PLAB 2 Syllabus 2026: OSCE Stations, Skills & Marking
Last updated on 04-October-2026, by Dr. Muhammad Dr. Muhammad

 

PLAB 2 Syllabus Quick Summary

PLAB 2 is a 16-station clinical exam (OSCE) held in Manchester. Each station lasts eight minutes and is set at the level of a Foundation Year 2 doctor. You are marked on data gathering, clinical management and interpersonal skills, across history taking, examination, practical procedures, communication, prescribing and acute care. Its content follows the GMC's MLA content map.

What is PLAB 2?

PLAB 2 is the GMC's clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA): a performance-based test of your clinical and professional skills, knowledge and behaviours. Scenarios reflect real settings such as a mock consultation or an acute ward, and test what a doctor starting the second year of the UK Foundation Programme should be able to do. You can book it only after passing PLAB 1; see the PLAB 1 syllabus and all about the PLAB exam.

16
Clinical stations
8 min
Per station
1 min 30 s
To move and read instructions
~3 hours
Including at least two rest stations

How PLAB 2 is marked

Marking domain
What examiners look for
Data gathering, technical and assessment skills
History taking, physical examination, practical procedures and investigations leading to a diagnosis
Clinical management skills
Formulating a diagnosis, explaining it to the patient and making a management plan
Interpersonal skills
Building rapport, using open and closed questions, involving the patient and behaving professionally

To pass, you must reach the overall pass mark and also pass a minimum number of stations. For details of scoring, attempts and re-sits, see passing and re-sitting PLAB.

Types of PLAB 2 stations

Simulated patients: Most stations use trained actors, and you consult with them just as you would with a real patient.
Telephone consultations: The call is connected before you enter the room; the GMC's own sample station is a telephone consultation with a patient who has a headache.
Simulator manikins: High-fidelity manikins can show normal and abnormal clinical signs, for example in acute or emergency scenarios.
Prescribing tasks: Some stations ask you to complete drug charts, fluid charts or blood prescription forms.

Skills tested in PLAB 2

Clinical examination
Examination of the abdomen, breast, chest, hand, heart and joints, rectal and vaginal examination, and mental state examination.
Practical procedures
Blood pressure, venepuncture, cannulation, drug dosage calculation, IV, IM and subcutaneous injections, CPR, suturing, ECG and X-ray interpretation, catheterisation and cervical smear.
Communication
Explaining a diagnosis, involving patients in decisions, talking to relatives and colleagues, breaking bad news, explaining prescriptions and giving discharge instructions.

History taking runs through most stations: you are expected to gather a focused history, reach a working diagnosis and agree a plan within eight minutes. The MLA content map that applies to PLAB from September 2026 also lists the professional skills and behaviours behind these stations, including safe prescribing, managing pain, understanding capacity, consent and confidentiality, safeguarding vulnerable patients, managing risk, dealing with uncertainty and working as part of a team.

On the day in Manchester
Arrive at your allocated time: if you arrive early you may be asked to leave, and if you are late you cannot sit the exam. Bring a passport, full UK driving licence or ID card with a machine-readable zone; your photo is taken and you wear an ID badge. All equipment is provided, so leave books, electronic devices, smart watches and wearables behind. Dress as you would for a UK ward, bare below the elbows, with no watch or bracelets. Examiners may watch in person, by phone or by remote camera, and the exam may be recorded. For the visa and fees, see PLAB 1 and 2 test details.

How to prepare for PLAB 2

  1. Use the MLA content map for your exam date, and the UK Foundation Programme curriculum, to check what you need to cover.
  2. Study the GMC's Good Medical Practice and its interactive tools, since professionalism is marked in every station.
  3. Practise complete eight-minute consultations aloud with a partner, including telephone and prescribing stations.
  4. Read the GMC's examiner tips on common errors and try its sample station.
  5. Gain NHS exposure if you can: a clinical attachment helps you understand how UK consultations work.

The GMC says you do not need a coaching course to pass PLAB 2, and it warns against any course that claims to share exam content. For a step-by-step study plan, read our PLAB preparation guide.

Not passed PLAB 1 yet?
Start with our PLAB Part 1 Qbank: scenario-based single-best-answer questions across the syllabus, with detailed explanations.

Frequently asked 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 long do I get to read each PLAB 2 station?

You have 1 minute and 30 seconds to move to the next room and read the instructions before each eight-minute station begins.

> What are the PLAB 2 marking domains?

Data gathering, technical and assessment skills; clinical management skills; and interpersonal skills. You must reach the overall pass mark and pass a minimum number of stations.

> Are there telephone or prescribing stations in PLAB 2?

Yes. Some stations are telephone consultations, and some ask you to complete drug charts, fluid charts or blood prescription forms.

> Do I need to bring a stethoscope to PLAB 2?

No. The GMC provides all the equipment you need. Bring acceptable ID and dress as you would for a UK ward, bare below the elbows.

Questions about PLAB 2? Contact us.

Preparing for PLAB?

Build your clinical knowledge with exam-style questions and detailed explanations in our PLAB Part 1 Qbank.

Explore PLAB Preparation
Qbank
DHA General Practitioner (GP)
Best questions to help you pass DHA GP (General Practitioner)...
View Details
  • video thumbnail