What happens in the PLAB 2 exam
PLAB 2 is the GMC's clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA), the second part of the PLAB test for doctors who qualified abroad. It is an OSCE of 16 scenarios, each lasting eight minutes, set in real-life settings such as a mock consultation or an acute ward. Before each scenario you have 1 minute 30 seconds to move to the next room and read the instructions, there are at least two rest stations, and the whole exam takes around three hours. An examiner marks every scenario in three domains, and to pass you must reach the overall pass mark and also pass a minimum number of stations.
Checked against the official sources on 26 September 2026.
The parts, in order
Before each scenario you have 1 minute 30 seconds to move to the next room and read the instructions and patient information outside it, then eight minutes to complete the task. Most stations involve a simulated patient played by an actor; some use manikins, a high-fidelity simulator or other equipment, and some are telephone consultations. An examiner observes you in person, by telephone or via a remote camera, and does not intervene except in very limited circumstances.
At least two rest stations in the circuit give you breaks during the exam.
How it is marked
In every scenario the examiner marks you in three domains: data gathering, technical and assessment skills; clinical management skills; and interpersonal skills. Each domain is scored out of the same number of marks. The examiner also makes a standard setting judgement of Unsatisfactory, Borderline, Satisfactory or Good; this does not decide whether you pass the station but is used to calculate the station's cut score. Examiners can also indicate which of 10 pre-set feedback statements apply to you, and must do so if they judged you Unsatisfactory or Borderline.
Passing
Each station's pass score is calculated after the exam by the borderline regression method, so it varies with the difficulty of the station and between exams, and the examiner does not know it. The overall pass mark is the sum of the station cut scores plus one standard error of measurement. To pass you must meet or exceed the overall pass mark and pass a minimum number of stations, which is set by a regression method; you are not told the exact number. There is no fixed pass mark.
Worth knowing
- To book PLAB 2 you need a valid PLAB 1 pass, and you must pass PLAB 2 within two years of passing PLAB 1.
- PLAB 2 is held at the GMC's two clinical assessment centre sites in Manchester. The centres run different sets of stations, so each has its own pass mark.
- The exam could cover anything a doctor in a Foundation Programme Year 2 (F2) role might expect to see at work. Drug names are those in the most recent edition of the BNF.
- You are limited to four attempts. After a fourth fail you can apply for a fifth and final attempt, but only after at least 12 months of further clinical practice or a relevant postgraduate qualification.
- PLAB 2 is compliant with the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) requirements, and its stations are based on the MLA content map.
Sources
- GMC PLAB 2 guide: What is the PLAB 2 exam?
- GMC PLAB 2 guide: How will you be tested?
- GMC PLAB 2 guide: What can you expect on the day?
- GMC PLAB 2 guide: Understanding your results
- GMC PLAB 2 guide: Information on booking a PLAB 2 place
- GMC PLAB 2 guide: When and where can you take PLAB 2?
- GMC PLAB 2 guide: Are you eligible for an additional PLAB 2 attempt?
- GMC PLAB 2 guide: PLAB 2 and the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) requirements
- GMC: A guide to the PLAB test
- GMC: Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB)
Formats change. MedMock is not affiliated with any examining body; always check the current regulations on the official site before you book.
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