I have passed my PLAB 2 exams and groups on various social media platforms have been extremely helpful throughout my entire PLAB journey. Here are some of my thoughts regarding my PLAB 2 preparation.
Score- Passed 17 Stations and scored 160. 122 was the pass score.
Attempt- 1st
Academy- Common Stations
Preparation time- 4 weeks and 4 days
Study prior to attending academy- None
PLAB 2 exam is a blend of having subject knowledge, interpersonal skills, time management, having a strategy for each type of station(history, counselling, ethical or combined stations) and being able to adjust to spontaneity or rapid emotional changes by the simulator.
Why I chose Common Stations?
· Experienced and training students for a long time. They will be more aware of the trends and recent developments.
· 2 Mock sessions with 18 stations which is how the exam will be.
· Session on Simman.
· Dr Hamed himself takes all the classes except the examination classes. Hence no variation in teaching style.
· New stations are coming on a weekly basis and he is up to date with the same providing us the required material.
Classes at the Academy
· Dr Hamed has a unique teaching style which is very structured and he focusses on strengthening your basics. Once your foundation is strong you can manage to talk on literally any case even if you don’t have any idea about the condition as such.
· You get all the required material and updated ones too in case new stations come up which is the trend nowadays.
· He advises on study strategy and common mistakes made during the exam.
· He personally remembers you and really wishes that all his students should pass
· Classes are long hours but the portion to be covered in 2 weeks is very vast and Dr Hamed covers it all in the best possible way.
· I personally struggled to complete a new file of stations that was given to us on the last day of class. Its important to focus on all stations since anything can come.
· Taking history specific to the suspected conditions is important in order to ease time management. Completing on time was something I tried to work on a lot.
Preparation Tips that helped me-
During academy:
· After class try and get one hour to read what was done for that day. It gives you a better understanding of the class the next day.
· Try and observe how the students from the previous batch are practicing to understand how to go about it.
· Once you get an idea, start practicing with people who are willing to practice after class. This is for you to understand with whom your wavelength sort of matches.
Immediately after academy:
· Prepare a timeline for completing all stations once and then atleast 1 revision. Keep time for rest days and give yourself a scheduled break for the week like say Sunday evening.
· At any point you feel you are slowing down, consider replanning your strategies.
Few things that helped me during my preparation:
· There are 2 ways that you can practice a script. First is take a subject say Medicine History stations and then 2 people practice it with each one saying it to the other with a 8 minute timer each.
Second is take a symptom for example say ‘back pain’ and gather all the stations that can present with the same symptom. For example if there are 6 of them in total, then divide it as 3 each and practice. With this way you will be able to differentiate between presentations like how a miscarriage will present differently from an ectopic pregnancy and also will help you develop the specific questions that you need to ask for if you are suspecting a condition. Both persons still need to read all the stations but practice can be divided.
The second technique is what I used but everyone has their own preference and should go with whatever they are comfortable with.
Only for ethics I made sure to practice every station.
· The examination videos by Dr Ankur Garg available on Youtube.
· Out of the 3 categories that we need to score on its important to identify what you lack in and work on that and not go by someone else’s experience. Once you identify your weakness then observe others who are better than you and understand ways to work on them.
· As you prepare keep a small notebook with things you need to revise before the exam like milestones, SIRS criteria etc. Also various DDs for symptoms will be helpful to revise later on. Make a special note of specific advise such as who and all to advise on driving, diet etc.
Outside the exam cubicle:
· Read the question carefully and try and plan the headings of the things you wish to cover once you go in. If it’s a history based station have 3 dds, 3 management points and 3 safety netting/ warning signs that you will mention about
· Recheck setting, name , age of the patient again just before going in.
Finally, don’t get overwhelmed with the amount to be covered. Plan your study time based on how much time you think you need to prepare. Never shy away from practicing stations with your peers . Its better to make mistakes with them than at the exam. All the very best!