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PLAB Part 2 (objective structured clinical examination)

An OSCE of short scenario stations sat in Manchester, testing whether you can actually do the thing rather than recognise it in a list of five options.

United KingdomGeneral Medical Council clinical / OSCE

Coming soon. This bank is still in build and not on sale yet. The banks live now are PLAB 1, MRCP Part 1 and AMC MCQ.

What is on the PLAB 2?

Questions or stations16 verified 2026-08-10 Source says: “made up of 16 scenarios” check it yourself
Time8 minutes verified 2026-08-10 Source says: “each lasting eight minutes” check it yourself
FormatOSCE of 16 scenario stations, plus rest stations
Adaptive deliveryNo
Pass markStation-level and overall standards are set per circuit; both a total score and a minimum number of passed stations apply. verified 2026-08-10 check it yourself
BlueprintGMC Medical Licensing Assessment content map, General Medical Council

Timing above is per station, not for the whole circuit. There are at least two rest stations and the whole exam takes around three hours.

Verification status. All 3 published figures on this page have been read in the source document and dated above. Source of truth: GMC Medical Licensing Assessment content map, General Medical Council. How we verify.

The PLAB 2 curriculum, section by section

Every question in this bank is tagged to one of the sections below, and the tag traces to GMC Medical Licensing Assessment content map. That is what makes a coverage claim checkable instead of a marketing line. The table shows exactly how many items exist in each section today, including the sections where the answer is none.

Curriculum sectionShare of the blueprintItems in this bank
History taking and data gathering 30% 1
Physical examination 20% none yet
Communication and shared decision making 25% 1
Practical procedures 10% none yet
Ethics, consent and professionalism 15% 1

Coverage today: 3 of 5 sections. We publish the gap rather than hiding it.

OSCE stations

PLAB 2 is a clinical examination, so the material is structured as stations rather than multiple choice: a candidate brief, a simulated patient brief, and the mark scheme as separate scorable criteria you can tick against your own performance.

  • Explaining a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes — 8 marked criteria, 8 minutes
  • Colleague arriving at work smelling of alcohol — 7 marked criteria, 8 minutes
  • Chest pain history in a young woman — 9 marked criteria, 8 minutes

Where PLAB 2 sits in the pathway

UK registration (PLAB) runs PLAB 1 → PLAB 2. One DocPasser account covers all of them, so moving to the next stage does not mean a new subscription and a progress history you can no longer see.

PLAB 1

Questions people actually ask about PLAB 2

How long is each PLAB 2 station?

Stations are short and strictly timed, with a reading period before you enter. Practising to a timer matters more here than in any written exam.

Can I prepare for PLAB 2 without going to a course?

Structured practice with a partner covers most of it. What courses genuinely add is a marker watching you, which is why every station in this bank ships with its mark scheme visible.

What does PLAB 2 preparation cost?

PLAB 2 is a flat £20 for 12 months of access — one price, one purchase, no tiers. The first 1 station is free, with the full explanation for every option, so you can judge the quality of the explanations before paying for anything.

DocPasser is exam preparation material, not clinical guidance. Nothing here should be used to make a decision about a real patient. Always work from your own local guidelines and seniors.