Regulating doctors, ensuring good medical practice

PLAB: Part 2 guidance

How to apply

  1. 1.  Where
  2. 2.  When
  3. 3.  To book an examination place
  4. 4.  If you cannot book online
  5. 5.  Fees
  6. 6.  If you are a refugee doctor
  7. 7.  If you have a disability
  8. 8.  How to cancel

What is involved

  1. 9.    Format
  2. 10.  Candidate briefing video
  3. 11.  Level
  4. 12.  Content
  5. 13.  How to prepare
  6. 14.  Common mistakes
  7. 15.  How to approach the OSCE
  8. 16.  Marking scheme
  9. 17.  Sample OSCE station
  10. 18.  Examiner checklist to assist in marking the station
  11. 19.  Instructions to candidates
  12. 20.  Instructions to simulated patients

On the day

  1. 21.  Arrival
  2. 22.  Documents you must bring with you
  3. 23.  Cheating and misconduct

After the examination

  1. 24.  Results
  2. 25.  Checking results
  3. 26.  Complaints
  4. 27.  Appeals
  5. 28.  Next steps

How to apply

1. Where

You can only take Part 2 at the GMC Clinical Assessment Centre in Manchester, UK.

2. When

Exam dates are shown on our Test dates page and available places are shown in GMC Online. Please remember that the availability of exam places is not linked to the availability of jobs.

3. To book an examination place

You can log in here and make your application in the My PLAB section.

Log in to GMC Online.

Once you have entered all the information required and paid your fee, you will receive an immediate confirmation of your booking. You must bring a copy of this email to your examination.

4. If you cannot book online

Please contact us.

5. Fees

The current fee is listed on our fees pages.  

6. If you are a refugee doctor

If you are a refugee doctor living in the UK, you can claim a reduced fee. But you must pay the full amount, and then claim the refund. See Refugee doctors living in the UK.

7. If you have a disability

If you have a disability within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010, we may be able to make reasonable adjustments to the examination. We will not make adjustments to the standard of the examination but may be able to make adjustments to the arrangements if you have dyslexia, or a visual or motor impairment for example. If you would like us to consider making reasonable adjustments, please let us know as soon as possible. If you delay in telling us we may not be able to make the reasonable adjustments in time for the date of your examination. Please contact us. Any disabilities and reasonable adjustments must be declared when you apply for registration. In line with Good Medical Practice, you must let any future employers know about the reasonable adjustments that were made for you at the PLAB test.

Click here to see examples of reasonable adjustments we have made.

If you are taken ill during an examination and choose not to continue, we will allocate you a place in the next available exam at no cost. If you prefer, we will fully refund your exam fee. This will not count as an attempt at the exam.

8. How to cancel

You can cancel your place online and the system will automatically charge the relevant cancellation fee. We will credit the remainder of your fee will be credited to the credit or debit card you used when booking your place. We cannot make refund to a different card. If you did not pay by credit or debit card, we will send a cheque to you.

If you cannot use the online system, you can download a cancellation form (pdf).

If you want to change the date of your examination you must first cancel your place, pay the cancellation fee and book again. You may not cancel your place once you have attempted the examination. These are the cancellation fees:

Period of notice Cancellation Fee
Over 83 days before the exam No cancellation fee 
Between 83 and 43 days before the exam £215 (50%) 
Less than 43 days before the exam £430 (100%) 

If you cannot attend the examination because of serious illness or another overwhelming problem, you must provide the following evidence:

  • Illness – medical certificate or letter on appropriate headed paper covering the day of the examination
  • Death or serious injury of family member – a copy of a death/medical certificate
  • Immigration difficulties, such as refusal of visa – a copy of a document from the UK Border Agency 
  • Any other difficulty you could not have foreseen – a letter of explanation (for example, from an employer)

Please send copies, not original documents. Please send scanned copies to gmc@gmc-uk.org with a covering email explaining the circumstances of your cancellation. Alternatively, you can send copies of the documents with a covering letter by post, addressed to Registration Support Team (CAC) at our Manchester address.

What is involved

9. Format

Part 2 is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). It takes the form of 14 clinical scenarios or ‘stations' as well as a rest station and one or more pilot stations. A pilot station is one where we are checking whether the station can be used in future examinations. We will not count the mark for this station towards your result. It is important, however, that all candidates complete the station because without the information gained from this we cannot evaluate the station properly. For this reason we do not reveal which is the pilot station.

Each station lasts five minutes.

10. Candidate briefing video

We have made a short briefing video that shows you what you can expect on the day. View the OSCE briefing video.

11. Level

The PLAB test is designed to test your ability to practise medicine safely in a UK hospital. It is set at the level expected at the end of Foundation Year One (F1). You can find out more about the UK Foundation Programme Curriculum. Setting the standard at this point means that in the OSCE you must show that you are capable of performing the clinical and communication skills expected of a doctor who has had one year of clinical experience following graduation. The examiners will assess whether you are able to use your knowledge and skills appropriately.

12. Content

The PLAB test is designed to test the knowledge and skills relating to conditions commonly seen by trainees entering the second year of the Foundation Programme, the management of life-threatening situations and rarer, but important, medical problems. This means that UK-trained doctors and international medical graduates (IMGs) are expected to have the same level of knowledge and skills at this stage of their career.

The PLAB blueprint (.mht) sets out the scope and content of the test in terms of the topics, skills and procedures that a doctor who passes the test would need to know and be able to do. You should also read our overarching statement which explains how the blueprint is constructed and how to use it, as well as some important information about the qualities expected of doctors attempting the PLAB test.

If you have difficulty viewing the PLAB blueprint, see the help with the PLAB blueprint page. If you have Microsoft Excel 2003 or later, you can view a more functional version of the blueprint in .xls format.

We use a sampling grid to ensure consistency of content in all examinations.

You will not be expected to be familiar with NHS procedures or British culture other than in the way it might affect how you treat patients. You must be familiar with the GMC publication Good Medical Practice and the supporting guidance as you will be expected to respond to situations in line with the advice they give.

You should also be familiar with our ‘Valuing Diversity’ guidance for doctors. This provides an overview of equality legislation in the UK and has been designed to help doctors with issues around diversity and equal opportunities, and how these relate to Good Medical Practice.

The skills assessed are:

  • Clinical examination
  • Practical skills
  • Communication skills
  • History taking

We will assess you on managing long-term and acute conditions and patients in peri-operative and emergency situations, as well as palliative and terminal care.

In most stations the examiner will award marks for being systematic and well organised.

Some of the areas on which we might test you are listed below. Please bear in mind this is intended as a guide only: it does not tell you precisely what to expect on the day.

Clinical examination

The examiner will assess you on your ability to conduct a physical examination of a simulated patient. This will be an actor who is trained to display signs when required. You may also be required to conduct a physical examination of an anatomical model.

Where a station includes uncomfortable or intimate examinations, we will use an anatomical model. You should not speak to the model and will not gain any marks for doing so. You should address any comments to the examiner if the instructions require you to do so. You must make sure that you do not perform any actions on an anatomical model that would be unsafe or painful to a real person.

We expect you to be able to carry out any basic physical examination, such as examination of the abdomen, breast, chest, hand, heart, and joints. You must be able to perform a rectal or bimanual vaginal examination. You must also be able to use the appropriate equipment in carrying out an examination of the ear, eye or nervous system.

You may be required to perform an examination or other procedure on a high-fidelity simulator which can be programmed to show normal and abnormal clinical signs. A role player may speak from outside the room using a microphone connected to the simulator. There is information and a video on the manufacturer’s METI website.

Examination of someone's mental state is a form of clinical examination for the purpose of the Part 2 exam.

In stations involving a simulated patient, the exmainer will mark you on your ability to respect their privacy and dignity, and to attend to their comfort during the examination. You will need to take this into account, while bearing in mind that you have only five minutes for each station.

Practical skills

The examiner will assess you on your ability to perform common practical procedures. Again, we may ask you to deal with a simulated patient or an anatomical model. You should not speak to the model and will not gain any marks for doing so. You should address any comments to the examiner if the instructions require you to do so.

The practical skills may include:

  • Checking blood pressure
  • Performing venepuncture
  • Inserting a cannula into a peripheral vein
  • Giving intravenous injections
  • Calculating drugs dosage
  • Mixing and injecting drugs into an intravenous bag 
  • Giving intramuscular and subcutaneous injections 
  • Basic cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (adult and child)
  • Suturing
  • Interpreting an electrocardiogram (ECG), X-rays or results of other investigations 
  • Interpreting basic respiratory function tests
  • Performing urinary catheterisation
  • Taking a cervical smear
  • Safe disposal of sharps

Communication skills

We test communication skills by observing the interaction between the candidate and another person, usually a simulated patient or the examiner. The examiner will assess your approach to the patient all through the examination, but in some stations communication will be the main skill for which they will award marks. This may include

  • Explaining diagnosis, investigation and management
  • Involving the patient in the decision-making 
  • Communicating with relatives
  • Communicating with health care professionals
  • Breaking bad news
  • Seeking informed consent/clarification for an invasive procedure or obtaining consent for a post-mortem
  • Dealing with anxious patients or relatives
  • Giving instructions on discharge from hospital
  • Giving advice on lifestyle, health promotion or risk factors

While all stations last five minutes and the examiner will assess you on your interaction with simulated patients, we do not suggest that tasks such as breaking bad news would be completed within five minutes in the clinical environment. The examiner will mark you on what you complete within the five minutes.

The examiners will be considering:

Approach to the patient

You should:
  • Introduce yourself and explain or clarify the purpose of the consultation
  • Be polite, respectful, non-judgemental and maintain the patient’s dignity
  • Be empathic and acknowledge the patient's emotions or concerns and show sensitivity to potential pain

Listening and questioning

You should:
  • Listen attentively to the patient's symptoms and concerns, use clear language and question at a comfortable pace, refraining from interrogative questioning and inappropriate closed questioning 
  • Take any necessary steps to clarify or check information and summarise understanding

Explaining and advising

You should:
  • Check what the patient already knows and wants to know
  • Explain clearly at a level of detail and pace that the patient can follow, checking at intervals if the patient is understanding or has any questions
  • Offer appropriate reassurance and handle any uncertainty well, whilst refraining from false or premature reassurance
  • Not alarm the patient unnecessarily and be able to explain clearly the need for urgent action when indicated
  • Demonstrate attempts to check the patient has understood

Involving patient in management

You should:
  • Respect patient autonomy and help the patient to make a decision based on available information and advice. This includes explaining skills as above
  • Explain information and its implications clearly including benefits, risks and options such that the patient is in a position to make informed decisions
  • Avoid coercing the patient or showing irritation
  • Check the patient’s understanding and feelings about the information
  • Summarise any decision

History taking

You should be able to take an accurate history from the patient, and make a reasoned diagnosis if required. In any case, we expect you to assess the patient's problem concisely and reasonably. The following are examples of symptoms with which patients may present:

  • Diarrhoea
  • Wheezing
  • Vaginal bleeding 
  • Palpitations 
  • Abdominal pain
  • Headache
  • Anxiety 
  • Weight loss
  • Joint pain
  • Difficulty in swallowing
  • Episodes of loss of consciousness

13. How to prepare

The OSCE is assessing your skills rather than your knowledge. You have demonstrated that you know how to apply your clinical knowledge by passing Part 1 of the test. In the OSCE, you must show the examiner that you could perform the tasks competently in practice in a NHS hospital. You should concentrate on showing the examiner how you perform clinical tasks and interact with patients. Although the examiner will mark you down for communicating incorect facts and advice.

Remember that we are testin you at the level of a doctor who has qualified and completed one year of clinical practice. You should treat the simulated patients as you would treat real patients in real life.

Websites

Please use the GMC's own website. We update it regularly and it is a reliable source of information. We strongly recommend that you study with care Good Medical Practice and the . This sets out what we expect in terms of standards of care and interaction with patients and colleagues. In particular, the sections on Good clinical care, Relationships with patients and Working with colleagues will be helpful in the actual examination, as will the supplementary booklets, Confidentiality, Consent and the special notice about Serious communicable diseases. You may wish to try the series of ethical case studies in the interactive version of Good Medical Practice.

Textbooks and handbooks

We cannot recommend specific textbooks and handbooks in preparation for the OSCE. This is because we are assessing you on your clinical and communication skills, rather than on your ability to remember and recite facts.

Journals can be a useful way to keep up-to-date.

We do not authorise or endorse any books specifically about passing the PLAB test.

Courses

You do not need to attend a course to pass the examination, but many candidates choose to do so.

We are unable to monitor the quality of courses and, therefore, do not endorse any.

Equipment

You should be aware of the range of equipment routinely available in UK hospitals. We will provide everything you need to take the examination, so you do not need to bring anything with you.

14. Common mistakes

Examiners have noted a number of mistakes that candidates make frequently and for which they are marked down.

  • Candidates do not always read the station instructions. We have a number of different variations on particular topics. You should not assume you know what the station is about. You should read the instructions carefully and respond appropriately. For example, if you are asked to suggest a likely diagnosis to the examiner, do not direct these comments to the patient. Give the examiner the reasons for your conclusion.
  • Candidates do not always act naturally. For example, you will not gain marks by pretending to draw a curtain around the patient – the station is already private. You can assume the examiner is the patient's chaperone. Nor will you gain marks for handing a tissue to someone who is not showing signs of tears just because you are conveying bad news. Remember that the examiner is assessing how you would deal with the situation in real life.
  • Candidates sometimes talk at the patient and do not allow them to discuss their concerns. We have assessed your knowledge in the Part 1 exam and you will not gain marks for telling the simulated patient all you know about a specific symptom or illness. You should concentrate on showing the examiners how you interact with patients.
  • Candidates do not always listen to the patient's response. You will lose marks if the examiner considers that you are asking a series of questions without really listening to what the patient has to say and responding appropriately. Examiners are aware of set phrases that are used by some candidates and often in the wrong context. When these are said in an automatic way which does not take account of the patient in front of them, candidates are deemed to be using rote behaviour. This can lose you marks. You will however gain marks for listening carefully and responding to the patient. Examples of rote behaviour to avoid.
  • Candidates sometimes produce set phrases intended to show empathy and understanding but do not actually demonstrate these qualities by their responses and behaviour. It is important to help patients to express what they want to say.
  • Do not invent a previous consultation or test results which will help you with the station. Examiners will interpret this as avoiding the task required in the stations and penalise you.
  • Many candidates have particular difficulty with psychiatric stations. Being able to assess suicide risk, for example, is a very important skill in the UK.
  • In clinical examination stations, it is obvious that some candidates have learned the sequence of actions by rote and do not really understand why they are performing a particular action. Make sure you are clear about how to examine a patient and why you are undertaking each action.
  • In the practical stations, candidates do not always consider preparation and the safety of the patient and others. It is important to cover these as well as the correct technique. Do not waste time telling the examiner what you would say to the patient or by repeatedly cleaning the model. You are being marked on the practical skill. Some candidates do not give themselves enough time to complete the task because they have spent time telling the examiner what they would say to the patient (for which they do not gain marks).
  • In emergency management situations, candidates do not always know the correct protocols. It is necessary not only to be familiar with these to pass these stations but also to know how to apply them effectively.

15. How to approach the OSCE

In stations involving communication, history taking and some examinations, an actor, who has been provided with a detailed script beforehand, plays the patient. The examiner will observe you and will not intervene, except in very limited circumstances.

You have one minute before entering the station to read the instructions. You must clean your hands thoroughly using the alcohol gel outside the station at this point. Hygiene is an extremely important issue in NHS hospitals. You may be asked to examine a patient, take a history and give a diagnosis, or to carry out a practical procedure. The instructions also give basic information about the patient, such as name, age and major symptoms.

You should speak to the simulated patient as if it is the first time you have seen them.

We will give you full and clear directions on the day about what you have to do.

Each station lasts five minutes, and you have one minute to get to the next station and read the instructions. The stations will be numbered clearly and staff will be there to help you move from station to station.

The Chief Invigilator (the senior examiner on the day) will observe the exam remotely through a camera system. Each station has two cameras installed to allow observation, reducing the need for observers to enter and sit in stations. The cameras do not record the exam and therefore cannot be used to review the exam afterwards.

16. Marking scheme and standard setting

Each station has a number of objectives, such as past history, technique, and diagnosis. You will not see what the objectives are, but they will be on the examiner's mark sheet. The examiner awards a grade between A and E for each objective. The examiner also gives a judgement of each candidate’s overall performance as Pass, Borderline or Fail.

Each objective is weighted, with the total weightings for each station adding up to 100%. The examiner is not aware of the weightings for the station. An overall score is calculated for each station.

Standard setting

The passing score for each station and for the exam is set using the Borderline Group Scoring method, where we identify the mean score for each station from a number of previous candidates who have been given an overall judgement of borderline. We add the scores for each station plus one standard error of measurement to determine the total score. To meet the minimum standard required in each exam, candidates must meet or exceed the total score and achieve the passing score in a minimum of nine stations. Candidates must meet both criteria to be successful.

The Borderline Group Scoring method is an internationally recognised method of standard setting and it ensures that exams are of a consistent standard over time.

You may wish to look at Frequently Asked Questions about the Borderline Group Scoring method

17. Sample OSCE Station

Set out below is a sample OSCE station, which contains:

  1. 1.  Examiner schedule to assist in marking the station
  2. 2.  Instructions to candidates
  3. 3.  Instructions to simulated patients

In the actual examination you will only see the instructions to candidates.

18. Examiner schedule to assist in marking the station

STATION TITLE: JOINT PAINS

CONSTRUCT:

The candidate demonstrates the ability to take a history and suggest a diagnosis in a case of joint pain.

NB TO EXAMINER: At the 30 second announcement, ask the candidate for a likely diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES  

CONTENT – what the candidate says or does  

  1. 1. Presenting complaint
  2. Elicits a history of acute mono-arthritis.
  3. Checks is recurrent.
  4. Checks is of sudden onset.
  5. Checks is responsive to Indometacin.
  6. 2. Other history
  7. Social.
  8. Sexual (absence of STI).
  9. Alcohol.
  10. Diet.
  11. Excludes symptoms of other joint diseases.
  12. 3. Diagnosis
  13. Makes a reasoned assessment of the patient's problem.
  14. Suggests a diagnosis of gout.

 

PROCESS – how the candidate says or does something

  1. 4. Listening and questioning
  2. Listens attentively to the patient’s symptoms and concerns, uses clear language and questions at a comfortable pace, refraining from interrogative  questioning.
  3. Takes any necessary steps to clarify or check information and summarises understanding.
  4. 5. Approach to the patient
  5. Introduces her/himself and explains or clarifies the purpose of the consultation.
  6. Is polite, respectful, non-judgemental and maintains patient’s dignity.
  7. Empathic and acknowledges the patient’s emotions or concerns and shows sensitivity to potential pain.
  8. 6. Fluency of performance
  9. Systematic and well organised.  

19. Instructions to candidate – joint pains

This station tests your ability to take a history and reach a likely diagnosis.
  • Mr Horton has been referred to you in the Rheumatology Clinic with pain in his right big toe joint and stiffness in his left knee.
  • Take a relevant history and suggest a likely diagnosis to the examiner.

This station will last five minutes.

20. Instructions to simulated patient – joint pains

You are Mr Horton, a married man in your early 40s. For the last six months some of your joints have been painful. Your general practitioner (GP) has sent you to see a rheumatologist.

The first time you had trouble was about six months ago when you returned from hospital after an operation to repair a hernia in your groin. That was around 48 hours after the operation. Your right big toe became excruciatingly painful and swollen. It was so bad you could not put any weight on it for two days. Your GP gave you some anti-inflammatory tablets and these helped. The skin around the foot was bright red for three or four days. Gradually the symptoms subsided and after about a week you were able to limp back to your job as a computer technician.

The toe was a lot better for some weeks. However, about three months ago the a similar thing happened suddenly to your left knee - intense pain and swelling, though there was no skin colour change this time. The pain subsided again with the help of anti-inflammatory tablets after a couple of weeks. It has remained slightly swollen and stiff.

Recently the toe pain has returned, though it is not swollen like before. The stiffness in both toe and knee joints appears to be worse first thing in the morning, and eases by the time you get to work.

You are married with two young children. You have not had extra-marital sexual intercourse. You work irregular hours with frequent night shifts. On weekdays you tend to drink three or four pints of beer with colleagues after work. At weekends you generally drink a couple of bottles of wine at mealtimes with your wife. You are generally fit and well and do not take any regular medications 

On the day

21. Arrival

You must be sure you are not prevented from attending the examination by events you could have foreseen, such as transport problems. If you have to cancel a place you have already booked, you will have to pay a cancellation fee.

If you need accommodation, one source of information is the British Tourist Authority website.

Candidates have asked us about what they should wear to the examination. We do not give advice on how doctors should dress. It is for employers to determine appropriate workplace dress, taking into account factors such as the nature of the role, health and safety considerations and religious or cultural requirements of staff members.

However, it is important that patients feel able to build relationships of trust and communicate freely with their doctors.  Some patients, for example, may find that a face veil worn by their doctor presents an obstacle to effective communication and the development of trust. You must be prepared to respond to a patient's individual needs and take steps to anticipate and overcome any perceived barrier to communication. In some situations this may require you to set aside your personal and cultural preferences in order to provide effective patient care.

We advise that you dress for the examination as you would to work in a UK hospital ward. This would normally mean bare to the elbow with no watches, bracelets or rings.  Male candidates would be expected to wear a collared shirt with short or rolled sleeves and no tie. Candidates should not wear jeans, shorts or sandals. 

The examination will last about one hour and 40 minutes, although you will be in the Clinical Assessment Centre for considerably longer than this. If you are taking the examination in the afternoon, be aware that it will not finish before 15.45.

When we have confirmed your place, we will tell you what time to arrive at the assessment centre. If you are late you might not be able to take the examination. If your examination is in the afternoon we will instruct you to arrive in the morning. This is because you are not allowed to meet the group of candidates that took the examination earlier in the day. If this is the case, we will provide a sandwich lunch for you.

Smoking is illegal in enclosed public spaces and workplaces. There is no opportunity for you to do so once you are in the assessment centre.

22. Documents you must bring with you

Identification

We will check your identity at the examination. The following are the only forms of identification we will accept. Whichever you choose, it must be original, current and bear your photograph.

  • Your passport 
  • Your UK Immigration and Nationality Department identification document 
  • Your Home Office travel document 
  • Your UK driving licence
  • Your EU identity card

If the name on your identification document is different from that on the confirmation from the GMC offering you a place in the examination, you must provide original evidence that you are the person named in that letter. We will accept

  • Your marriage certificate or
  • A declaration from the awarding body which granted your primary medical qualification, stating that both names relate to you

If GMC staff are in any doubt about your identity or the authenticity of your documents, the identity documents provided will be photocopied and you will be asked to sign and date them on the back to verify their authenticity. If you refuse to do this, you will not be allowed to take the examination. An investigation will take place. If it is decided that the person who sat the examination is not the person who is entitled to do so, the attempt will be invalidated and the matter will be reported to the Registrar of the GMC.

If you do not bring one of the documents listed above, or if the document does not bear your photograph, you will be required to bring the correct form of identification document or evidence of change of name to the Head of PLAB (or their nominee) at the GMC's London office or Manchester office as soon as possible, but at the latest when you apply for registration with a licence to practise. If it is decided that the person who sat the examination is not the person who is entitled to do so, the attempt will be invalidated and the matter will be reported to the Registrar of the GMC.

Other documents

You should also bring:

  • Your primary medical qualification certificate - If, when booking the PLAB test, you entered details of a primary medical qualification that we accept but you do not hold, you will not be allowed to take this exam
  • Your original IELTS test report form
  • Original certificates of good standing for every country you have worked or been registered in in the past five years 
  • Original evidence of your internship
  • Your booking confirmation (which includes your GMC reference number)

If your name is not the same on all your documents, you should bring:

  • Your original marriage certificate if you changed your name on marriage

or

  • Your original old and new passports, showing your names before and after the name change

or

  • If you do not have these documents, please call our contact centre to discuss other evidence.

You can still sit the test if you have not brought all these documents. However, if you do not bring them to the test there will be delays in any application you make for registration. You will also have to visit our offices again with your original documents or risk sending them to us by post.

Once all your documents have been checked, your photograph will be taken and stored on our database. A photo-card will be produced which shows the number of the station at which you will begin the examination. You must wear the photo-card at all times during the examination.

When you enter the assessment centre, you will be asked to store away all your belongings in a locker before moving to the candidate rooms. Before the examination you will be briefed on its format and will be shown the candidate briefing video.

In the event of a fire alarm, you should follow the directions of GMC staff to the nearest fire exit. If you are in the exam, you should remain with your examiner at all times. Staff will direct you to an assembly point and will conduct a roll call to make sure that all examiners, role players and candidates are gathered together. You must not speak to other candidates during an emergency evacuation. GMC staff will direct you back to the assessment centre once the all-clear is given and will give instructions about the resumption of the exam.

23. Cheating and misconduct

You will be provided with all the materials you need during the examination. You must not use or refer to any other materials or try to communicate with other candidates during the examination. All books, pens, papers, mobile phones and other electronic equipment must be stored in your locker when you come into the centre. You must not take any examination materials out of the assessment centre, you must not write down or copy by any means the details of stations to take out and you must not obtain information about stations from any source including other candidates. If you do any of these things we will report your conduct to the Professional and Linguistic Assessments (PLA) Board. If the Board determines that you have given or received help your examination attempt may be declared invalid and your actions considered as a question of good character when you apply to us for registration with a licence to practise.

Please refer to the Examination Regulations for further information.

After the examination

24. Results

At the examination we will tell you the dates of the release of results. We publish them in GMC Online first and you will need your login details to access them. If you have  failed, you will see the total score required in the exam, the score that you achieved and a pass or fail result in each station. We will email you confirmation of your results on the following day. We cannot give you a detailed breakdown of your performance in each station. You may find it helpful to look at the 'common mistakes' section for general trends in candidates' performance. We publish results about two weeks after the examination.

We will not give results by telephone, email, fax or at our reception.

25. Checking results

If you want your final mark to be checked you can do this by email or by writing to us at GMC, 3 Hardman Street, Manchester M3 3AW within 28 days of the date of the results e-mail. You must enclose a cheque or postal order for £40 made out to the General Medical Council, pay in person by cash, or call us to pay by credit or debit card. We will respond within 10 working days of receiving your request. Please note that a clerical check does not mean your examination will be remarked; it is a check to ensure that your marks have been transcribed correctly.

26. Complaints

If you want to complain about the examination, you should submit a detailed written report to our complaints section or to the GMC, Complaints and Correspondence Section, 3 Hardman Street, Manchester M3 3AW within 28 days of the date of the examination. Give your name, address, telephone number, email address and GMC reference number. We will investigate and aim to respond within 10 working days.

27. Appeals

If you want to appeal the result of an examination, you must do so within 10 working days of the release of the results. You can do this by email or by writing to us at GMC, 3 Hardman Street, Manchester M3 3AW. Please read carefully the Appeals section of our Examination regulations before you appeal.

28. Next steps

If you pass, you can apply for registration with a licence to practise.

For more information on applying for registration with a licence to practise, please see our Registration Applications guidance.

You must pass Part 2 of the test within three years of the date you passed Part 1. You must be granted registration with a licence to practise in the UK within three years of passing Part 2 of the test. Otherwise you will have to provide further evidence of your proficiency in English and take Part 1 and Part 2 again.

If you fail you can book another place in GMC Online as long as your Part 1 exam pass is still valid. You may not re-apply for Part 2 before the results have been issued. If you fail Part 2 four times, you will have to retake IELTS and both parts of the PLAB test.