Are you eligible for an additional PLAB 1 attempt?
- Summary
- What is the PLAB 1 exam?
- When and where can I take PLAB 1?
- Information on booking a PLAB 1 place
- How to cancel your booking, and our approach to other exam disruptions
- What resources should you use to prepare?
- Sample questions
- Do you require adjustments to your exam due to a health need?
- What can you expect on the day?
- Your results
- What do you do after you get your results?
- Are you eligible for an additional PLAB 1 attempt?
- How do you appeal your PLAB 1 result?
- Misconduct procedures
- Case study of a candidate misconduct at the PLAB exam
- Anti-bribery policy
- PLAB and the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) requirements
When can you apply for an additional attempt?
To be eligible for an additional attempt for either PLAB 1 or 2 (after your fourth failed attempt), there must be at least 12 months between your fourth failed attempt and requesting an additional attempt.
You should undertake further learning to improve your medical knowledge and clinical skills. You must have completed either 12 months’ clinical practice or a post graduate qualification.
If you have already had more than four failed attempts at either part of PLAB 1 or 2, you are no longer eligible to take the test or apply for an additional attempt.
If you are granted an additional attempt at PLAB 1, you may need to submit valid English language evidence for verification before you are able to book.
If you are granted an additional attempt at PLAB 2, you may need to sit PLAB 1 again if your PLAB 1 validity has expired. This may also mean you have to submit further English language evidence in line with our PLAB 1 eligibility criteria.
What is expected from your clinical practice?
- A minimum of 12 months’ full time clinical practice (or equivalent part time basis), with direct patient care.
- Supported by structured reports from senior doctors responsible for your work, to show satisfactory completion.
- Completed in the two years before requesting an additional attempt to demonstrate that you are keeping your knowledge and skill up to date.
- Undertaken in an institution that meets the standards for regulation within its jurisdiction, and we must be able to verify this.
- Honorary posts and those involving observation, such as clinical attachments, shadowing, observerships and clerkships are not acceptable.
How to apply for an additional attempt after your clinical practice
Download the structured report form and ask the senior doctor(s) who provided oversight during your clinical practice to fully complete it on your behalf.
Please note
- Each post must be at least two months in duration.
- The referee must provide a work email address.
We will not accept:
- reports completed by a relative or someone that you have a personal, business or financial interest with
- reports not completed in full or where a work email address isn’t provided.
Complete the application form and return to us at plab@gmc-uk.org.
What is expected from your postgraduate qualification?
- It should be a clinical subject where a primary medical qualification or other degree is required for entry.
- To be completed over at least one academic year (or equivalent part time basis).
- To be accompanied by a certificate from the awarding institution. Honorary qualifications are not acceptable.
- Completed in the two years before requesting an additional attempt to demonstrate that you are keeping your knowledge and skill up to date.
- Undertaken in an institution that meets the standards for regulation within its jurisdiction, and we must be able to verify this.
How to apply for an additional attempt after your postgraduate qualification
Complete the application form and return it to us along with the evidence listed below to plab@gmc-uk.org.
Evidence required
- A copy of your certificate from the awarding institution.
- A copy of the course curriculum.
