PLAB 1 and PLAB 2: A 2026 Guide for International Medical Graduates

The GMC route and who needs PLAB

Doctors who qualified outside the UK, and outside the routes that give automatic recognition, usually register with the GMC through PLAB. It is aimed at graduates who do not hold an acceptable postgraduate qualification or another approved route to registration.

• You need a primary medical qualification that the GMC recognises, from a listed medical school.
• You must provide an accepted English language qualification.
• Some doctors instead qualify via an approved postgraduate qualification, a Royal College membership route, or a sponsorship scheme; PLAB is the broadest and most common route for international medical graduates.

PLAB is designed to confirm that you can work safely at the level of a doctor starting the second year of the UK Foundation Programme. It is a threshold for safe practice, not a ranking exam, so the goal is to demonstrate sound, UK-aligned clinical judgement.

PLAB 1 explained

PLAB 1 is a written test of applied medical knowledge. It is offered several times a year in the UK and at a range of overseas test centres, so many candidates sit it in their home region before travelling.

• Format: 180 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions to be answered in three hours.
• Content: common and important clinical scenarios, emphasising safe management, prescribing and UK practice rather than obscure facts.
• Preparation: good-quality question banks, the GMC's recommended reading and blueprint, and timed practice papers form the core of most study plans.

Because the questions test decision-making, practising under timed conditions and reviewing why each answer is correct matters more than passive reading. Once you pass PLAB 1 you become eligible to book PLAB 2, and you must normally take PLAB 2 within a set period of passing part 1, so plan the two stages together.

PLAB 2 explained

PLAB 2 is a practical objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) held only at the GMC's clinical assessment centre in Manchester, so all candidates travel to the UK for it.

• Format: 16 stations, each simulating a realistic clinical situation such as taking a history, examining a patient, explaining a diagnosis or performing a procedure on a manikin.
• Stations assess communication, professionalism and patient safety as much as clinical knowledge.
• Preparation: hands-on practice, role-play with colleagues, and courses that rehearse the station format and UK consultation style are highly valuable.

Because it is Manchester-based and dates are limited, book early and plan your travel and accommodation well ahead. Many candidates arrive a couple of weeks beforehand to attend a preparation course and acclimatise to the format before the real exam.

English language requirement

Before you can register, the GMC must be satisfied about your knowledge of English. You can meet this in several ways, and the evidence must be current when you apply.

• IELTS Academic: commonly an overall score of 7.5 with at least 7.0 in each of the four sections.
• OET (medicine): grade B in each of the four areas.
• Certain other evidence, such as a medical degree taught and examined in English, may be accepted in defined circumstances.

Check the current thresholds and validity periods, as accepted tests and rules are reviewed. Sorting your English evidence early, ideally before or alongside PLAB, keeps your registration application moving the moment you have passed both parts.

Costs and timelines

Budget for exam fees, English testing, travel and the GMC registration fee, and plan the sequence so you are not waiting on one step to start another.

• PLAB 1: indicatively around £280.
• PLAB 2: indicatively around £934.
• GMC registration and licence fee: indicatively in the region of £430, sometimes reduced depending on your income.

Fees are reviewed periodically, so confirm current figures before booking. On timing, many candidates pass PLAB 1 and then wait for an available PLAB 2 slot, which can be the main bottleneck. Overall, the journey from starting revision to full registration commonly takes several months to around a year, depending on exam availability, your preparation and how quickly you gather your documents.

After PLAB: registration and finding a job

Passing both parts does not by itself let you work; you must apply to the GMC for registration with a licence to practise, normally within two years of passing PLAB 2.

• You submit identity, qualification and, where required, evidence of recent clinical practice and fitness to practise.
• Once registered, you can take up a doctor post, typically needing a Health and Care Worker visa sponsored by your employer.
• Many international medical graduates begin in a supervised trust-grade or clinical fellow role to build UK experience before entering formal training.

Securing that first post is often easier with specialist support. Ava Medical helps GMC-registered doctors match to sponsoring NHS and independent employers, so the step from passing PLAB to starting work, with a visa in place, is as smooth as possible. Building UK references, a tailored CV and interview practice into your plan early makes that first appointment far easier to secure.

Frequently asked questions