The Bottom Line
- PLAB 2 is 16 scenarios, each 8 minutes — you must train time checkpoints.
- Win by structure: open → focused Hx → targeted exam/explanation → plan → safety net.
- Treat every station as a ‘safe FY2 GP/ward doctor’ performance.
Official format (don’t freestyle this)
PLAB 2 is a clinical and professional skills assessment made up of 16 scenarios, each lasting 8 minutes, designed to reflect real-life settings such as a mock consultation or acute ward. Train exactly to that constraint.
The biggest PLAB 2 mistake is trying to be exhaustive. The exam rewards safe, structured practice: you identify risk, prioritise the likely diagnosis, propose an appropriate plan, and communicate it professionally. The timer is the exam.
1
Checkpoint 0:00–0:45 — Frame the station
Read carefully. Decide: is this primarily communication, acute safety, chronic management, or admin? Pick the top 3 differentials and top 3 red flags before you speak.
2
Checkpoint 0:45–2:30 — Open + focused history
Open question → clarify → focused questions that discriminate your top differentials. Use ‘one question per differential’ and explicitly ask the key red flags for that presentation.
3
Checkpoint 2:30–4:30 — Examination or explanation
If physical exam: do a clean, clinically sensible targeted exam with signposting. If no exam: explain your working, summarise, and transition to management.
4
Checkpoint 4:30–7:00 — Management (safe + proportionate)
Immediate actions (if needed) → investigations (only what changes management) → first-line treatment → follow-up. If unsure: escalate appropriately — that’s often the ‘safe’ answer.
5
Checkpoint 7:00–8:00 — Safety net + close
Give specific red flags and what to do. Confirm understanding. Document/summary to examiner if required. Finish cleanly, not rushed.
Station mantra
“Safe, structured, proportionate.” If you’re torn between an elegant rare diagnosis and a safe common one, the safe common one wins unless the stem screams otherwise.
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Practice
Test your knowledge
Apply this concept immediately with a high-yield question block from the iatroX Q-Bank.
SourceGMC — What is PLAB 2 (16 scenarios, 8 minutes each)
Open Link SourceGMC — Sample PLAB 2 OSCE station
Open Link SourceBMJ Careers — MLA context (PLAB 2 as CPSA style)
Open Link