I can share my experience of how personally I passed the PLAB exams - its name can be translated as "Assessment of professional and language proficiency". It must necessarily be handed over to all specialists who plan to start medical work in the UK and obtain the appropriate license. Before you sign up for the exam, make sure that you have successfully passed IELTS testing (scores of at least 7, preferably higher).
The PLAB itself is divided into two levels (1 and 2 respectively).
1. PLAB 1
This is a comprehensive assessment of knowledge in all areas of medicine: you are given 200 different questions and 3 hours for answers. At first it seems that there is a lot of time, but in fact the impression is deceptive. Currently, many books and books, video and audio courses have been published to prepare for the PLAB exam - do not ignore them, they can greatly help you. Pay special attention to the study of books and textbooks in English: for students from Russia and the CIS, a lack of knowledge of terminology in English often becomes a stumbling block, so before passing the exam, make sure that you are proficient in proficiency in English.
After careful theoretical training, be sure to practice from the practical side: it is important to be able to correctly read and understand the question, adjust your thinking to a certain image and wave. For example, you might get a job in which you will have to choose the only correct answer: the catch is that in fact they are all correct, but you will need to determinethe most faithful and suitable. And, again, practical exercises will help you to reinforce the knowledge of terminology. After you have worked in the training mode for 5000-6000 test questions, you will most likely get a special "sense of the right answer": when you finish reading the task, you already know the right answer within yourself and just look for it among the suggested options. But try not to rely on this feeling and intuition, yet knowledge (even the method of elimination) works much more efficiently and more consistently.
In fact, one of the key difficulties of the first stage is waiting for the test results - the decision is made within 5-6 weeks.
2. PLAB 2
The second, final test phase no longer tests your academic knowledge so closely: it is aimed at understanding whether you can work as a doctor in the UK. In the process of passing PLAB 2 you will have to answer the following questions:
- Are you careful and attentive in making your medical decisions?
- Can you qualitatively collect anamnesis?
- Can you correctly recognize the problem, put a preliminary diagnosis ?
- Can you communicate with patients and colleagues over the phone, do you have telephone etiquette?
- Will you be willing to consult an older, more experienced colleague if you have any difficulties?
- Does the patient understand you?
- Will your behavior be correct and adequate during the reception of the psychiatric patient?
All these questions lead you to the main: "Are you fit Are you for medical practice in England? ". In fact, even if you make a mistake (for example, in setting a preliminary diagnosis), this will not be a verdict - the main thing is to convince the admissions committee, to play the necessary role before them, to show oneself as a talented, ambitious doctor. Of course, purely practical skills also play a significant role: for example, how you can take the blood for analysis, provide first aid, how skillfully you put a catheter or cannula, etc.
If PLAB 1 is a theory, then PLAB2 is a practice, which side to not look at: even if you have the perfect academic knowledge and all the information is simply laid down both in the encyclopedia, but you can not carry out certain procedures , You can not wait for success.
Do not ignore the many courses that prepare students for the delivery of PLAB in-depth and effective. Preparatory programs will help you prepare for any practical tests, and to prepare for a theoretical test, as already mentioned, there are many educational and methodological literature and other sources.
Personally, it took me about 6 weeks to prepare for PLAB 2, and I managed to achieve a positive result, and many doctors with whom I talked on this topic said that the PLAB 2 exam is not Supernaturally complex (but I can not say that I fully agree with this point of view). What was a surprise? What really spends a lot of time on how you can communicate with patients, how you can handle patients who are, say, in a coma or suffering from alcoholism. But for a doctor who has sufficient qualifications and really strives for success, these questions should not be difficult.
