PLAB 2:
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Common misconception: The notion to not study for PLAB 2 before attending the academy is preposterous to me. That’s shooting yourself in the foot. ESPECIALLY if you have less time after academy like I did (2.5 weeks). If you have more time, STILL PREPARE, there’s only benefit.
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What can you study? Well, it’s not just reading, but watching as well. There are some really good videos on YouTube free of charge on PLAB 2 examinations e.g. Meningitis, Knee, Antenatal etc. The ones me and my friends enjoyed the most were by Dr. Ankur Garg, since they could be understood no matter which academy you’re planning to go to. Watch them and note down the steps and hold on to them.
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What can you read? I attended common stations, which emails you some teaching material relevant to what is going to be taught in the academy, before you attend the academy. Since a lot of that teaching material is referred to during the academy, going through it superficially will definitely give you an edge.
*critical note: get in touch with your friends/seniors/colleagues who attended the academies you plan on attending, they can give you valuable insight into the inner workings of the academy, accommodation, reading as well as whether it’s worth it to attend that particular academy in the first place or not.
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Time after academy & scripts: Time after academy required to pass can vary from person to person. What will make a difference is; your study while the academy is running AND what you read before you even came to the academy. These will give you a jump start once the academy finishes, and it is doable within a smaller timeframe as well. Don’t underestimate yourself. Other than me, there were more than 5 or 6 others who had their exams after 2.5 weeks like me, and alhamdulilah almost all of them cleared. As for the scripts, you should absolutely know them well. But don’t memorize them. The scripts serve the purpose of telling you how to handle a situation, if you hear a certain comment or question. All of these questions are important, understand why they’re being said, but don’t memorize. So if your practice partner fires any question from the script at you, you should have a response in your own words based around the ideal answer, because last I checked PLAB 2 tests humans not AI Robots.
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Choice of academy: choose according to your convenience, accommodation, experience of peers. Weigh the pros and cons (there are endless posts about those in this group). I chose Common Stations because of the good experience of my friends who passed PLAB 2 after CS, as well as the fact that Dr.Hamed has been taking the teaching sessions alone since a long time, which clearly shows in his expertise in teaching, interaction, and keeping you awake throughout the ridiculously long teaching days.
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The point of an academy: putting the history structure, dummies, study material provided by the academies aside, understand that one of the biggest reasons why you should attend an academy is the access to a significant number of individuals on the same path as yourself. It is practice with these individuals which will prepare you more than studying the teaching material handed out to you alone. Practice with as many different people as you can, as your study partners will be your best critics and teachers. No need to stick to a single person. As Dr. Hamed would say, ‘’it’s your study partner, not your life partner’’. And do try to awaken the Joaquin Phoenix inside you to the best of your ability while practicing as a patient, it will make it easier to practice with a realistic patient.
To my seniors/mentors, whose advice, guidance and help was vital all the way; Vaishnav, Muhd Naseem, Ruqaiya, Mahnoor, Ruhail, Haider, Sadiq, Common Stations by Dr. Hamed to name just a few. To my family, my pillars of strength; and to this community for everything it has done to help us reach our goals, thank you.