Exam guide
PLAB
The GMC route for international doctors practicing in the UK.
About the exam
The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board test — PLAB 1 and PLAB 2 — is the General Medical Council’s assessment route for international medical graduates seeking to practice medicine in the UK. PLAB 1 is a written exam of extended matching questions built around common presentations from UK guidelines; PLAB 2 is a structured clinical exam of simulated patient encounters.
How ClinIQ prepares you
ClinIQ’s question bank covers presentation-led scenarios aligned with guideline-first management thinking — the same decision style PLAB 1 rewards — while the library’s disease articles summarize the underlying medicine each scenario assumes. Flashcards cement drug doses and first-line choices, and analytics expose weak presentations before exam week.
PLAB — frequently asked questions
What is the difference between PLAB 1 and PLAB 2?
PLAB 1 is a three-hour written exam of approximately 180 single-best-answer and extended-matching questions testing clinical management knowledge. PLAB 2 is a hands-on objective structured clinical examination with simulated patients assessing consultation, diagnosis, and management skills.
Can I take PLAB without UK clinical experience?
Yes — PLAB exists specifically to assess international medical graduates whose qualification was obtained outside the UK, provided you meet GMC registration eligibility requirements including acceptable primary medical qualification and English language evidence.
How should I prepare for PLAB 1?
Anchor your study to current UK guidance summaries, drill large volumes of presentation-based questions under timing, and review every incorrect option’s rationale. Question-bank consistency over several months outperforms last-minute cramming for this exam’s pattern-recognition demands.
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