INTRODUCTION

Introduction to PLAB

PLAB or Professional Linguistic Assessment Board is a two step licensing exam which helps you register as a medical practitioner in the UK. It is held by the General Medical Council- a public body which maintains the list of registered medical practitioners in the UK.

As stated above, it is a 2 step exam:

PLAB part 1

PLAB 1 is a written exam made up of 180 multiple choice questions which you must answer within three hours. Each starts with a short scenario followed by a question. You need to choose the right answer out of the five possible answers given. 

PLAB part 2

PLAB 2 is an objective structured clinical exam. It's made up of 18 scenarios, each lasting eight minutes and aims to reflect real life settings including a mock consultation or an acute ward. 

Once you’ve passed both parts, you can apply for registration with a licence to practise. Your application must be approved within two years of passing part 2 of the test. Once you are approved your application and you gain registration you can work as a doctor in the UK. 

(Information from official GMC site)

(You can make your GMC account here)