Active listening

Showing 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.

In PLAB 2, active listening is visible: picking up a cue, pausing after bad news, or reflecting a word the patient used. It is one of the clearest signals of strong interpersonal skills.

More glossary terms

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.

Put it into practice

Rehearse PLAB 2 stations with AI simulated patients and get structured feedback after every consultation.

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