Do you require adjustments to your exam due to a health need?
- 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
What can we do to support you?
If you have an additional health need that may affect your exam performance, we may be able to make adjustments to practical arrangements of the exam. We won’t be able to change the standard of the exam.
We offer adjustments on a case-by-case basis, using the information and evidence you provide. These are examples of reasonable adjustments we’ve made in the PLAB 1 exam:
|
Candidate requirement |
Reasonable adjustment made |
|---|---|
|
Motor difficulties and impaired vision |
|
|
Dyslexia |
|
|
Pregnancy |
|
What do you need to do?
So we can make a decision on any adjustments you must send us the following information:
- Details of why you require a reasonable adjustment, such as the nature of your health needs
- What adjustments you require or the barriers you need the adjustments to address
- An original letter, certificate or medical report, from an appropriate professional confirming the nature of your health needs and the functional impact of the disability in an exam environment.
- The letter, certificate or medical report must highlight which assessment the report is taking into consideration – ie part 1 (a multiple choice written exam) or part 2 (an OSCE examination)
- The letter, certificate or medical report must also include recommendations for adjustments we could make. For example, if extra time is requested, your report should recommend how much additional time is required and what the considerations were in reaching this figure.
If we receive a request without this information, it will delay our decision.
When do you need to do this?
If you believe you need an adjustment, you should contact us before booking your exam to discuss this with us. This is to make sure we have time to review your request and agree a date that we can run an exam with the adjustments you require in place.
If you book an exam before requesting any adjustments you need, this may mean we are not able to make the required adjustments for the exam you have booked on to.
If you have already booked an exam and require adjustments, you should contact us as soon as possible. We may need to rearrange your test date to allow us time to put adjustments in place.
What if you disagree with the adjustments we have offered?
If you wish to request different adjustments to those we have offered, we may ask you for further information and evidence so we can consider your request further.
If you do not agree with our final decision, you can ask for this to be considered under our complaints procedure by emailing feedback@gmc-uk.org.
Please contact us as soon as possible to discuss your requirements.
