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15 things to consider when choosing a PLAB 2 academy

There are over a dozen PLAB 2 academies to choose from these days - picking one can be overwhelming!. This guide lists all the essential considerations you need to make when deciding on the best academy for you.

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The rules, guidelines and criteria for working as a doctor in the UK change frequently. Please make sure you check the latest official guidance before taking action.

Updated: May 2023

Choosing a PLAB 2 academy was a nerve-wracking process for me! I worried about things like “am I wasting my money?” “can I do this on my own?” “do these academies know what they’re talking about?” “is one academy better than the others?” etc.

PLAB 2 is a very important exam and I wanted to choose a centre that would give me the highest chance of passing.

In this article I list the top 6 essentials for any PLAB academy to give you the right tools to succeed. I also discuss 9 other considerations that can affect your decision to enrol in a specific academy.

So let’s get to it.

The 6 essentials

1. High quality feedback

This is the most important consideration when choosing a PLAB 2 coaching centre. What you are really paying for in these courses is high quality feedback. Notes and videos can provide you the content of the exams without the need to enrol in an academy, but they don’t give you feedback to help you improve.

So if you decide to invest in an academy, make sure you know what kind of feedback you will receive. The best type of feedback is individualised and should be delivered face-to-face. Ask about whether the mark sheets from your mock exams are returned to you and what opportunities there are to discuss your results with the examiner.

2. Small group size

PLAB 2 is a practical exam so it is not something that can be taught in a large lecture hall. Being able to see the teacher clearly as they demonstrate practical skills, and being able to ask questions is essential. Group size also affects the quality of feedback that you will receive so the smaller the group the better. Personally I feel more hesitant to ask questions when the group has more than 20 participants but this differs from person to person.

You can find out the group size by checking the official website of the academies or by contacting them directly. Another option is to ask past PLAB 2 candidates in forums or Facebook groups. This may give you a more accurate and unbiased answer.

3. Familiarity of the teachers with PLAB 2

I’m sure that when you’ve been researching the PLAB 2 academies you’ve had a look at the credentials of the teachers. Some boast that their teachers have been training doctors for PLAB for many years while others focus on them being registrars or Consultants.

Which is more important?

For me, having a teacher who is a Consultant may sound impressive but familiarity with the exam itself holds heavier weight. Find out how long the academy has been in operation for and try to contact former students about who was actually doing the teaching in the course.

4. Facilities for practice

When the course ends, your work begins. Intentional focused practice is vital to your success. The centre must have space for you to practice including access to mannequins. If it’s not possible to visit the academy before enrolling, call them or ask around on Facebook groups. Find out what the opening times are for practice sessions and how accessible the mannequins and SimMan are.

Word of advice: a SimMan station comes out in almost every PLAB 2 exam so make sure the academy of your choice has one!

5. Time for practice

To practice effectively you need time. If you don’t give yourself enough time to practice you’ll be setting yourself up for failure! If the academy only runs once a month and leaves you just 1-2 weeks for practice, I would advise against it. Look for a centre that has dates that allow you more time.

I generally suggest a minimum of 3 weeks between the end of the course and your PLAB 2 date. Most people suggest 4-6 weeks as safest which is also fine. Check the start and end dates of the course as well as the mock exam dates.

Is more time to practice better? Not always, practice has its limits.

At some point you will get fatigued, your performance will plateau, and no further improvement can be made. So just keep burnout in mind if you are planning to allocate 2-3 months between the course and the exam.

6. Full mock exams

PLAB 2 is at least 2 and half hours long with 18 stations of 8 minutes duration each. You need stamina to finish each station strong and this requires practice. Make sure the mock exam accurately simulates the real test by having the full 18 stations. I would recommend doing around 2-3 full mocks. Don’t underestimate the importance of mock exams in your preparation for PLAB 2!

Bonus tip

The Oxford Handbook of Foundation Programme was immensely helpful not only in my preparation for PLAB 2, but also for my first job! It helped me consolidate my learning from medical school and the PLAB 2 course, as well as understand how the NHS works and what’s expected of UK doctors.

I recommend you get this book and study it during PLAB 2 so that by the time you start working, you’ll be familiar with the UK management plans or at least where to look when you come across a case or problem at work.

Get your copy here on Amazon.

Other important factors

7. Flexibility of course schedule

The majority of academies hold their classes daily for about 2 consecutive weeks. This may not work for those who have other commitments during the week. Some centres do offer weekend courses so look into that if you’re already in the UK but unable to attend on weekdays.

8. Distance learning

Not everyone can fund the cost of a 4-6 week long trip to the UK. Some doctors are preparing for PLAB while working and are unable to request leave for this amount of time. Others yet have families that they can’t leave for too long.

Whatever the reason, it’s worth looking into the availability of distance learning. Some academies offer online instruction for their course complemented by in-person mock exams. This helps to reduce the duration of time needed to be physically in the UK. Bear in mind that with this approach it’s still advisable to attend at least a week prior to the mock exams so you can practice with other candidates.

9. Times of classes

Many classes skip the rush hour and start mid-morning. This is great for those who need to commute, but sessions can finish late in the evening – even past midnight for some mock exams! This makes it less safe for those travelling alone. If the course tends to finish this late, consider getting accommodation very close by and even joining with friends with whom you can travel to and from the academy. Remember, safety in numbers!

10. Training of mock examiners

It’s no secret that the mock examiners for many academies are their former students. This is not necessarily a bad thing as these successful candidates are familiar with the exam content and format. That doesn’t mean however that they have training on how to be an examiner or how to provide feedback. Ask the academy what training former students receive to be mock examiners and if they are given marksheets when grading.

11. Additional mock exams

If you feel you’re not making as much progress as you would like, it may be a good idea to practise more and attend another mock exam. Find out if the academy offers additional mocks and for how much. This isn’t necessary for everyone but it’s good to know your options.

12. Accommodation

The UK is an expensive place to live, especially if you’re unemployed! Fortunately, some academies offer help finding inexpensive accommodation for both shared and private rooms.

If you do look for accommodation on your own, check how close it is to the academy and factor in travel time and costs. I find Airbnb is the next most affordable option when the academy accommodations are full. Sign up to Airbnb and receive a £25 discount off your first booking.

Suggested: How to find cheap short-term accommodation in the UK

13. Pass rates

Some academies publish their pass rates which you can compare to the GMC published pass rates. Although these numbers are reassuring for potential PLAB takers, remember that these are published by the academies themselves rather than from an unbiased third party. Also, even if an academy has a high pass rate you will still need to put in the work. Simply attending the course will not guarantee a pass.

14. Reviews

In today’s consumer world, we like to read reviews before parting with our money. When it comes to PLAB 2 courses I would advise to take reviews with a grain of salt. The whole “which academy should I go for?” question can lead to hostile toxic interactions which you don’t need when facing an important exam!

I would advise not to base your decision solely on reviews but on all the other factors I’ve listed here. If you want to ask former students about their experience, try to ask for objective information like the delivery of feedback, class size, class times, number of stations in a mock exam, etc.

15. Post PLAB support

Some academies allow you to retake the course at no additional cost if you fail the exam so check for this before booking. No one plans to fail but it’s good to have a plan B just in case.

If and when you do pass, there are centres that offer services to prepare you for your first job. This may include advice on your CV, interview prep, and even direct help finding a job through a recruitment agency. Although with the shortage of doctors these days, it’s not necessary to go through an agency to secure employment but some doctors may find this reassuring.

Final consideration: Cost

The price range of the PLAB 2 course itself is very similar among most centres so the fee itself should not be a major factor in your decision. But don’t forget that there are other costs to be considered such as accommodation and transportation. Make sure you look into the costs as a whole. Also consider other bonuses offered such as post-PLAB support and discounts for group bookings.

Read all about the cost of GMC registration through the PLAB route here. You’ll find a thorough breakdown of the expenses plus tips to save at each stage.

Conclusion

Bottom line: Choosing the right academy is only half the work, the rest is really down to you. An academy can only provide the tools; at the end of the day it is up to you to take these tools and do the work needed to succeed.

Further resources

For unofficial websites and Facebook groups, please use your own discretion and check all advice and materials with the official sources.

Also read – What you need to know about PLAB

Official GMC guidance – PLAB 2 specific

Our recommend PLAB 2 Academy: Arora Medical Education Use the code SAVVY10 for 10% off at checkout.

Study tips:

Facebook groups

Disclosure: There are some affiliate links in the article above. This means that at no additional cost to you, we may earn a commission if you make a booking or purchase by clicking on the link. We only recommend products and services that we use ourselves or have proven success amongst IMGs.

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Disclosure of your information to service providers

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Disclosure and use of your information for legal reasons

Indicating possible criminal acts or threats to public security to a competent authority

If we suspect that criminal or potential criminal conduct has been occurred, we will in certain circumstances need to contact an appropriate authority, such as the police. This could be the case, for instance, if we suspect that we fraud or a cyber-crime has been committed or if we receive threats or malicious communications towards us or third parties.

We will generally only need to process your information for this purpose if you were involved or affected by such an incident in some way.

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interests: preventing crime or suspected criminal activity (such as fraud).

In connection with the enforcement or potential enforcement our legal rights

We will use your information in connection with the enforcement or potential enforcement of our legal rights, including, for example, sharing information with debt collection agencies if you do not pay amounts owed to us when you are contractually obliged to do so. Our legal rights may be contractual (where we have entered into a contract with you) or non-contractual (such as legal rights that we have under copyright law or tort law).

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interest: enforcing our legal rights and taking steps to enforce our legal rights.

In connection with a legal or potential legal dispute or proceedings

We may need to use your information if we are involved in a dispute with you or a third party for example, either to resolve the dispute or as part of any mediation, arbitration or court resolution or similar process.

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Legitimate interest(s): resolving disputes and potential disputes.

How long we retain your information

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Retention periods

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Correspondence and enquiries: when you make an enquiry or correspond with us for any reason, whether by email or via our contact form or by phone, we will retain your information for as long as it takes to respond to and resolve your enquiry, and for 36 further month(s), after which point we will archive your information.

Newsletter: we retain the information you used to sign up for our newsletter for as long as you remain subscribed (i.e. you do not unsubscribe).

Membership: we retain the information you used to sign up for our memberships for as long as you remain subscribed (i.e. you do not unsubscribe).

Criteria for determining retention periods

In any other circumstances, we will retain your information for no longer than necessary, taking into account the following:

    • the purpose(s) and use of your information both now and in the future (such as whether it is necessary to continue to store that information in order to continue to perform our obligations under a contract with you or to contact you in the future);
    • whether we have any legal obligation to continue to process your information (such as any record-keeping obligations imposed by relevant law or regulation);
    • whether we have any legal basis to continue to process your information (such as your consent);
    • how valuable your information is (both now and in the future);
    • any relevant agreed industry practices on how long information should be retained;
    • the levels of risk, cost and liability involved with us continuing to hold the information;
    • how hard it is to ensure that the information can be kept up to date and accurate; and
    • any relevant surrounding circumstances (such as the nature and status of our relationship with you).

How we secure your information

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to secure your information and to protect it against unauthorised or unlawful use and accidental loss or destruction, including:

  • only sharing and providing access to your information to the minimum extent necessary, subject to confidentiality restrictions where appropriate, and on an anonymised basis wherever possible;
  • using secure servers to store your information;
  • verifying the identity of any individual who requests access to information prior to granting them access to information;
  • using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software to encrypt any payment transactions you make on or via our website;
  • only transferring your information via closed system or encrypted data transfers;

Transmission of information to us by email

Transmission of information over the internet is not entirely secure, and if you submit any information to us over the internet (whether by email, via our website or any other means), you do so entirely at your own risk.

We cannot be responsible for any costs, expenses, loss of profits, harm to reputation, damages, liabilities or any other form of loss or damage suffered by you as a result of your decision to transmit information to us by such means.

Transfers of your information outside the European Economic Area

Your information may be transferred and stored outside the European Economic Area (EEA) in the circumstances set out earlier in this policy.

We will also transfer your information outside the EEA or to an international organisation in order to comply with legal obligations to which we are subject (compliance with a court order, for example). Where we are required to do so, we will ensure appropriate safeguards and protections are in place.

Your rights in relation to your information

Subject to certain limitations on certain rights, you have the following rights in relation to your information, which you can exercise by writing to the data controller using the details provided at the top of this policy.

  • to request access to your information and information related to our use and processing of your information;
  • to request the correction or deletion of your information;
  • to request that we restrict our use of your information;
  • to receive information which you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format (e.g. a CSV file) and the right to have that information transferred to another data controller (including a third-party data controller);
  • to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes (for further information, see the section below entitled Your right to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes); and
  • to withdraw your consent to our use of your information at any time where we rely on your consent to use or process that information. Please note that if you withdraw your consent, this will not affect the lawfulness of our use and processing of your information on the basis of your consent before the point in time when you withdraw your consent.

In accordance with Article 77 of the General Data Protection Regulation, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or of an alleged infringement of the General Data Protection Regulation.

Further information on your rights in relation to your personal data as an individual

You can find out further information about your rights, as well as information on any limitations which apply to those rights, by reading the underlying legislation contained in Articles 12 to 22 and 34 of the General Data Protection Regulation, which is available here:http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/reform/files/regulation_oj_en.pdf

Verifying your identity where you request access to your information

Where you request access to your information, we are required by law to use all reasonable measures to verify your identity before doing so.

These measures are designed to protect your information and to reduce the risk of identity fraud, identity theft or general unauthorised access to your information.

How we verify your identity

Where we possess appropriate information about you on file, we will attempt to verify your identity using that information.

If it is not possible to identity you from such information, or if we have insufficient information about you, we may require original or certified copies of certain documentation in order to be able to verify your identity before we are able to provide you with access to your information.

We will be able to confirm the precise information we require to verify your identity in your specific circumstances if and when you make such a request.

Your right to object

You have the following rights in relation to your information, which you may exercise in the same way as you may exercise by writing to the data controller using the details provided at the top of this policy.

  • to object to us using or processing your information where we use or process it in order
  • to carry out a task in the public interest or for our legitimate interests, including ‘profiling’ (i.e. analysing or predicting your behaviour based on your information) based on any of these purposes; and
  • to object to us using or processing your information for direct marketing purposes(including any profiling we engage in that is related to such direct marketing).

You may also exercise your right to object to us using or processing your information for direct marketing purposes by:

  • clicking the unsubscribe link contained at the bottom of any marketing email we send to you and following the instructions which appear in your browser following your clicking on that link;
  • sending an email to info@thesavvyimg.co.uk, asking that we stop sending you marketing communications or by including the words “OPT OUT”.

Sensitive Personal Information

‘Sensitive personal information’ is information about an individual that reveals their racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, genetic information, biometric information for the purpose of uniquely identifying an individual, information concerning health or information concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation.

Our website does not allow you to register any ‘Sensitive Information’, however if we ask for this, you will be considered to have explicitly consented to us processing that sensitive personal information under Article 9(2)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation.

Changes to our Privacy Policy

We update and amend our Privacy Policy from time to time.

Minor changes to our Privacy Policy

Where we make minor changes to our Privacy Policy, we will update our Privacy Policy with a new effective date stated at the beginning of it. Our processing of your information will be governed by the practices set out in that new version of the Privacy Policy from its effective date onwards.

Major changes to our Privacy Policy or the purposes for which we process your information

Where we make major changes to our Privacy Policy or intend to use your information for a new purpose or a different purpose than the purposes for which we originally collected it, we will notify you by email (where possible) or by posting a notice on our website.

We will provide you with the information about the change in question and the purpose and any other relevant information before we use your information for that new purpose.

Wherever required, we will obtain your prior consent before using your information for a purpose that is different from the purposes for which we originally collected it.

Children’s Privacy

Because we care about the safety and privacy of children online, we comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). COPPA and its accompanying regulations protect the privacy of children using the internet. We do not knowingly contact or collect information from persons under the age of 18. The website is not intended to solicit information of any kind from persons under the age of 18.

It is possible that we could receive information pertaining to persons under the age of 18 by the fraud or deception of a third party. If we are notified of this, as soon as we verify the information, we will, where required by law to do so, immediately obtain the appropriate parental consent to use that information or, if we are unable to obtain such parental consent, we will delete the information from our servers. If you would like to notify us of our receipt of information about persons under the age of 18, please do so by contacting us by using the details at the top of this policy.