PLAB 2 glossary
The terms, frameworks and abbreviations that come up in PLAB 2 preparation — explained plainly, with their relevance to the OSCE.
A
- ABCDE approachA systematic method for assessing and treating an acutely unwell patient — Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure — dealing with each before moving on.
- AMPLE historyA focused emergency history — Allergies, Medications, Past history, Last meal, Events — taken quickly in acute situations.
- ARCPThe annual assessment that decides whether a doctor in training has met the competencies to progress to the next stage.
- AVPU scaleA rapid way to grade consciousness — Alert, responds to Voice, responds to Pain, Unresponsive — used in initial assessment.
- Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS)A brief 10-point screening tool for cognitive impairment, often used to detect confusion or possible dementia.
- Absolute vs relative riskTwo ways of describing how much a treatment changes risk; relative risk can sound more dramatic than the absolute change a patient actually experiences.
- Accident & Emergency (A&E)The hospital department for emergency and serious urgent care. Advising attendance is appropriate for red-flag or acutely unwell presentations.
- Active listeningShowing the patient you are fully engaged — through silence, eye contact, nodding, and responding to what they say — rather than just waiting to ask the next question.
- Advance decisionA legally binding decision made by a person with capacity to refuse a specified treatment in the future should they lose capacity — for example a refusal of blood products.
- Advance statementA written or verbal statement of a person’s wishes, preferences, and values to guide future care. Unlike an advance decision, it is not legally binding but must be considered.
- Agenda settingAgreeing early what will be covered in the consultation and in what order, so both you and the patient know the plan and nothing important is missed.
- Ambulance response categoriesThe NHS system that prioritises 999 calls by urgency, from Category 1 (life-threatening) to lower categories, to match response times to clinical need.
- Angina (explaining it)Chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, typically on exertion. A station about explanation, GTN use, and red-flag advice.
- Anxiety (assessing and explaining)Excessive worry or fear that affects daily life. Stations involve exploring symptoms empathetically and explaining management options.
- Apologising (saying sorry)Offering a genuine, early apology when something has gone wrong. Under the duty of candour, saying sorry is expected and is not an admission of legal liability.
- AppraisalA yearly structured review of a doctor’s practice, development, and reflection, which feeds into revalidation.
- Aseptic Non-Touch TechniqueA standardised method for performing clinical procedures without contaminating key sites or parts, reducing infection risk. Often taught in practical-skill teaching stations.
- Asthma (explaining it)A common condition where the airways narrow and inflame, causing wheeze, cough, and breathlessness. A frequent explanation and inhaler-technique scenario.
- AutonomyThe principle that a patient with capacity has the right to make their own decisions about their care, even if others disagree with them.
B
- Balancing hope and honestyBeing truthful about a serious prognosis while not removing all hope — focusing on what can still be done, such as symptom control and support.
- BeneficenceThe duty to act in the patient’s best interests and to do good — weighing the benefits of an intervention for that individual.
- Best interestsThe framework for making a decision for a patient who lacks capacity — weighing their past and present wishes, values and the views of those close to them, choosing the least restrictive option.
- Biopsychosocial modelAn approach that considers biological, psychological, and social factors together when understanding and managing a patient’s problem.
- Bolam and Bolitho testsLegal tests for clinical negligence: the Bolam test asks whether a responsible body of doctors would support the action, and Bolitho requires that view to be logically defensible.
- Borderline performanceA standard-setting concept where borderline candidates’ scores help define the pass mark for a station.
- Breaching confidentiality (exceptions)The limited situations where disclosing patient information without consent is justified: with consent, when required by law, or in the public interest to prevent serious harm.
- Breaking bad newsSensitively delivering information that changes a patient’s view of their future, ideally using a structure such as SPIKES and going at the patient’s pace.
- British National Formulary (BNF)The standard UK reference for prescribing, giving doses, interactions, cautions, and side effects.
C
- CHA₂DS₂-VAScA score estimating stroke risk in atrial fibrillation to guide whether anticoagulation is warranted.
- COPD (explaining it)A long-term lung condition, usually smoking-related, causing progressive breathlessness. Often a station about diagnosis, smoking cessation, and inhalers.
- CREST formA Certificate of Readiness to Enter Specialty Training, used as evidence of competence for some IMGs applying to UK training.
- CURB-65A severity score for community-acquired pneumonia (Confusion, Urea, Respiratory rate, Blood pressure, age ≥65) that guides whether to treat at home or in hospital.
- Caldicott principlesA set of principles governing the safe and proportionate use of confidential patient information in the NHS, including using the minimum necessary and sharing only with justification.
- Calgary-Cambridge modelA widely taught framework for structuring a medical consultation — from initiating the session and gathering information through to explanation, planning and closing — while building the relationship throughout.
- Candidate instructionsThe brief given to the candidate before each station, setting out the scenario and the specific task to complete.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC)The independent regulator of health and social care in England, which inspects services and ensures they meet safety and quality standards.
- Ceiling of careAn agreed limit on how aggressively a patient will be treated (for example, ward-based care but not ICU), based on their wishes and likely benefit. Common in relatives and ethics stations.
- Certificate of Good StandingA document from a medical regulator confirming a doctor is in good standing (no unresolved fitness-to-practise issues), required for GMC registration.
- ChaperoneAn impartial person present during an intimate examination to support the patient and safeguard both patient and doctor. Offering one is expected practice in the UK.
- Child protectionThe duty to act when a child may be at risk of abuse or neglect, including sharing concerns with safeguarding leads and social services regardless of parental wishes.
- Chunking and checkingGiving information in small pieces and checking understanding after each — a core technique for explanation and breaking-bad-news stations that prevents overwhelming the patient.
- Clinical Management domainOne of the three PLAB 2 marking domains, covering a safe, appropriate and patient-centred management plan with clear reasoning, prioritisation, escalation and safety-netting.
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)A senior nurse with expertise in a specific area (e.g. diabetes, cancer, palliative care) who supports patients with education, coordination, and ongoing care.
- Clinical attachmentA period of supervised, observational experience in a UK hospital that helps IMGs understand NHS practice before starting work.
- Clinical reasoningThe thinking process of gathering and interpreting information to reach a working diagnosis and safe plan. Examiners reward visible, logical reasoning over rote checklists.
- Closed questionsFocused questions with a short, specific answer ("Does the pain spread to your arm?"). Used to clarify details and screen for red flags once the open phase is done.
- CollusionWhen a relative asks you to withhold a diagnosis from a patient (often "Don’t tell Mum it’s cancer"). It conflicts with the patient’s right to information.
- Compliance and adherenceTerms describing how well a patient follows a treatment plan; adherence (which implies agreement) is now preferred over compliance (which implies obedience).
- ConcordanceA shared agreement between patient and clinician about treatment, reflecting the patient’s views — a more collaborative idea than simple compliance.
- ConfidentialityThe duty to protect patient information, disclosing it only with consent or where required or justified in the public interest. Balancing confidentiality against public safety is a recurring ethics theme.
- Conscientious objectionA doctor’s right to decline to provide a treatment that conflicts with their personal beliefs, provided they do not abandon the patient and refer them to another clinician.
- Consent for examinationObtaining the patient’s agreement before any examination, explaining what it involves and why, and respecting their right to decline.
- ConsultantA fully trained senior doctor with ultimate clinical responsibility for a patient’s care within their team.
- Continuity of careConsistent, coordinated care over time and across services, which improves trust, safety, and outcomes.
- ContraindicationA specific reason that a treatment should not be used because it would be harmful for that patient (e.g. a drug allergy).
- Controlled drugA medicine subject to strict legal controls on prescribing, storage, and record-keeping because of its potential for misuse (e.g. strong opioids).
- CuesVerbal and non-verbal signals — a worried tone, a pause, body language — that hint at a patient’s concerns or emotions. Picking up and responding to cues scores interpersonal marks.
D
- DNACPRA decision that cardiopulmonary resuscitation should not be attempted. Importantly, a DNACPR decision does not mean other treatment or care is withdrawn.
- DR ABCA basic-life-support sequence — Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation — used at the start of an emergency assessment.
- DVLA disclosureThe duty around driving and medical conditions: patients must inform the DVLA, but if an unfit patient continues to drive despite advice, the doctor may need to inform the DVLA.
- Data Gathering domainOne of the three PLAB 2 marking domains, covering data gathering, technical and assessment skills — gathering the right information safely and efficiently to reach a sensible differential.
- De-escalationCalming a tense or angry interaction through a steady manner, active listening, acknowledgement of feelings, and a focus on solutions.
- DenialA patient’s refusal or inability to accept distressing information, often a protective response to bad news rather than a failure to understand.
- Depression (assessing and explaining)A common mental health condition causing low mood and loss of interest. Stations test sensitive history, risk assessment, and explaining treatment options.
- Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)Legal safeguards ensuring that restricting the liberty of a person who lacks capacity (e.g. in a care home or hospital) is lawful, necessary, and in their best interests.
- Differential diagnosisThe prioritised list of conditions that could explain a patient’s presentation. Examiners reward a sensible, focused differential over a long, undifferentiated list.
- Discharge planningArranging a patient’s safe transfer out of hospital, including medications, follow-up, equipment, and any social care needed.
- District nurseA community nurse who provides clinical care to patients in their own homes, such as wound care, injections, and palliative support.
- Domestic abuseA pattern of controlling, coercive, or violent behaviour by a partner or family member. Doctors should ask sensitively when suspected and know local support pathways.
- Dose titrationGradually adjusting a medication dose up or down to reach the best balance of effect and side effects for that patient.
- Duty of candourThe professional and statutory duty to be open and honest with patients when something goes wrong — explaining what happened, apologising, and putting it right. Central to complaint and error stations.
E
- Eliciting the patient’s ideasAsking what the patient themselves thinks is causing their problem — the "I" of ICE — which often reveals a specific fear to address.
- Empathy statementsBrief, genuine acknowledgements of a patient’s emotion ("That sounds really frightening"). They show you have understood how the patient feels, not just what they said.
- Epilepsy (explaining it)A condition causing recurrent seizures. Stations often involve explanation, safety advice (e.g. driving, swimming), and medication.
- ExaminerThe clinician who observes each PLAB 2 station and scores the candidate against the domain descriptors, usually without interacting.
F
- FRAXA tool estimating a person’s 10-year risk of a fragility fracture, used to guide bone-protection treatment in osteoporosis.
- Female genital mutilation (FGM)A form of abuse involving partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. In the UK there is a mandatory reporting duty for cases in under-18s.
- Foundation Year 1 (FY1)The first year of the UK Foundation Programme, the supervised first year of work for a newly qualified doctor, leading to full GMC registration.
- Foundation Year 2 (FY2)The second foundation year, with more responsibility than FY1, after which doctors enter specialty or GP training.
- Four pillars of medical ethicsThe framework of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice used to reason through ethical dilemmas in UK practice.
- Fraser guidelinesCriteria for providing contraceptive advice or treatment to a competent under-16 without parental consent — they understand the advice, cannot be persuaded to involve parents, are likely to have sex regardless, and their wellbeing requires it.
- Full GMC registrationThe registration that allows a doctor to practise unsupervised in the UK; PLAB graduates apply for it after passing PLAB 2 and meeting the other requirements.
G
- GMCThe General Medical Council — the UK regulator that runs the PLAB test, maintains the medical register, and grants registration with a licence to practise.
- GMC identity checkAn in-person verification of a doctor’s identity and documents, required to complete GMC registration.
- General Practitioner (GP)A doctor providing first-contact, continuing, community-based care and acting as the gatekeeper to most NHS specialist services.
- Generic vs brand medicationGeneric drugs contain the same active ingredient as the branded version but are usually cheaper; a few medicines are prescribed by brand for consistency.
- Gillick competenceThe principle that a child under 16 may consent to their own treatment if they have sufficient understanding and maturity to fully appreciate what is involved.
- Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)A 3–15 scale grading conscious level by eye, verbal, and motor responses, used to assess and monitor head injury and reduced consciousness.
- Global judgementThe examiner’s holistic, overall rating of a station, alongside the domain scores — reflecting whether the consultation worked as a whole.
- Golden minuteThe opening minute of a consultation in which you let the patient speak with minimal interruption — it builds rapport and often yields most of the relevant history.
- Good Medical PracticeThe GMC’s core guidance setting out the professional values and standards expected of all doctors registered in the UK.
H
- Health literacyA person’s ability to understand and use health information to make decisions. Low health literacy needs simpler explanations and clear checking.
- Health visitorA specialist community public-health nurse who supports families with young children, including development checks and safeguarding.
- Heart attack (myocardial infarction)A medical emergency where blood flow to part of the heart is blocked, damaging the muscle. Stations may cover explanation, secondary prevention, or breaking the news.
- Holistic careCaring for the whole person — physical, emotional, and social — rather than treating an isolated symptom or diagnosis.
- Hypertension (explaining it)Persistently raised blood pressure that increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Often a station about diagnosis, lifestyle, and starting treatment.
I
- IELTSAn English-language test accepted by the GMC as evidence of the language skills needed for safe practice; OET is an alternative.
- IMGAn international medical graduate — a doctor who qualified outside the UK. Most IMGs take the PLAB route towards GMC registration.
- Ideas, Concerns and Expectations (ICE)A consultation habit of exploring what the patient thinks is going on (ideas), what they are worried about (concerns), and what they hope you will do (expectations). It is a high-yield source of interpersonal marks in PLAB 2.
- Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA)An advocate appointed to represent a person who lacks capacity and has no appropriate family or friends, for serious decisions about treatment or accommodation.
- Informed consentAgreement to a treatment or procedure by a person with capacity who has been given, and understood, sufficient information about benefits, risks and alternatives, given voluntarily and free of coercion.
- Integrated Care Board (ICB)An NHS body responsible for planning and funding most health services for a local area in England, replacing Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
- Interpersonal Skills domainOne of the three PLAB 2 marking domains, covering rapport, empathy, jargon-free language, shared decision-making and exploring the patient’s ideas, concerns and expectations.
J
- Jargon-free explanationExplaining diagnoses and plans in plain language a non-medical person can follow, translating terms like "myocardial infarction" into "a heart attack".
- Justice (medical ethics)The principle of fairness — treating patients equitably and using shared resources responsibly, without unfair discrimination.
L
- Lasting Power of AttorneyA legal arrangement letting someone appoint another person to make health and welfare (or financial) decisions on their behalf if they lose capacity.
- Lifestyle adviceGuidance on modifiable factors — smoking, alcohol, diet, exercise, sleep — that affect health, offered sensitively and tailored to the patient.
M
- MARACA meeting where agencies share information and coordinate a safety plan for people at high risk of domestic abuse.
- Making Every Contact Count (MECC)An approach encouraging clinicians to use routine consultations as opportunities for brief, supportive health-promotion conversations.
- Managing uncertaintyBeing honest when you do not yet have a diagnosis or answer, explaining the plan to find out, and safety-netting clearly in the meantime.
- Manikin stationA station where part of the task involves a model or simulator (e.g. for an examination or procedure) alongside communicating with a patient.
- Medication reviewA structured check of all a patient’s medicines to ensure each is still needed, effective, safe, and being taken as intended.
- Mental Capacity ActThe law governing decisions for people who may lack capacity in England and Wales — presuming capacity, supporting decision-making, and requiring best-interests decisions when capacity is absent.
- Mental capacityA patient’s ability to understand, retain, weigh and communicate a decision. Assessing capacity correctly is central to consent and many ethics stations.
- Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)A 30-point questionnaire assessing cognitive function, used to screen for and track cognitive impairment such as dementia.
- Modern slavery and traffickingThe exploitation of people through forced labour, servitude, or trafficking. Clinicians may be the first to spot signs and should know how to raise a concern.
- Montgomery (consent ruling)The UK legal standard for consent: doctors must disclose the material risks a reasonable patient in that position would want to know, not just what a body of doctors would disclose.
- Motivational interviewingA collaborative, non-confrontational way of helping a patient explore and resolve their own ambivalence about changing a behaviour.
- Multidisciplinary teamThe group of professionals — doctors, nurses, therapists, social workers and others — who jointly plan a patient’s care. Referencing the MDT shows safe, collaborative management.
N
- NEWS2A standardised score based on vital signs used to detect and grade acute illness and trigger escalation. A rising NEWS2 is the trigger in many deterioration and escalation stations.
- NHS 111A free NHS phone and online service offering urgent (non-emergency) advice and directing people to the right care.
- NICEThe body that produces evidence-based guidance for clinical practice in England, including the Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) often referenced for safe management.
- NURSE (responding to emotion)A framework for responding to emotion — Name it, show Understanding, Respect/praise, offer Support, and Explore further. A practical way to handle a tearful or anxious patient.
- Negotiation in the consultationWorking with a patient to reach a mutually acceptable plan when views differ — exploring their position, sharing yours, and finding common ground without coercion.
- Non-maleficenceThe duty to avoid causing harm, including weighing the risks and side effects of any treatment against its likely benefit.
- NormalisationReassuring a patient that a feeling or experience is common and understandable ("Many people in your situation feel this way"), which can make it easier for them to open up.
- Notifiable diseaseA disease that doctors are legally required to report to public health authorities (e.g. measles, TB, meningitis) to allow outbreak control.
- Number needed to treat (NNT)The number of patients who need a treatment for one to benefit — a way of expressing how effective a treatment is.
O
- OETThe Occupational English Test — a healthcare-specific English language exam the GMC accepts (alongside IELTS) as evidence of English for registration.
- OSCEAn Objective Structured Clinical Examination — a practical exam in which candidates rotate through timed stations assessing specific clinical and communication skills. PLAB 2 is an OSCE.
- OSCE circuitThe series of stations a PLAB 2 candidate rotates through on exam day, each timed and assessing different skills.
- Occupational Therapist (OT)An allied health professional who helps patients manage daily activities and stay independent, including home adaptations and equipment.
- Open questionsQuestions that invite the patient to talk freely ("Tell me more about the pain") rather than answer yes or no. They gather rich information and build rapport early in a consultation.
- Open-to-closed coneThe principle of beginning the history with broad open questions and gradually funnelling to specific closed ones as you form and test a differential.
- Opt-out organ donationThe system in England and Wales whereby adults are considered willing to donate organs unless they opted out or are in an excluded group; families are still consulted.
P
- PALSAn NHS service that provides information and helps resolve patient concerns and complaints informally. Signposting to PALS is appropriate in complaint stations.
- PEWSA track-and-trigger score for spotting deterioration in children, the paediatric equivalent of NEWS2.
- PLABThe GMC’s two-part assessment (PLAB 1, a written exam, and PLAB 2, a clinical OSCE) that most international medical graduates take on the route to UK registration.
- PLAB 1The first part of the PLAB assessment — a written multiple-choice exam testing applied medical knowledge — which must be passed before sitting PLAB 2.
- PREVENTA UK safeguarding programme aimed at protecting people at risk of being drawn into terrorism or radicalisation, with a duty on healthcare staff to raise concerns.
- Pacing informationDelivering difficult or complex information in small, digestible pieces, checking the patient is ready and following before continuing.
- Pain scoreA simple rating of pain severity (e.g. 0–10) used to assess and monitor pain and the response to treatment.
- Palliative care (explaining it)Care focused on quality of life and symptom control for people with a serious or terminal illness, alongside support for them and their family.
- Patient information leafletWritten information given to reinforce verbal advice about a condition, medication, or what to do if symptoms change.
- Patient-centred careCare organised around the individual patient’s needs, values, and preferences, with shared decisions rather than instructions.
- PharmacistA medicines expert who dispenses and reviews prescriptions, advises on safe use and interactions, and increasingly supports prescribing and medication reviews.
- PhysiotherapistAn allied health professional who helps patients restore movement and function after injury, surgery, or illness.
- PolypharmacyThe use of multiple medications by one patient, which raises the risk of interactions, side effects, and adherence problems, especially in older people.
- Provisional GMC registrationLimited registration allowing a doctor to work only in approved supervised foundation-year-1 posts, before gaining full registration.
- Proxy decision-makerA person legally authorised to make decisions for someone who lacks capacity, such as a health and welfare Lasting Power of Attorney or a court-appointed deputy.
R
- Raising concerns (whistleblowing)The professional duty to speak up about risks to patient safety or colleague conduct, through appropriate channels and prioritising patients over hierarchy.
- Raising concerns about a colleagueAddressing worries about a colleague’s performance, health, or conduct professionally and through proper channels, putting patient safety first.
- RapportA trusting, comfortable relationship with the patient built through warmth, active listening and empathy. Strong rapport underpins the Interpersonal Skills domain.
- ReSPECTA process and form that records a person’s preferences and clinical recommendations for emergency care, including resuscitation, developed with the patient where possible.
- Reading timeThe short period before a PLAB 2 station begins, used to read the candidate instructions and plan your approach.
- Red flagsSymptoms or signs that point to a serious or dangerous cause and prompt urgent action. Actively screening for relevant red flags is what makes a PLAB 2 history safe.
- ReflectingRepeating back a key word or phrase the patient used to show you have heard it and to encourage them to say more ("You said you felt ‘trapped’…").
- RegistrarA doctor in specialty training, senior to foundation and core trainees, who often provides day-to-day senior cover on a ward or in a department.
- RevalidationThe process by which UK doctors periodically demonstrate they remain fit to practise, usually every five years, based on annual appraisals.
- Role-playerA trained actor who plays the patient, relative, or colleague in a PLAB 2 station, responding realistically to how the candidate communicates.
S
- SBARA structured communication tool for handover and escalation — Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation — that keeps colleague-communication stations focused and safe.
- SOCRATESA mnemonic for assessing any pain — Site, Onset, Character, Radiation, Associated symptoms, Timing, Exacerbating/relieving factors, Severity. A reliable structure for history-taking stations.
- SPIKES protocolA six-step framework for breaking bad news — Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Emotions, Strategy — that helps deliver difficult information clearly while staying patient-centred.
- SafeguardingProtecting children and vulnerable adults from harm, abuse or neglect. Recognising and acting on safeguarding concerns is tested in ethics, paediatric and confidentiality stations.
- Safeguarding vulnerable adultsProtecting adults at risk of abuse or neglect — because of age, disability, or illness — by recognising concerns and involving the appropriate safeguarding processes.
- Safety-nettingGiving the patient a clear plan for the future — what to expect, which warning signs should prompt action, and exactly what to do and where to go if they occur. A frequent source of Clinical Management marks in PLAB 2.
- Screening questionA broad checking question near the end of the history ("Is there anything else you wanted to talk about today?") to make sure no concern has been left unaddressed.
- Section 47 enquiryA local authority’s legal duty to investigate when there is reasonable cause to suspect a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.
- Self-managementSupporting patients to manage their own long-term condition day to day, through education, action plans, and lifestyle changes.
- Sepsis SixA bundle of six interventions delivered within an hour of suspecting sepsis — oxygen, cultures, antibiotics, fluids, lactate, and urine output monitoring.
- Shared careAn arrangement where responsibility for a patient’s care is shared between specialists and the GP, with agreed roles and monitoring.
- Shared decision-makingMaking decisions with the patient rather than for them — combining clinical evidence with the patient’s values and preferences. A hallmark of strong interpersonal performance.
- Side-effect counsellingExplaining the common and serious side effects of a treatment so the patient knows what to expect and when to seek help.
- SignpostingBriefly telling the patient what you are going to do next during a consultation (“I’d like to ask a few questions about your past health”). It makes the consultation feel organised and is easy interpersonal credit.
- Simulated patientA trained actor who plays the patient, relative or colleague in an OSCE station to a consistent brief, allowing standardised assessment of your consultation skills.
- Skilled Worker visaThe UK immigration route most IMG doctors use to work in the NHS, sponsored by an employer, including the dedicated Health and Care Worker visa.
- Social workerA professional who supports patients with social needs — care packages, safeguarding, housing, and finances — often essential for safe discharge.
- Standard settingThe process used to set a fair pass mark for each station and the exam, so that the standard reflects safe, competent practice.
- Stroke and TIA (explaining it)A stroke is interrupted blood supply to the brain; a TIA is a temporary, warning version. Stations cover FAST recognition, urgency, and prevention.
- Suicide risk assessmentA sensitive, structured exploration of suicidal thoughts, plans, and protective factors, used to gauge immediate risk and decide on safe next steps.
- SummarisingBriefly reflecting back what the patient has told you to confirm accuracy, demonstrate listening, and show the examiner your reasoning. A quick win across domains.
T
- Teach-backAsking the patient to repeat back, in their own words, what they have understood — a reliable check that an explanation has landed rather than just been delivered.
- Telephone stationA PLAB 2 station conducted over the phone, testing communication and safety without visual cues such as a worried colleague or patient.
- The angry patientA consultation where the patient or relative is hostile, often because of fear, grief, or a genuine failing in their care. The task is to de-escalate and understand.
- Therapeutic silenceDeliberately pausing to give the patient space to think or feel, especially after difficult news or an emotional disclosure.
- Time management in stationsPacing a consultation so you gather enough history, explain, and make a plan within the station’s strict time limit — a skill in itself.
- To Take Out (TTO/TTA)The medicines and instructions a patient is given to take home on discharge from hospital.
- Training portfolioA record of a doctor’s training, assessments, reflections, and evidence of competence, central to UK postgraduate training.
- Truth-tellingThe duty to be honest with patients about their diagnosis, prognosis, and any mistakes in their care, balanced with sensitivity to how and when information is shared.
- Two-week-wait referralAn urgent referral pathway for patients with red-flag features of possible cancer, ensuring specialist assessment within two weeks. Recognising who needs one is key in history stations.
- Type 2 diabetes (explaining it)A common condition where blood sugar is too high because the body cannot use insulin effectively. A frequent explanation, lifestyle, and medication scenario.
W
- Warning shotA brief phrase that signals difficult news is coming (“I’m afraid the results are not what we hoped”), giving the patient a moment to prepare. A key step in breaking bad news.
- Wells scoreA clinical probability score for deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, used to decide on D-dimer testing and imaging.
- Working with an interpreterUsing a professional interpreter (not a family member) when there is a language barrier, speaking to the patient directly and in short, clear segments.
Knowing the terms is step one
Using them out loud in a consultation is what PLAB 2 marks. Practise a full station with an AI simulated patient and hear where your structure holds up.
Start practising free15 free voice minutes included — no card required