settings including a mock consultation or an acute ward.”
As far as the PLAB Subjects are concerned, refer to the PLAB Blueprint for a comprehensive curriculum. Click here to download.
How To Apply For The PLAB Exam?
To register for the PLAB, you must be aware of the PLAB exam eligibility first:
- You must have sought your primary medical qualification (PMQ) from an institution recognized and listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
- You must have clinical experience as part of your primary medical qualification or during a pregraduate internship.
- You must have a competent score on the English language proficiency test. For example in IELTS: you should fall within the band score of 7.5.
Read in-depth about the eligibility criteria here
Once you fulfill the eligibility criteria here’s what you have to do to apply for the PLAB examination:
- Set up a GMC account at the official website of the General Medical Council.
- A reference number will be generated that you’ll be using throughout your application process.
- Log in to your GMC account, fill up the details, and apply for the PLAB exam.
Other basic eligibility requirements that you need to complete to apply for the PLAB exam are -
- Ensure your primary medical qualification (PMQ) is recognized by the World Directory of Medical Schools.
- You should have clinical experience, either as part of your PMQ or an internship.
- Test your English fluency through tests like IELTS (7.5 band score).
Cost Of The PLAB Exam
Since the PLAB exam is a two-assessment exam, there’s a separate PLAB exam fee for both parts:
- PLAB 1: £255 (INR 26,000)
- PLAB 2: £934 (INR 95,268)
The PLAB exam fee was updated in April 2023. If you wish to cancel your exam booking and you do it before the 42 days of the scheduled exam date, you’ll receive a refund with a deduction of 10% of the total registration fees. And, if you cancel your booking within 42 days, you don’t stand eligible for a refund.
PLAB Exam Application Process
For the Application process, You should Visit the GMA website.
- Create A GMC account.
- Complete the online application form.
- Pay the application fee.
- Submit the Application form.
- Await Verification and Processing
- Receive Application Outcome
- Book PLAB Test Dates (If Approved)
You will receive a confirmation mail including registration place, venue, and starting time. PLAB1 is held twice a year. For PLAB1 you can attempt as many times as you want but for PLAB2 only 4 times.
Prepare With A Right Strategy For The PLAB Exam
The PLAB preparation tips and resources have been outlined by the General Medical Council UK itself and they are:
- The FLAB Blueprint: It guides the student on the knowledge, skills, and behaviour he is expected to demonstrate. It contains all the topics and the exam’s comprehensive coverage.
- The Foundation Programme curriculum: This ensures you meet up to the standards of those doctors trained in the UK.
- Guidance and interactive tools: It is a guide that lets you know what is expected out of you.
- Sample Questions: This will help you understand the exam pattern.
- Identify areas of your struggle and dedicate extra time to mastering them.
- Develop a study schedule that balances different topics and practice with breaks.
- Remember your goals and visualize yourself successfully practicing medicine in the UK.
Conclusion
Now that you have a fair idea of this exam that serves as the gateway to the United Kingdom, devise a plan and remain consistent in the preparation. This exam could be a license to not only medical practice but to a dynamic and successful medical career. The competition is cut-throat, so make sure to give enough time to the preparation because there’s a lot to learn and retain. Keep a check on the updates and proceed accordingly. You can also sign up for a career counselling session with MB Patil Education and have all your queries addressed to anything related to studying abroad.
FAQ
Any medical graduate who fulfils the following conditions is eligible for the PLAB exam:
- A primary medical qualification (PMQ) from an institution recognized and listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
- A clinical experience as part of the primary medical qualification or during a pregraduate internship.
- A 7.5 IELTS Band Score.
The difficulty level of the PLAB exam depends on various factors such as PLAB Preparation level, background, familiarity with the exam pattern, etc. Any exam can be cracked with a dedicated approach and devised strategy. All in all, given the number of test-takers, exam pattern, and competitive nature of the test, it can be challenging but not difficult to crack.
The PLAB examination fees are £255 (INR 26,000) for Part 1 and PLAB 2: £934 (INR 95,268) for Part 2.
If you are an Indian student planning to practice medicine in the UK, a PLAB exam is required.
And, if you plan to practice in India, you need to qualify for the National Exit Test.
The career and job prospects depend on the speciality and area you are applying to.
According to the General Medical Council (UK), You must pass PLAB 2 within three years of the date you passed PLAB 1.
No, you cannot apply for PLAB1 without valid results of IELTS.
You will be starting at an intern level, you can expect £50,000-53,000 (INR - 51000-54000)
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