Before you apply for a PLAB test
Contents
- 1. Job prospects in the UK
- 2. The role of the GMC and other organisations
- 3. What you need to practise medicine in the UK
- 4. What you need to apply for the PLAB test
- 5. A summary of the PLAB test
1. Job prospects in the UK
We strongly recommend that before you apply for the PLAB test you find out whether you have a realistic chance of getting the kind of job you want. The job market in the UK is very competitive and you should think very carefully about whether you are willing to take the risks involved in competing for posts. The test is set at the level expected at the end of Foundation Year 1 (F1) which is the first year of practice after graduation, sometimes called the internship or House Officer year. If you have not completed this year of practical training, it will only be open to you to apply for provisional registration with a licence to practise. If you have completed this year, it is open to you to apply for full registration with a licence to practise when you have passed PLAB.
There are different kinds of jobs in the UK. Some of them involve training schemes and in others the training element is less developed.
There is strong competition for many jobs, particularly those involving training schemes. Competition in some specialties and locations is stronger than in others and finding employment can be a lengthy process.
It is important that you realise you will not be guaranteed the offer of a job by passing the PLAB test or gaining registration with a licence to practise.
Our information about working in the UK provides more information about the prospects for getting employment once you have registration with a licence.
Our Advice to international medical graduates gives additional information about some of the key requirements for getting registration with a licence.
You should also bear in mind that taking the PLAB test can be costly. You should consider not only the fees but also the cost of living in the UK while you take Part 2 of the PLAB test and before you find a job.
You may find it useful to do a clinical attachment. This involves shadowing a doctor to gain familiarity with the NHS and is unpaid. You do not need GMC registration. You can find further information about clinical attachments on the BMA website. You can find contact details for hospitals on the NHS website.
2. The role of the GMC and other organisations
The framework for the practice of medicine in the UK is complicated. No single organisation has overall responsibility for the regulation, employment and care of doctors. A brief summary of the roles of the various organisations involved is given below.
The GMC
The GMC is a regulatory body whose responsibility is to set the standards for medical practice in the UK. Passing the PLAB test demonstrates that you have reached the minimum standard required to practise safely in the UK. It means that you are eligible to apply for registration with a licence to practise and gives you the opportunity to compete for jobs but does not mean that you will be successful in obtaining a post.
Although the job market in the UK is very competitive, we do not ration test places. It is not our role to deny individual doctors the chance to demonstrate that they have the necessary competencies to work in the UK and to compete in the job market. The number of places available for the test is not, therefore, linked to the number of posts available. You should think very carefully about whether you are willing to take the risks involved in competing for posts before you apply for the test.
The Department of Health
The Department of Health (DH) is responsible for manpower planning and the NHS is the employer. Useful information about how the NHS works can be found on the NHS website.
The British Medical Association
The British Medical Association (BMA) is the leading trade union and professional association for doctors in the UK and provides a comprehensive guide for doctors who are new to the UK, including the structure of the NHS and career structure and training.
Other organisations which may be able to help you
Association of Pakistani Physicians and Surgeons of the United Kingdom (APPS UK)
APPS Network
17A Cobra Court
Blackmore Road
Stretford
Manchester
M32 0QY
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)0161 864 5609
Email: admin@appsuk.org
http://www.appsuk.org/
British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO)
BAPIO Head Office
178 Ampthill Road
Bedford
MK42 9PU
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1234 212879
Email: admin@bapio.co.uk
http://www.bapio.co.uk/
British International Doctors' Association (BIDA)
ODA House
316A Buxton Road
Great Moor
Stockport
SK2 7DD
United Kingdom
Tel: + 44 (0)161 456 7828
Email: bida@btconnect.com
http://www.bidaonline.co.uk
3. What you need to practise medicine in the UK
Before you can practise medicine in the UK you must be both registered and hold a licence to practise with the GMC. International medical graduates (IMGs) can apply for provisional registration with a licence to practise or full registration with a licence to practise.
Our Advice to international medical graduates gives additional information about some of the key requirements for getting registration with a licence.
Information about applying for registration with a licence to practise can be found in our Applications section.
If you become licensed you will also need to take part in revalidation to confirm you are up to date and fit to practise.
4. What you need to apply for the PLAB test
Before you apply to take the PLAB test you must have:
- an acceptable primary medical qualification (PMQ).
All IMGs must possess an acceptable PMQ to apply for registration with a licence to practise. Our acceptable primary medical qualifications page has full details of our criteria and the qualifications that we do not accept.
You must ensure that your primary medical qualification is acceptable before applying to sit PLAB. If we find out that your primary medical qualification does not allow you to be registered with a licence to practise after you have applied, we will not accept any responsibility for any costs incurred or losses that result from your decision to sit PLAB.
- If you are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or if you are a UK national who graduated outside the EEA, you will need to demonstrate your English language capability. Please read our English language requirements page to understand the requirements. Your IELTS test result is only valid for a period of two years from the date you passed it.
- You should also have 12 months' postgraduate clinical experience (Foundation Year 1 training post or internship post) from a teaching or other hospital approved by the medical registration authority in the appropriate country. You can take the PLAB test without this experience but you should bear in mind that the test is set at a level that assumes that you have it. If you do pass the test without this experience, you will have to seek employment in a Foundation Year 1 training post (the grade occupied by new medical graduates). Vacancies at this grade are very scarce.
5. A summary of the PLAB test
The test is in two parts:
Part 1 is a computer-marked written examination consisting of single best answer (SBA) questions. The paper contains 200 questions and may contain images. It lasts three hours. You can have an unlimited number of attempts but you must pass Part 1 within two years of the date of your IELTS certificate or the date we specify when accepting alterative evidence of your proficiency in English.
Part 2 is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). It is made up of:
- 14 clinical scenarios or 'stations'
- a rest station
- one or more pilot stations run for statistical purposes, where the marks do not count towards your result.
Each station lasts five minutes. You must pass Part 2 within three years of passing Part 1. You can have four attempts at Part 2. If you fail at the fourth attempt you will have to retake IELTS (unless we have accepted alternative evidence from you and it is still valid) and both parts of the PLAB test.
You must apply for, and have been granted, registration with a licence to practise within three years of passing Part 2 of the test.