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What you need to know about PLAB 1

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Photo: Young doctor is learning and preparing for the PLAB exam, he is using books and tablet to search for knowledge

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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 24, 2023

When you decide to pursue your medical career overseas, you will usually need to take exams to prove your medical knowledge and clinical skills. If you want to work in the UK, one way to achieve this is through the Professional and Linguistics Assessment Boards or PLAB exams.

Any exam is daunting but PLAB 1 doesn’t have to be one of them. I wasn’t a top student in my class but I was able to successfully pass both PLAB exams on my first attempt and trust me, if I can do it, then so can you!

So what do you need to know before you start on your PLAB journey?

Keep reading so you know how to prepare for PLAB 1.

The PLAB 1 essentials

What is PLAB 1?

PLAB 1 is a written exam. You’ll have 3 hours to answer 180 multiple choice questions.

Where and when can you sit PLAB 1?

PLAB 1 only takes place 4 times a year and you usually need to book 8-10 months in advance. Be sure to check the release dates for seats very early on in your journey.

You can book a place in many countries across the globe. Always check the GMC website for the exact dates each year and a list of the countries where PLAB 1 is available.

How much does it cost?

£255

What is the pass rate for PLAB 1?

On average, over two thirds of candidates pass PLAB 1. You can view the latest pass rates here on the GMC website.

Official Source: Fees and funding of PLAB

PLAB 1 is a clinical exam

Unlike USMLE Step 1, PLAB 1 is not heavily focused on the basic sciences. With PLAB, you will not encounter questions on rare variations of normal, and you will not fail because you forgot that one enzyme that did that one thing you learned in the second year of medical school.

PLAB 1 is about the application of medical knowledge to clinical practice. The questions are more grounded in diagnosis and management. After studying medicine for so many years, you will be definitely equipped with the necessary knowledge to pass.

PLAB 1 is not that difficult

In my humble opinion, PLAB 1 tests you for the most fundamental clinical knowledge that you would expect of any safe practising junior doctorUnlike the USMLE, it is not used to distinguish the most intelligent from the average. It is not a test of who’s best, just who’s safe.

The subject matter consists mostly of must-know topics that are needed in day-to-day practice rather than nice-to-know obscure facts. As long as you studied well during medical school, you’ll have a good foundation of knowledge for passing PLAB 1! So if you’re thinking about preparing for PLAB as a student, I would just say to focus on medical school and leave PLAB preparation for later.

You need to shift your mindset to UK medicine

When you’re preparing for PLAB, don’t just think of it as an exam you need to pass. View it as an opportunity to prepare for working in the UK. You’ll need to learn the UK management guidelines and the common conditions in the UK. These may be different from your home country because of the difference in demographics and national health policy.

You’ll also need to learn the English layman terms for some symptoms, signs and conditions. For example, seizures are referred to as “fits”.

Dr Aman Arora’s approach to PLAB 1 preparation focuses on the important knowledge you’ll need for the exam in a way that you’ll remember when you start practising as a doctor. We recommend his flashcards and audiobooks to help you learn on-the-go.

Check out his PLAB 1 study materials here.

We’ve managed to secure a 10% discount for our readers on all his products. Just use the code ARORASAVVY10 at checkout, this code can be used on top of any ongoing sale!

Preparation can take as little as 4-6 weeks

With dedicated preparation using the right study materials, you can pass PLAB 1 with just 4-6 weeks revision. This is more likely if you have recently graduated medical school or just finished internship. That’s because it’s all fresh and you still have a very trainable mindset. If you have been working in one specialty for a number of years, it becomes a bit more challenging but it is still doable.

If you are working while preparing for PLAB 1, or have other responsibilities such as caring for family, children, or have any health issues, then do be kind to yourself and allot more time for preparation.

Related: Getting ready for your first visit to the UK as an IMG

Don’t skip PLAB 1 sample questions

Your preparation for any exam, including PLAB 1, should not consist solely of reading text. You need to recall and apply this knowledge in an exam setting so it’s vital that you go through sample questions as part of your preparation. This will also help you familiarise yourself with the style of questions and the commonly tested topics.

Whenever using sample questions, be sure to research the correct answers yourself. We know that distribution of copyright materials is rampant amongst PLAB takers, so you should know that some academies intentionally put mistakes in their notes which they only correct if you attend the course or pay for a subscription. So be wary of using copyright notes that you obtained illegally!

Attending an academy in person is not essential for PLAB 1

Everyone has their own learning style, fortunately there are lots of resources to choose from these days. From online video courses, audiobooks, flashcards, question banks and more. This means you do not have to attend an academy or course in person just to prepare for PLAB 1.

What’s important is you get used to the basics of UK medicine and the common guidelines, terms, and diseases here.

Personally, I did not attend a PLAB 1 course but my wife did. It worked out well for both of us and we both passed on our first PLAB 1 attempt. But we wish we had access to the study materials that are available now because it would have helped us save a lot of money!

Related – The cost of PLAB & GMC fees + tips on saving money

You need to pass IELTS/OET first

Before you can book PLAB, you need to demonstrate that your English ability is up to GMC standards. For most IMGs this means passing IELTS or OET.

There is one possibility to bypass the English tests if your medical degree (AKA Primary Medical Qualification or PMQ) was taught solely in English and with clinical interaction with patients was in in English more than 75% of the time.

Your English evidence is valid for 2 years and needs to be valid on the day you sit PLAB 1.

For more information on the difference between IELTS and OET, read our article about it here.

Time management is an important skill

In PLAB 1, you have 3 hours to answer 180 multiple choice questions, that’s 1 minute per question! And when you’re under the pressure of an exam, the time can fly by and you can be left wondering, “what just happened?!”

To avoid panic during PLAB 1, it’s important to simulate the real exam during your preparation so that you are familiar with how it will be on the day. I definitely recommend taking mock exams to help with this.

PLAB and the UKMLA

Previously the GMC said that PLAB would be replaced by the UKMLA in 2024, however they now say that PLAB will still be called PLAB, even though the coverage will be changed to the UKMLA blueprint.

In practical terms, they say the exam will pretty much be the same. EU graduates will still be exempt from PLAB under current EU trade laws, but this is of course subject to change.

Frequently Asked Questions

You do not need to take the PLAB exams to gain full GMC registration if you are in one of these situations:

  1. You have attained one of the postgraduate qualifications on this list.
  2. You have found a job through one of the GMC sponsors on this list.
  3. You are joining an MTI scheme.
  4. You are an EU national or you have enforceable EEA rights (contact the GMC directly for advice about this)

If you don’t meet any of these criteria, then you need to book PLAB.

Related: How to decide between PLAB and MRCP/MRCS

No.

Although PLAB is set at the level of a doctor who has completed internship, internship is not a requirement to book the test. As you can see from the GMC website, there are only 2 requirements to book PLAB 1:

  1. Evidence of English proficiency
  2. Completion of an acceptable primary medical qualification (PMQ) – PLAB cannot be taken during medical school years.

Once you pass your final exams and therefore qualify for your Primary Medical Qualification, you can open a GMC Online account and book PLAB 1. You do not need to have attended your graduation ceremony or have your medical certificate or diploma in hand to book the exam. And you do not need to complete a post-graduate internship before you can book PLAB.

You may need to complete your pre-graduate internship before you can book PLAB. This is because one of the requirements to sit PLAB is that you have qualified from medical school, so if your internship is a pre-requisite to qualify then that may be an issue.

We asked the GMC this and they said “yes, you must complete your pre-graduate internship”, however we have come across IMGs who have completed PLAB during a pre-graduate internship so it looks like it’s possible. If you require further clarification, please email the GMC directly.

If you have qualified from medical school but haven’t completed internship, do not be intimidated to take PLAB. It is very possible to take PLAB during internship, or without any internship at all.

As with any exam, PLAB can be prepared for. We know many doctors who have successfully passed PLAB 1 and 2 without completing internship including ourselves. 

Again, the must knows for FY2 doctors in the UK can be found in the Oxford Handbook for Foundation Programme. Many also find the Oxford Handbook for Clinical Medicine useful.

Related: Will your internship be accepted for full GMC registration?

No. Scoring highly on PLAB will not gain you any advantage when applying for jobs.

As with most UK specialty exams, it is pass or fail. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to do well in it though, obviously the higher you score the more likely you are to pass.

Likewise if you fail the exam, it will not matter to future employers. Unlike the USMLE, you will not be asked at interview or in your job application how many times you sat PLAB. Once you pass, that’s it. So do not be too hard on yourself if you fail. It is a tricky test and it can take more than one attempt to conquer it so chin up, adjust your approach, and try again.

The significance of PLAB scores is a common misconception of IMGs, read about other common misconception here.

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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Looking for a step-by-step guide?

Subscribe to the Savvy IMG and grab your FREE 2-year roadmap to UK residency as an IMG.

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Subscribe to the Savvy IMG and grab your FREE 2-year roadmap to UK residency as an IMG.

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8 Responses

  1. Hi! How is PLAB1 administered? I believe there’s an answer sheet that we need to shade. But, for the questions, will it be printed on paper or displayed through a computer?

  2. Hi,
    There is no place anymore for Plab 1 in 2021. Is there anything I could do about it? Do I need Plab for FY2 Las?

    1. Hi there, as far as we know there are no more places but keep checking. Some people cancel so you may be able to book a place. You need GMC registration for any job in the UK so if you are going through the PLAB route, yes, you’ll need PLAB. Hope you get a slot!

  3. Thank you so much dr Nick for providing a comprehensive information.
    I graduated med school at 2004, and afterwards working in a skin clinic as a general practitioner. Currently, I am pursuing my master’s degree in a genetic epidemiology at a university in Japan. I am 42 upon graduation. Is it still possible to sit on PLAB exam in order to train as a specialist in the UK?

    With best regards,
    Gosho

  4. Good evening and many thanks to the creators of this blog!
    I’m aiming to get into FP 2022, so, as I understood, my deadlines for sitting PLAB are November 2021 and April 2022 respectively for each part. But I’m concerned about the availability of places, since I will not be able to book my test date till July (when I’m getting my diploma).
    So my questions are: is there a way to track the availability of places online and, if not, can I book a place without my diploma?
    Best regards, Natavan

    1. Hi there! Thanks for visiting our blog! Unfortunately there is no way to track availability of places, we hope the GMC will come out with a function like this in the future though. You should still be able to book a place without your actual diploma if you have already passed your final exams. A letter stating that you passed the exams and meet all requirements to be awarded your degree should be sufficient but please double check the exact document required with the GMC. They reply quickly by email and FB messenger! Best of luck!

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Marketing communications

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This section sets out how we obtain or collect information about you from third parties.

Information received from third parties

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Legitimate interests: where a third party has shared information about you with us and you have not consented to the sharing of that information, we will have a legitimate interest in processing that information in certain circumstances.

For example, we would have a legitimate interest in processing your information to perform our obligations under a sub-contract with the third party, where the third party has the main contract with you. Our legitimate interest is the performance of our obligations under our sub-contract.

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Information obtained by us from third parties

In certain circumstances (for example, to verify the information we hold about you or obtain missing information we require to provide you with a service) we will obtain information about you from certain publicly accessible sources, both EU and non-EU, such as Companies House, online customer databases, business directories, media publications, social media, and websites (including your own website if you have one.

In certain circumstances will also obtain information about you from private sources, both EU and non-EU, such as marketing data services.

We will continue to send you marketing communications in relation to similar goods and services if you do not opt out from receiving them.

You can opt-out from receiving marketing communications at any time by emailing hello@thesavvyimg.co.uk

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Legitimate interests: Sharing relevant, timely and industry-specific information on related business services.

Where we receive information about you in error

If we receive information about you from a third party in error and/or we do not have a legal basis for processing that information, we will delete your information.

Disclosure and additional uses of your information

This section sets out the circumstances in which will disclose information about you to third parties and any additional purposes for which we use your information.

Disclosure of your information to service providers

We use a number of third parties to provide us with services which are necessary to run our business or to assist us with running our business

These include the following: Internet services, IT service providers and web developers.

Our third-party service providers are located both inside and outside of the European Economic Area.

Your information will be shared with these service providers where necessary to provide you with the service you have requested, whether that is accessing our website or ordering goods and services from us.

We do not display the identities of our service providers publicly by name for security and competitive reasons. If you would like further information about the identities of our service providers, however, please contact us directly by email and we will provide you with such information where you have a legitimate reason for requesting it (where we have shared your information with such service providers, for example).

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

Legitimate interest relied on: where we share your information with these third parties in a context other than where is necessary to perform a contract (or take steps at your request to do so), we will share your information with such third parties in order to allow us to run and manage our business efficiently.

Legal basis for processing: necessary to perform a contract and/or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Reason why necessary to perform a contract: we may need to share information with our service providers to enable us to perform our obligations under that contract or to take the steps you have requested before we enter into a contract with you.

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.

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

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

How long we retain your information

This section sets out how long we retain your information. We have set out specific retention periods where possible. Where that has not been possible, we have set out the criteria we use to determine the retention period.

Retention periods

Server log information: we retain information on our server logs for 3 months.

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.