Orientation to PLAB

Dr Abhishekh HA
Clinical Research Fellow
Psychiatric Imaging Group
Imperial College
London
 Can I get trained in United Kingdom?

One can get the general medical council registration

• IELTS- PLAB 1 - PLAB 2
• IELTS- Membership exams (MRCP/ MRCS/ MRCOG/MRCPsy)
• Former is easier
• Passing rates of membership exams are low. Chances of
passing will increase if one works in UK hospitals.
• GMC registration is mandatory to work as doctor in UK
• It is advisable to start with PLAB route and then take
membership exam
 How many years does it take to become
specialist in UK?

• Medical school- Foundation year 1 (internship)-

Foundation year 2- Core training (2 years)- Speciality
training (3-5 years)
• Surgical specialties are very competitive
• One can enter non training jobs if incase could not
get a training job.
• Process of becoming consultant is lengthy and might
take up to 10-12 years.
• But training standards are very high.
• You will be highly respected in corporate hospitals if
you have abroad training.
 What are the difference between a
training and Non Training Jobs?
• The main difference is non training jobs do not
lead you to get certificate of completion of
training (CCT) which is must to work as a
consultant in UK
• Apart from this there are very little difference
in the work, training and experience you get.
You can write the membership and fellowship
exams.
• Many of the overseas medical councils
recognise the membership of the Royal
Colleges as equal to a post graduate degree.
• It is possible to come back to training job after
working in non training job for few years
 What is PLAB?

• Professional linguistic assessment board exam.

It is exam to get license to practice in UK.
 IELTS
• Once has to clear International English
Language Testing Services (IELTS) before
appearing for PLAB.
• IELTS is English exam with four sections.
• One has to take academic module.
 IELTS
• Reading: Three passages will be given. There will
be 40 questions which has to be answered in 60
minutes.
• Listening: There will be conversations/ lectures.
One has to listen and answer the questions.
• Speaking: This will be conducted on separate day.
Examiner will ask variety of questions and also
ask you to talk on a particular topic for 2 minutes.
• Writing: Two essays should be written. One
reporting the given graph and another on a given
topic.
• GMC might change the IELTS requirements. It
is advisable to consult GMC website for the
recent changes.
• http://www.gmc-
uk.org/doctors/registration_applications/lang
uage_proficiency.asp
 Useful resources of IELTS
• Try to do Cambridge IELTS series

• Following websites will be helpful

• http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/recent-exam-
questions-2.html
• http://www.ieltsbuddy.com/writing-coherence.html
• http://harisielts.blogspot.in/2007/12/156-topics-for-ielts-
essay.html
• http://www.ielts-writing.info/index.php/academic-writing-task-2/
• http://www.ielts-blog.com/category/ielts-preparation-
tips/speaking-tips/page/5/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRFEKvsw-vs
• http://www.ieltsnetwork.com/viewforum.php?f=3&start=50
• http://www.ielts-expert.pk/ielts-exam-writing-task-2-essay-
question-18-january-2014.html
• I took advise from Mr Balachandran MA
retired English professor.
• He runs coaching in Koramangala.
• His phone number: 9845618833
 PLAB 1

• There will be 200 MCQs

• Questions will be from medicine, surgery,
OBG, paeds and orthopaedics.
• Very few questions will come from basic
sciences
• I spent 2 months (8-9 hours/ day) for my PLAB
1 preparation.
• I solved onexamination
(http://www.onexamination.com), MCQ bank
(http://www.mcqbank.co.uk/) and mock tests.
• I read important topics in OHCM and OHCS.
• Important topics I mean the areas from where
questions are frequently asked.
• One will realize important topics after solving
mocks.
• I would like to share scores of mock and actual
exam as many might be interested in analyzing
their preparation.
• My scores in mock were 126, 155, 138, 147,
157, 156,152.
• MCQ bank average score was 75%.
• My actual PLAB 1 exam score was 151.
• I felt actual exam was bit difficult than mock.
• Time management is very crucial in exam.
• Please do solve 1700 mcq given in face book
forum.
• It was extremely helpful
 PLAB 2
• It is clinical exam which tests history taking,
examination and counselling skills.
• There will be 17 stations
• 2 pilot station which won’t be counted for
scoring
• 14 exam stations
• 1 rest station
• There will be one minute to read question and 5
minutes to complete the task

Questions will be in the following format

• Take history and discuss the differential diagnosis with
examiner
• Take history and discuss the management with patient
• Examine the patient and discuss the finding with
examiner
• Mannequins- Perform PR, PV, IV canulation etc
• SIM man
 PLAB face book pages

• https://www.facebook.com/groups/doctor.plab/
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/1438962039697598/
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/522170284579759/
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/246938278735362/
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/191935827486669/

• DON’T get mislead by them. It would be a good source to

find study partners.
• You can download some excellent resource materials from
these pages
 Exam centre location:

• IELTS http://www.ielts.org/test_centre_search/searc
h_results.aspx
• PLAB 1 location:
http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/plab/test_dates.asp
http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/plab/23446.asp
• PLAB 2 location and dates: Manchester, UK only
• http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/plab/test_dates.asp
 Fees: INR

• IELTS: 9900
• PLAB 1: around 14,000
• PLAB 2: 44,000
• PLAB 2 coaching around 40,000
• Visa fees: Around 10,000
• Airfare: Around 80,000
• Accommodation (depends)
• Coaching centers offer sponsorship programs where
you can pay the coaching fees after securing job. Check
in the coaching center websites.
• I am medical student/ intern/ just finished
internship. What should I do to get trained in
UK?
Give IELTS and PLAB 1 when you are in
internship. Subsequently, best strategy is
to take coaching for PLAB 2 in UK and give
exam.
 Coaching centre:

• http://www.plabright.com/
• I took coaching in plabright.
• http://www.plabtrainer.co.uk/
• http://www.samsonplab.co.uk/
 Timeline
• IELTS preparation - 1-2 months
• IELTS results will be released after 2 weeks
• PLAB 1 preparation-2-4 months
• PLAB 1 results will come after 1 month
• PLAB 2 coaching runs for 10-12 days
• 1-2 months of prepartion is essential
• It is very important to assess your progress by
taking mock test
• PLAB 2 results will come after 1-2 weeks
 After PLAB
• Apply for GMC registration in the website
• Pay registration fees
• They may ask additional documents
• Apply for job through
http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/
http://careers.bmj.com/
http://www.indeed.co.uk/
 CV
• It would be nice if you have audit/
research/presentation track record.
• This will make you stand out in interview
 Common interview questions
• Tell about yourself ( brisk clear in 3- 4 minutes)
• What is audit?
• What is clinical governance and its pillars?
• Scenarios - Oxford hand book emergencies
• Ethical Scenarios - drunk colleague, consultant, etc
• What will you do for us ?
• Where do you see yourself in 5 and 10 years?
• What are your weaknesses?
• How would you fit to our team?
• Experience of procedures
 Visa issues
• For PLAB one has to apply for visitor visa- PLAB
category
https://www.gov.uk/business-visitor-visa/overview

• After getting job they will issue Tier 2 visa

https://www.gov.uk/tier-2-general/overview
 MRCP exam details
• http://www.mrcpuk.org/mrcpuk-
examinations/part-1/exam-dates-and-fees
• It can be taken after MBBS
• Study material
• http://www.pastest.co.uk/category/mrcp-
part-1-books-courses-and-online-revision-by-
pastest-226-t11?Take=100000
Medical Super specialty branches in
UK
• Acute medicine • Dermatology
• Endocrinology and diabetes
• Gastroenterology • Geriatric medicine
• Infectious diseases • Medical oncology
• Nephrology • Neurology • Palliative medicine •
Respiratory medicine • Rheumatology
http://www.mrcpuk.org/sites/default/files/docu
ments/specialty-certificate-examinations-
qualifications-to-broader-your-horizons.pdf
 Salary of doctors in UK and US
• Salary for doctors in training and consultants in UK
http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-
career/doctors/pay-for-doctors/

Salary in US
Training doctor’s salary
• http://www.medscape.com/features/slideshow/public/resi
dents-salary-and-debt-report#3

Consultant ‘s salary
• http://www.payscale.com/research/US/People_with_Jobs_
as_Physicians_%2F_Doctors/Salary
More about medical training in UK
• http://www.gmc-
uk.org/Medical_career_structure___doctors_i
n_training.pdf_25417075.pdf
• http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-
career/doctors/specialty-training/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_educati
on_in_the_United_Kingdom
• Thank you