PLAB 1 only tests your clinical knowledge and not your basic science.
To Qualify for PLAB 1
You only need two things to qualify for PLAB 1:
- You need to be a medical graduate.
- And you need IELTS Academic or IELTS UKVI Academic with 7.0 in each of the four areas and an overall score of 7.5 or you can use an alternate source to prove the evidence of your knowledge of English as stated by the GMC here.
House Job
House Job is not a prerequisite at any stage of your journey to the UK. But it’s best to not skip your house job for the following two reasons.
- It will give you an employment or employment history, which is very important for your PLAB 2 visa.
- If you have not done your House Job, then you can only enter through the Foundation Year 1 route. And it’s not impossible, but very difficult to enter through this route.
PLAB 1 Fee
£230
Format of PLAB 1
PLAB 1 consists of 180 questions that have to be answered in 3 hours.
Passing Score
Passing score is generally around 60% to 65%.
Scores Don’t Matter
As long as you have passed the exam, scores don’t matter. So someone with 179 out of 180 and someone with 131 out of 180 are completely equal when they go for PLAB 2 or for jobs.
PLAB 1 Schedule
| Mar | – | UK | & Overseas |
| Jun | – | UK | |
| Sep | – | UK | |
| Nov | – | UK | & Overseas |
PLAB 1 UK Venue
In the UK, the exam is only held in London.
PLAB 1 Overseas Venue
It is held in the following overseas locations:
| Bangladesh | – | Dhaka |
| Egypt | – | Cairo |
| India | – | Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi |
| Nigeria | – | Lagos |
| Pakistan | – | Islamabad, Karachi |
| Saudi Arabia | – | Riyadh |
| South Africa | – | Johannesburg |
| Sri Lanka | – | Colomba |
| Sudan | – | Khartoum |
| UAE | – | Dubai |
When to Book the Exam
Places are usually open to book about 10 months before the date of the examination. The UK examinations close a week before the examination date and the overseas examinations, four weeks before the examination date.
How Much You Need to Study for PLAB 1
It is ideal to go through 3,000 to 6,000 questions two to three times before the exam. But people pass the exam with less preparation as well. Please read about studying for PLAB 1 in detail here.
Time Required for Preparation
8-16 weeks is the ideal time for PLAB 1 preparation. However, even if you have 4 weeks, you can pass this exam, with dedication and hard work.
Joining an Academy
A lot of people prefer joining an academy for PLAB 1. They provide you with notes, questions banks and mocks. However, there’s no need to join an academy as you can find all of this study material online on PLAB’s Facebook page.
Some Encouragement
I know people who have passed PLAB 1 just by doing 1700 questions and questions on Facebook. I also know people who passed just by doing the 7 mocks (1400 questions). I know people who passed just by studying for a month. And these people were not distinction holders or class toppers. They were average students who worked hard. And if they can do it, then so can you.