PLAB 2 on the day: 16 stations, the timings and what to expect

27 October 2026

In short: PLAB 2 is the GMC's clinical and professional skills assessment for international doctors. It has 16 scenarios of eight minutes each, with 1 minute 30 seconds before each one to move rooms and read the instructions, and at least two rest stations. The whole exam takes around three hours. Arrive at your allocated time with accepted ID, and dress as you would for a UK clinical setting.

Key points

16 scenarios, eight minutes each, in settings such as a mock consultation or an acute ward.
1 minute 30 seconds before each scenario to move to the next room and read the instructions.
At least two rest stations. The whole exam takes around three hours.
Arrive at your allocated time: if you are late, you won't be able to take the exam.
You don't need your own equipment. Everything is provided.

What PLAB 2 is

The GMC describes PLAB 2 as a performance-based assessment of clinical and professional skills, knowledge and behaviours. It is MLA-compliant: PLAB 2 meets the requirements of the clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA). It could cover anything a doctor appointed to a Foundation Programme Year 2 (F2) role might expect to see at work, and the GMC says it is not intended to test how well you can remember and recite facts.

Answer in line with current best practice and published evidence, not local arrangements. Drug names in the exam follow the most recent edition of the British National Formulary (BNF).

From September 2026, PLAB candidates are assessed against the GMC's updated MLA content map.

Before the day

Check your arrival time. The GMC emails it before the exam. If you arrive early you may be asked to wait outside; if you are late, you won't be able to sit the exam.
Check the venue address carefully. The GMC notes that its Manchester centres have similar addresses.
Prepare your ID. Check the GMC's current list of accepted identity documents. Provisional driving licences are not accepted. If your name differs from your booking, bring original evidence such as a marriage certificate.
Pack light. You get a small locker and can't return to it until the exam finishes.
Plan your clothes. The GMC asks you to dress as you would for a UK hospital ward, in line with NHS uniform guidance. Bare below the elbow with no watch, bracelets or rings is good practice, and sleeve covers can be provided.

When you arrive

Your ID is checked and kept until the end of the exam. Your photograph is taken and you are given an ID badge to wear throughout. You won't need anything else in the exam circuit, not even your own medical equipment.

During the exam

Some scenarios use manikins or other equipment. Others use an actor playing the patient.
An examiner observes each station, in person, by telephone or by remote camera. Examiners don't intervene except in very limited circumstances.
Your exam may be recorded.
A timer announces when to move on.
You can't talk to other candidates, copy any details, or bring books, electronic devices or watches into the exam.

Using the 1 minute 30 seconds

The time before each station is for moving rooms and reading the instructions and patient information outside the door. Use it well:

Read the task line twice. "Take a history", "explain" and "examine" ask for different things.
Note who the patient is and where you are. A GP consultation and an acute ward set up very different conversations.
Plan your opening and your close. Introduction, identity and consent at the start; summary, plan and safety net at the end.
Let the last station go. The next one is a fresh start with a new patient.

Pacing eight minutes

Eight minutes goes quickly. A rough shape for a history station:

First minute: introduction, consent and an open question, then listen.
Middle: the focused history, ideas, concerns and expectations, and red flags.
Last two minutes: summarise, explain and agree a plan, and safety-net.

Practise with a timer until this shape feels natural. Watch the GMC's sample OSCE station and PLAB 2 overview video too, if you haven't already.

The rest stations

There are at least two rest stations. Use them to reset: breathe, drink water if you can, and stop replaying the last station.

If you are unwell

The GMC says that by presenting yourself for the exam you consider yourself fit to be assessed. If that changes, tell an invigilator straight away. Illness that isn't declared can't be considered after the exam.

How MedExamHelper fits

MedExamHelper's stations are timed, usually at eight minutes, and the clock starts on your first question. Exam mode is a clean run with nothing shown, which makes it useful for practising your pacing. PLAB 2 candidates can use it, though it isn't mapped to or endorsed by the GMC.

Common questions

How many stations are in PLAB 2? 16 scenarios of eight minutes each, plus at least two rest stations. The whole exam takes around three hours.

How much reading time do you get? 1 minute 30 seconds before each scenario to move to the next room and read the instructions.

Do I need to bring a stethoscope? No. The GMC says everything you need is provided.

What should I wear to PLAB 2? Clothes you would wear on a UK hospital ward, following NHS uniform guidance. Bare below the elbow is good practice.

Does the new content map apply to PLAB 2? Yes, for candidates sitting from September 2026.