PLAB 2 Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the PLAB 2 exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 PLAB 2 Exam Format at a Glance
📚 PLAB 2 Topics to Study (23)
✍️ Sample PLAB 2 Questions & Answers
1. A doctor becomes aware that they are experiencing significant stress and burnout that is affecting their ability to concentrate during clinical duties. What should they do first?
GMC guidance requires doctors to look after their own health and wellbeing and to seek help when needed, and to consider whether their health is affecting their ability to practise safely.
2. During a PLAB 2 history station, a 55-year-old man presents with a change in bowel habit. Which features would prompt an urgent 2-week wait cancer referral?
NICE NG12 recommends 2-week wait referral for suspected colorectal cancer when patients over 40 have unexplained change in bowel habit, especially with rectal bleeding or iron deficiency anaemia. Over 50 with unexplained rectal bleeding alone also qualifies.
3. A doctor working in A&E is approached by a journalist asking for details about a celebrity patient admitted after a road traffic accident. What should the doctor do?
Patient confidentiality must be maintained regardless of the patient's public profile; any media enquiries should be directed to the official hospital communications department.
4. During a medical emergency, a patient has anaphylaxis following an antibiotic injection. What is the first-line treatment and route of administration?
Adrenaline (epinephrine) 0.5mg IM (1:1000 solution = 0.5ml) into the anterolateral thigh is the life-saving first-line treatment for anaphylaxis. IM injection into the thigh provides faster and more reliable absorption than subcutaneous administration. IV adrenaline is only for use by specialists in specific circumstances. Antihistamines and steroids are adjunctive, not first-line.
5. A patient presents to a PLAB 2 station with symptoms of depression. Which validated screening tool should you use to assess severity?
The PHQ-9 is the validated screening and severity assessment tool for depression recommended by NICE. Scores range from 0-27: 5-9 (mild), 10-14 (moderate), 15-19 (moderately severe), 20-27 (severe). It also includes a question about suicidal ideation which must always be explored further.
6. A doctor is asked to provide a reference for a former colleague who was subject to a conduct investigation that was ultimately not proven. What should the reference include?
GMC guidance requires references to be honest, accurate and not misleading; omitting relevant factual information that could affect patient safety is a breach of professional standards.