Alright… I am done with PLAB 2 and I have passed. The results came yesterday and I am putting this
up ASAP.
A lot of people found my PLAB 1 experience useful and had asked me to also give my PLAB 2
experience. So here goes.
My background: I passed my PLAB 1 in November and I have already written my experience on the
same. The results came out in December and I immediately booked for my PLAB 2 in March. I
thought I would use that time to attend an academy and study. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
My wife was due to deliver our second child in mid-February and we already have a two-year-old at
home. Plus she’s the bread-winner and we were saving her annual leave for her maternity. So
parenting responsibilities came first. Also, I stay in Blackburn and the academies are situated in
Manchester, London and Liverpool. I did not have the time to take some 15 days off to attend these.
Thus, I had to postpone any classes for after the birth of the child. I thought I would study in the
meantime but unfortunately, there’s either no material available and since, I am against sharing of
copyright material, I did not message people asking them to send me something. Therefore, I could
not do any preparatory reading before attending an academy.
The academy: I attended PLAB ASPIRE in London. It is a relatively new academy as compared to the
other ones but the teachers (Ankur Garg and Nikhilesh Rao) came highly recommended. There were
no reviews then on Facebook and the few that had commented had not attended their classes. I was
a little apprehensive about attending this Academy, but the small batch size was definitely a plus for
me. I must say that the initial discount that had been offered was also a factor in choosing. So
notwithstanding the objections of my wise wife on the vagaries of a new academy, I chose to go
ahead with this one (in hindsight, it could have been my wife not wanting me to attend this
Academy which made me chose it). I attended the Academy from 28/02/2018 to 11/03/2018. I
continued practising at the academy till 17/03/2018 and gave 2 mocks. I had my exam on the
20/03/2018
The classes: We were a batch of 6 people. The classes were scheduled from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm. The
weather during this time was the worst possible in a long time in the UK and we struggled to get
there on time. But Ankur was always there before us and would wait patiently for us to arrive before
starting so long as we updated our arrival. The classes were extremely interactive. We would receive
the notes for that day and would take turns in enacting the scenarios. Anyone could interrupt at any
time and clarify their doubts. We could also ask for a break every couple of hours when it became
too much. Ankur emphasized the importance of having a fresh mind during the sessions and there
was always coffee and tea to ensure we were adequately simulated. Most days we were done by
6pm and could go home to revise that day’s lessons. Frankly, I could not do it and the only studying I
did was in the Academy. We also had 2 mocks which were the most helpful. It put us under exam
conditions and made us understand the process and time constraints. The feedback was very
detailed and extremely helpful.
How’s the exam: PLAB 2 is all about clinical interaction. GMC is not interested in assessing our
knowledge. They have already done it in PLAB 1. They are looking at how you would react in
simulated interactions with patients and colleagues. So, most of the training is on enhancing your
communication skills. There are a set number of scenarios that appear though new ones are being
added in almost every exam. The GMC PLAB 2 video on their site gives a very good overview of the
exam process. The Academy helps by letting you know how a scenario will play out and to anticipate
the conversation. All academies provide a script of the scenarios. But remember, THE SCRIPT IS ONLY
A GUIDELINE. I have heard a few people saying that you must stick exactly to the script to get full
marks. That’s absolute Bull*. I have seen them falter and get frustrated when there was any change
in the script. Please remember that the actors in the actual exam are very very good and DO NOT
follow a script. Just talk to them as you would with any patient.
The actual exam: You have to get to the GMC building in Manchester at the given time. Please do
not be late. Have breakfast. There is no food available there. They do have a small café at the
reception downstairs. You will have to wait downstairs until enough people have arrived and then
you will be guided together to the second floor. That is the GMC floor and you need to wait in their
reception again. As soon as you come up, they will check your ID and tick your name in their
attendance sheet. You will then be asked to wait as they call you individually. You will then be
photographed and issued with an ID card which you will wear till you exit the building. After the
formalities are completed, everyone is taken to a briefing room inside. You are then shown the same
video that is present on the GMC website. Further instructions are given, and you are now given a
few minutes to calm your nerves. There is a coffee and tea machine if you need some. Please
remember to visit the loo here as you will not get a chance to go again for the next 3 hours. There is
also a notice board here which mentions when your results will be out. You are then taken to the
exam area and provided with lockers to deposit all you stuff. Absolutely no MOBILE PHONES or
WATCHES or anything else is allowed. And nothing is required in there too. Everything you need is
provided. You are then taken to the exam rooms and your time starts. The next three hours are
some of the fastest in your life. There are 2 rest stations with water, coffee, tea and biscuits
provided. The biscuits are particularly good. Eat them to keep up your energy. You will need the
water too after all that speaking. You can also ask to be taken to the loo if you can get back quickly.
But mostly, you will just be thankful for the break. Once the exam is done, you return your IDs, pick
up your stuff and get escorted off the premises. This means the entire building and you are not
allowed to come back. There are a lot of restaurants and cafes around and you could pop into one of
these to empty your bladder. After 3 hours of holding it in and all the nervousness, I just had pee on
my mind when I left that building.
The wait for the results: You did for PLAB 1. You can do it for PLAB 2 too. Use this time to prepare for
your GMC registration and to apply for jobs. Keep everything ready so you can quickly put it all up as
soon as your results come.
The results are available online on the date and time given. Congrats if you passed. Now get on with
your GMC registration and start applying for jobs. If you haven’t passed, don’t lose heart. It happens
to the best of us. A doctor who cannot come to terms with failure is not a good doctor. So just
practice and you will definitely do better the next time.
THE SHORT VERSION:
- ATTEND AN ACADEMY if you can. It helps in the following ways:
o to understand the variations in the script.
o You can practice.
o The examinations are taught properly.
o Mannequins are taught properly.
o The mocks are very useful. - PRACTISE, PRACTISE, PRACTISE. Have enough time to study and practice after the course. It
is ideally said to have 2-3 months before your exam. I did not have it and I managed to do it
immediately later. But then, I had a scary wife to answer to. You may not. So, plan
accordingly. - DO NOT blindly follow the script. It’s all about communications and not script. The
examiners have seen it all. They will know what academy you are from the moment you
open your mouths. Be different. Speak spontaneously. - DO SOME MOCKS. Someway or the other.
- DON’T PANIC. You need to pass 11 stations out of 18. Even if you don’t do well in a couple of
these, it does not matter. You won’t have time to think over your mistakes until after the
exam when it won’t matter anyways. So just concentrate on the next station. - Start prepping for your registration and applying for jobs once you are done with the exam.
Frequent questions:
Q. Can I do self-study?
A. I honestly don’t know. I consider myself to be a pretty good doctor and a good communicator, but
I would probably not have been able to do it without going to an academy. There are people who
have done so, and you should ask them about it. It probably matters if you have enough time and a
good study partner. So, consider all this before you take this step.
Q. What study do I do before attending an academy?
A. Nothing. They will provide all the material. They will do all the teaching. It probably helps if you go
there with an empty mind. You can concentrate then.
Q. Which academy do I choose?
A. Ah! The million-dollar question. I honestly don’t know. I guess it is all a matter of personal choice.
Every academy is good, and most people pass from all academies. They all have distinctive styles of
functioning and find one which suits you the most. I have attended only PLABASPIRE and found that
perfect for my style. Notes were provided. It was a relaxed atmosphere. We could ask questions, ask
for breaks, take things at our own pace. Ask around a bit. Talk to people who have attended these
and ask them specifically for the negative points they encountered at an academy. The positives are
always there. The negatives are the ones that matter.
Q. Do I need NHS experience for the exam?
A. No. You don’t. Period. It’s all about communications and ethics. It does not matter if you have
ever worked in the NHS or not. Nor does it matter if your teachers have. It’s all standard fare and
you just need to know how to approach it. So, don’t get carried away by NHS experience and stuff
like that.
That’s all folks. Sorry about the long document. There’s so much more to say but so little space. Will
edit this document as and when I remember something important.
As mentioned in the previous post, I am happy to answer any queries that anyone has on
Facebook/messenger. Feel free to contact me. Good luck.