All FAQs
About PLAB 2
- What is PLAB 2?
- PLAB 2 is the second part of the GMC’s PLAB test — a practical OSCE of 16 clinical stations, held in Manchester, that assesses whether an international medical graduate can practise safely at the level of a UK foundation-year doctor.
- How many stations are in PLAB 2?
- PLAB 2 is a circuit of 16 stations, each lasting ten minutes, with a short reading period before each one.
- How is PLAB 2 marked?
- Each station is scored across three domains: Data Gathering, Technical and Assessment Skills; Clinical Management Skills; and Interpersonal Skills. You are judged on safe, structured, patient-centred practice across the whole circuit.
- What types of stations come up in PLAB 2?
- Stations are drawn from a predictable set of tasks: history taking, clinical explanation, communication with relatives and colleagues, teaching, breaking bad news, consent, handling complaints, and ethical dilemmas.
- How long is each PLAB 2 station?
- Each PLAB 2 station lasts ten minutes, with a short period beforehand to read the candidate instructions. There are 16 stations in the circuit.
- What is the PLAB 2 pass rate?
- Pass rates vary by sitting and cohort, so always check the GMC’s published figures for current data. Your result depends on safe, structured performance across the whole circuit, not a fixed quota.