How to prepare for PLAB 2: a realistic study plan

PLAB 2 is an OSCE: 16 timed stations that test how you consult, not just what you know. The single biggest mistake candidates make is preparing the way they did for PLAB 1 — reading and re-reading — when the skill being tested is a spoken conversation under time pressure.

A realistic 6-week plan

Weeks 1–2: Build your frameworks. Learn a repeatable structure for history-taking, examination requests, explanation, and management. You should be able to open any station the same calm way.

Weeks 3–4: Rehearse out loud, daily. This is the part people skip. Say your data gathering and management aloud, ideally against a simulated patient, until it's automatic. Aim for a few stations every day rather than one marathon session a week.

Weeks 5–6: Simulate the real thing. Practise full 8-minute stations with a timer, including the parts you dislike (counselling, ethics, breaking bad news).

Cover the three domains every time

Examiners score across Data Gathering, Clinical Management, and Interpersonal Skills. A common trap is acing the medicine but losing marks on rapport, consent, and safety-netting. Practise all three together, not separately.

Practise speaking, even alone

You don't need a study partner to rehearse. You can try a station free on OSCEPilot — talk to an AI patient and get feedback scored across the three domains, no signup required.

Educational content only — always check current requirements with the GMC and verify clinical detail against NICE/HSE guidance.