PLAB 2 Practice Test

PLAB 2 Exam at a Glance

Free PLAB 2 Study Tools

Interactive PLAB 2 resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• PLAB 2 flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• PLAB 2 study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• PLAB 2 cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

What the PLAB 2 is and how it works

According to General Medical Council, “The exam is made up of 16 scenarios, each lasting eight minutes and aims to reflect real life settings including a mock consultation or an acute ward.”^[1] Practice with the free PLAB 2 practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (7 questions with answer explanations).

PLAB 2 is run by the General Medical Council. It follows PLAB 1 and is taken in person at the GMC assessment centre sites in Manchester, UK. To book, you need an acceptable overseas primary medical qualification and a valid PLAB 1 pass within 2 years.

The exam is made up of 16 scenarios, each lasting 8 minutes. They are meant to reflect real-life settings, such as a mock consultation or an acute ward. The whole exam takes around 3 hours, including rest stations.

To pass, you must meet or exceed the overall pass mark and also pass a minimum number of stations. Meeting only one of those conditions is not enough. The GMC explains how this works on its page about understanding your results, so check it for the current detail.

The fee is £1,036 per attempt, and the same fee applies to a retake. You are limited to 4 attempts. After a fourth failed attempt you must apply for an additional attempt. Results are published within a month of your exam date.

Test dates run throughout the year. You can see them in the GMC's booking service via GMC Online, but only once you have your PLAB 1 results. After you pass, your application for registration with a licence to practise should be approved within 2 years. Fees and rules can change, so confirm everything on the GMC website before you book.

Worked examples: how to reason through PLAB 2 questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: During a history station, the patient mentions they drink alcohol. According to UK screening guidelines, which validated tool should you use to assess alcohol use?

1. Ask them to estimate their weekly units only
2. Use the AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) or full AUDIT questionnaire
3. Ask if they think they drink too much
4. Use the PHQ-9 questionnaire

Answer: B. Use the AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) or full AUDIT questionnaire

Explanation:

The correct answer is the AUDIT-C or the full AUDIT questionnaire. Both are validated screening tools, so they give a structured and comparable picture of consumption, dependence and harm. Asking only for weekly units captures quantity but misses dependence and consequences. Asking whether the patient thinks they drink too much is subjective and easy to deflect, and it is not a validated tool. The PHQ-9 screens for depression, not alcohol use, so it answers a different question. The rule to remember: when a station mentions a risk behaviour, reach for the recognised screening tool for that problem rather than an informal question or a tool built for another condition.

Example 2

Question: You are suturing a laceration on a patient's forearm. Which suture technique is most appropriate for a simple, clean, linear wound in the emergency department?

1. Continuous subcuticular suture for all ED lacerations
2. Simple interrupted sutures — they are versatile, allow drainage, and individual sutures can be removed if infection develops without compromising the entire closure
3. Mattress sutures for all superficial wounds
4. Staples for all forearm lacerations

Answer: B. Simple interrupted sutures — they are versatile, allow drainage, and individual sutures can be removed if infection develops without compromising the entire closure

Explanation:

Simple interrupted sutures are the best fit for a clean, linear forearm wound in the emergency department. Each stitch is independent, so you can remove a single suture if infection develops without opening the whole closure. A continuous subcuticular suture for every laceration is too rigid a rule, and it cannot be partly removed. Mattress sutures are for particular situations, such as wound edge eversion or tension, not for all superficial wounds. Staples are not the default for every forearm laceration. The rule to remember: choose the technique that suits the wound, and clean and irrigate before closing.

Example 3

Question: 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?

1. Occasional constipation relieved by dietary changes
2. Unexplained change in bowel habit lasting >4 weeks in a patient over 40, especially with rectal bleeding, weight loss, or iron deficiency anaemia
3. Loose stools for 2 days after a curry
4. Alternating constipation and diarrhoea for 10 years with normal investigations

Answer: B. Unexplained change in bowel habit lasting >4 weeks in a patient over 40, especially with rectal bleeding, weight loss, or iron deficiency anaemia

Explanation:

The correct answer describes an unexplained change in bowel habit lasting more than 4 weeks in a patient over 40, especially with rectal bleeding, weight loss or iron deficiency anaemia. These are red flags for colorectal cancer and justify an urgent 2-week wait referral. Occasional constipation that responds to diet is common and benign. Loose stools after a curry are a short, explained episode. Alternating constipation and diarrhoea for years with normal investigations points to a long-standing, investigated pattern. The rule to remember: persistence, age and alarm features together, with no benign explanation, should move you from reassurance to urgent referral.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the GMC's PLAB 2 guide so you know the format, the marking approach and the booking rules. Then take the free PLAB 2 practice test to find where you lose marks.

Work through the topic sets next, one at a time. For history and communication, use History Taking Stations and Communication Skills. For skills, use Clinical Examination and Procedural Skills. For safety and professionalism, use Acute Management, Ethics and Consent and Professional Ethics and Safeguarding.

After each set, read every explanation, including those for questions you got right, and write down the rule behind each miss. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to check your reasoning, not to memorise answers.

Because PLAB 2 is a live, timed assessment, practise out loud with a partner. Run through scenarios using the 8-minute limit, and ask your partner to give feedback on your structure, your questions and how clearly you explain things. Return to the official material in the final days to check nothing has changed.

Sources & last verified

1. General Medical Council — number of questions, time limit (official source). “The exam is made up of 16 scenarios, each lasting eight minutes and aims to reflect real life settings including a mock consultation or an…” Verified Oct 29, 2026.
2. General Medical Council — exam fee, retake fee (official source). “| Part 2 of the PLAB test | £998 | £1,036 |” Verified Oct 29, 2026.
3. General Medical Council — passing score (official source). “To achieve an overall pass, you must achieve both of the following: * you must meet or exceed the overall pass mark * you must…” Verified Oct 29, 2026.
4. General Medical Council — retake policy, eligibility (official source). “You are limited to four attempts to pass the exam. If you would like to take the exam again following your fourth failed attempt, you…” Verified Oct 29, 2026.
5. General Medical Council — validity (official source). “You should have your application for registration with a licence to practise in the UK approved within two years of passing PLAB 2.” Verified Oct 29, 2026.
6. General Medical Council — delivery, testing window (official source). “PLAB 2 is held at our two assessment centre sites in Manchester, UK: GMC Clinical Assessment Centre 3 Hardman Square Manchester M3 3EB” Verified Oct 29, 2026.
7. General Medical Council — score release (official source). “Your results will be published within a month of your exam date. Should there be any delay in the publication of your results, we'll contact…” Verified Oct 29, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.