INFORMATION ABOUT PLAB FROM VARIOUS

WEBSITES AND OTHER SOURCES

1.

Here is some information provided on PLAB.

PLAB -1

 Taking PLAB / Examination requirements

ILETS Test
Application Form
Download Application Form
Sample Extended Matching Questions
Sample Single Best Answer Questions
What to study for PLAB?
Taking the Examination
For the purposes of the PLAB test, one should use the same name, in the same
order, as it appears on ones passport. It is important so that all
correspondence can be intimated to the candidate promptly.

ILETS Test

The exact date the IELTS test was taken and the scores obtained has to be
mentioned . One should remember that the certificate is valid for a maximum
of two years from the date the IELTS test was taken . If an individual passes in
the IELTS test is more than two years old at the time of taking Part 1 of the
PLAB test, he / she will need to provide proof that they have actively
maintained or tried to improve their English language skills since the time they
passed the IELTS tests.

The ways in which the above can be done include:

1) Proof of having undertaken a postgraduate course of study within the last

two years since the IELTS test and original IELTS certificate showing that the
required scores have been achieved .
or
2 ) A reference completed by a UK employer or your personal tutor or lecturer
on a postgraduate course of study within the last two years since completion
of the first IELTS test. The original IELTS certificate showing that the required
scores were achieved also has to be enclosed.
or
3) Proof that the IELTS test was done again and the required scores were
achieved.

 Application Form
If one does the booking was done online, he / she must pay by debit or credit
card, otherwise the fee of £145 must be paid in advance in sterling. Else, fees
paid in the United Kingdom must be in the form of a cheque, money order or
postal order payable to ‘General Medical Council’. Fees sent from other
countries, or paid in other countries, must be by sterling bank draft or money
order. These must be made payable to ‘General Medical Council’. Please
remember, where appropriate, to take bank charges into account when paying
the fee.

The form should be checked carefully to ensure that the information is correct,
and that the form is signed and dated appropriately. Applications must be
completed and signed only by the concerned individual. Any discrepancies
may delay ones application.

In case the candidate wishes to take the examination in the UK, he /she should
submit their forms together with the appropriate enclosures by post to the

PLAB Test Section (Candidate Services) GMC,

178 Great Portland Street,
London W1W 5JE.

For those who have applied online, confirmation of one place will be given
immediately ,otherwise once the form has been processed, a letter offering
you a place in the Examination and a map showing you where the Examination
centre is located will be sent to your registered address.

In exceptional circumstances, leading to postponement or cancellation of the

Examination, the candidates will be entitled to a full refund of the Examination
entry fee. The General Medical Council will not be liable for any other costs.
  What is to be studied for PLAB?
The main emphasis of the Examination is on clinical management and includes
science as applied to clinical problems.

The Examination is confined to core knowledge, skills and attitudes relating to

conditions commonly seen by SHOs, to the generic management of life-
threatening situations, and to rarer, but important, problems.

The Examination assesses the ability to apply knowledge to the care of

patients.

Four groups of skills will be tested in approximately equal proportions:

Diagnosis: Given the important facts about a patient (such as age, sex, nature
of presenting symptoms, duration of symptoms) you are asked to select the
most likely diagnosis from a range of possibilities.

Investigations: This may refer to the selection or the interpretation of

diagnostic tests. Given the important facts about a patient, you will be asked
to select the investigation which is most likely to provide the key to the
diagnosis. Alternatively, you may be given the findings of investigations and
asked to relate these to a patient’s condition or to choose the most
appropriate next course of action.

Management/Treatment: Given the important facts about a patient’s

condition, you will be asked to choose the most suitable treatment including
therapeutics from a range of possibilities. In the case of medical treatments
you will be asked to choose the correct drug therapy and will be expected to
know about side effects.

The context of clinical practice: This may include:

i. Explanation of disease process: The natural history of the untreated disease.

ii. Legal ethical: You are expected to know the major legal and ethical
principles set out in the General Medical Council publication.
iii. Practice of evidence-based medicine: Questions on diagnosis, investigations
and management may draw upon recent evidence published in peer-reviewed
journals. In addition, there may be questions on the principles and practice of
evidence-based medicine.
iv. Understanding of epidemiology: You may be tested on the principles of
epidemiology, and on the prevalence of important diseases in the UK.
v. Health promotion: The prevention of disease through health promotion and
knowledge of risk factors.
vi. Awareness of multicultural society: You may be tested on your appreciation
of the impact on the practice of medicine of the health beliefs and cultural
values of the major cultural groups represented in the UK population.
vii. Application of scientific understanding to medicine: You may be tested on
the scientific disciplines which underpin medicine. Examples include anatomy,
genetics and pathology.

The candidate will be expected to know about conditions that are common or
important in the United Kingdom for all the systems outlined below.

Accident and emergency medicine Examples:

Abdominal, chest and head injuries (isolated or multiple injuries), bites and
stings, bruising, burns, chest pain, collapse, cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR), eye problems, shock, trauma.

Blood attributed diseases (Examples): Anaemias, coagulation defects,

haemoglobinopathies, purpura.

Cardiovascular system (Examples): Aortic aneurysm, arrhythmias, chest pain,

deep vein thrombosis (DVT), heart failure, hypertension, ischaemic limb,
myocardial infarction, myocardial ischaemia, stroke, varicose veins.

Dermatology, allergy, immunology and infectious diseases (Examples):

Allergy, fever and rashes, meningitis, serious infections including HIV, hepatitis
B and tropical diseases, skin cancers.

ENT and eyes (Examples): Dysphagia, earache, epistaxis, hearing problems,

hoarseness, glaucoma, ‘red eye’, sudden visual loss.

Gastrointestinal tract, liver and biliary system, and nutrition (Examples):

Abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhoea, difficulty in swallowing, digestive
disorders, gastrointestinal bleeding, jaundice, rectal bleeding/pain, vomiting,
weight problems.

Metabolism, endocrinology and diabetes( Examples): Diabetes mellitus,

thyroid disorders, weight problems.

Nervous system (Examples): Coma, convulsions, eye problems, headache, loss

of consciousness, seizures, stroke, transient ischaemic attacks, vertigo.

Orthopaedics and rheumatology( Examples): Arthritis, back pain,

dislocations, fractures, joint pain/swelling, sprains and strains.

Psychiatry (Examples): Alcohol abuse, anxiety, assessing suicidal risk,

confusion and delirium, depression, drug abuse, overdoses and self harm,
post-natal problems.

Renal System (Examples): Haematuria, renal failure, sexual health, testicular

pain, urinary calculi and infections.

Respiratory system (Examples): Asthma, breathlessness/wheeze, cough,

haemoptysis, pneumonia.

Disorders of childhood (Examples): Abdominal pain, asthma, child

development, childhood illnesses, earache, epilepsy, eye problems, fetal
medicine, fever and rashes, joint pain/swelling, loss of consciousness,
meningitis, non-accidental injury, sexual abuse, testicular pain, urinary
disorders.

Disorders of the elderly (Examples): Altered bowel habit, dementia,

depression, digestive disorders, urinary disorders.

Peri-operative management (Examples): Anti-emetics, pain relief, peri-

operative monitoring, post-operative complications, pre-operative
assessment.

Palliative Care, Oncology( Examples): Blood dyscrasias, general malignancy,

pain relief, terminal care.
  Taking the Examination
Travel and accommodation arrangements have to be made by the
candidate.
Part 1 of the PLAB Test is a three-hour Extended Matching Question (EMQ)
examination.

The Invigilator’s instructions will take about 30 minutes. The Examination will
last three hours and collecting the Examination materials will take a further 30
minutes. The candidate is required to be at the Examination centre for a
minimum of four hours.

The candidate is expected to carry proof of identity to the Examination centre

together with the letter from the General Medical Council or British Council
offering them a place in the Examination. These will be checked at the
Examination.

The Chief Invigilator will take a polaroid photograph of the candidate and will
be asked to sign on the back of it to verify its authenticity. If for some reason
the candidate fails to comply with this process, they will not be permitted to
take the Examination.

Every candidate will be provided with all the materials needed during the
Examination. No other reference material will be allowed .

 After the Examination

Marking of the Exams are computerized.
For the first sitting of the Examination, the Professional and Linguistic
Assessments Board determined the standard required to pass in accordance
with a recognized method of standard setting. This standard is maintained by
test equating. This means that the standard for each examination will be the
same, but the pass mark may vary, reflecting the difficulty of the questions set
in the Examination.

Temporary personal circumstances which might affect the candidates

performance such as illness, pregnancy or bereavement will not be taken into
account.
At the end of the Examination, the candidate will be informed the date on
which their results will be available. This will be about four weeks after the
examination. Results will be published on the website and a letter containing
the results will be posted about two weeks later to the candidates address.

On passing part –1 of the PLAB examination the candidate can apply online
immediately to take Part 2 of the test .

If the candidate fails in the first attempt he /she may re-apply. However one
cannot apply for PLAB Part 2 or re-apply for Part 1 before any previous PLAB
examination results have been issued.

The results will include information about your position in relation to the pass
mark and the performance of the other candidates.

Candidates wishing to verify any mark or marks, by means of a clerical check,

should submit a request in writing to the PLAB Test Section no later than three
weeks after the results have been issued. A fee of £40 must accompany the
request.

The check will be done at the earliest and a response will be issued within 10
working days.

A candidate who wishes to make a complaint about the examination should

submit a detailed written report to the Head of the PLAB Test Section no later
than three weeks after the results have been issued.The individual should
provide their name, address, telephone number and GMC reference number.

The complaint will be acknowledge and investigated and a response will be

sent within 10 working days.

However the candidate cannot make an appeal against the mark they receive
for the Examination. The examiners’ decision is final.

2.It’s pretty straightforward and easy with countless resources available online.
The exams – both Part 1 and Part 2 – itself are easy. Yes, for that you need to
be as prepared as possible. Starting the preparation as early as 6 months is a
great idea! The steps to write PLAB for an MBBS student from India is just like
any other. First, you need to ***** your IELTS test. It’s an English proficiency
test—very simple really! Next, you apply for the PLAB online. Upon
confirmation, you will be given the full details of your exam—when, where and
what. Now you’ve got to prepare your hearts out till the countdown ends. I
would advise you to take as many mock tests as you can. It will help you get
accustomed for the big day. The exam emphasize on the clinical management,
which includes science as applied to clinical problem. Your four groups of skills
will be tested: diagnosis, investigations, management and treatment. That’s all
about it. Everything is plain and simple. Do not stress too much about things.
You will only find the exam difficult if you’re not prepared. Otherwise, scoring
big is damn easy

Which is better - USMLE or PLAB?

We will break it up by looking at different aspects.

1. Time to finish
a. USMLE is I feel long and arduous, it takes like at least 2 -3
years to get into a residency if everything goes right.
b. PLAB is relatively less time taking. Say like you can sit for both
parts in a period of 1 year and will land a job at the end of it given the
situation of brexit in the UK.
2. Cost
a. USMLE is again relatively costly, given the course materials,
higher number of steps and the need for US clinical experience and
US travel for step 2 CS.
b. PLAB is again relatively cheaper given the lesser number of
steps.
3. Remuneration post Residency
a. This is where USMLE scores big. Although you might take
more time than PLAB, you will end up with a much higher pay scale
than your peers in UK.
4. Job guarantee
a. You may clear all the steps in USMLE with average grades, but
there is still no guarantee of a residency of your choice.
 b. PLAB on the other hand allows you to work your way through
your desired specialty and in most cases you do land a good initial
job.
5. Opportunities
a. All said and done, US is a much bigger country with a wide
range of opportunities. If you play your cards right, you can even end
up to be the Surgeon General of US.
b. UK is a much smaller country and opportunities for career
progression are quite limited.
6. Weather
a. US has a much better climate compared to the UK, where it
can be dull and cloudy for months together, drizzling at times and no
Sun. May be quite depressing at times.
7. Worldwide recognition
a. US residency and credentials have a higher acceptance world
wide compared to UK.
b. UK credentials are good for most commonwealth countries
and are not accepted in USA and Canada
3.Depends really on where you see yourself later in life. Both countries have an
excellent system of medical training. Personally I'd say USMLE because it has a
more transparent system of selection and has a much bigger market for
doctors. The salary and lifestyle of doctors is also slightly better than in
England. PLAB is an easier exam as compared to the USMLE but even with a
great score in the exam there is no guarantee of getting a residency there. You
have to work in UK as an intern for a year or more than that, build contacts so
that someone ultimately recommends you or accepts you into their hospital.
USMLE is a slightly tougher exam, and you have to finish step 1, step 2 ck and
step 2 cs to go for the residency interview. A body called ECFMG exists which
controls the residency matching process for foreign graduates. All applications
are made through ecfmg. No such body exists for the UK. That doesn't mean
people don't get into UK for a residency. And that also doesn't mean that you
can get a residency in the US with just good scores. You need some work
experience in the respective countries before you can consider applying. But in
my personal opinion the USMLE path seems more organized.

USMLE is better because it’s easier to get ready. You have many resources
available for that exam + it’s more clinical based. Knowledge-wise, USMLE is
harder, but it’s gonna be easier if you use right resources.

I would’t recommend to take different resources for each subject. This will do
so much harm for you, as your brain will just burst eventually. You should
make sure that you use as few resources as possible to have the same style of
teaching in every subject. Of course, if you are currently studying medical
subjects you should use a book but for USMLE prep just use latest First Aid
and subscribe to Lecturio. This is my golden combination, which will help you
throughout your whole preparation time (+ you’ll economize hundreds of
dollars). So this is how I use First Aid and Lecturio together:

 First Aid shows you what are important aspects of the topic that you
must know for step 1. I basically go through one topic and if I need
more explanation I go to book matcher in Lecturio app, type the page
number from FA and platform gives me the relevant videos regarding
that page, from which you can choose in which area are you
interested. You can also read the topic, but I prefer to watch it.
 After I’m done with revising the whole chapter, I go to the Qbank,
choose that topic (For example anatomy - musculoskeletal) and do the
questions from there.
 You can also do MCQs which are provided in the end of every video
lecture, those questions will come back to you days after which will
help you to develop long term memory.
 Dr Ossareh has a course there called medical survival guide, which is
actually really helpful!
 When you get close to the test day, use 30 day and 90 day
preparation schedules which are also provided by Lecturio.
These are some of the many questions that a fresh medical graduate
encounters. Limited knowledge and lack of guidance makes things even
worse. It’s a dream of MBBS students to do PG in their preferred choice branch
and excel in it. Getting a PG is the pinnacle of success for any medical
graduate!

Medical graduates work hard to pass the PGCET and even have to take a gap
for study in order to get the preferred choice branch. Many have the dream to
do a PG outside India, but lack of guidance and proper information often
leads to some of them even changing their medical field to non-clinical or
medical allied.

Just imagine at this crucial point of your career, you have someone who has
been through the same path and ready to guide you, work with you and help
you in your every step ahead; this would definitely boost your confidence and
ease your mental anxiety.

I think, an informed decision is the best decision. Hence I provide you with
some options after MBBS. Kindly go through them and choose the one which
you feel you the most comfortable with!

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

USMLE (UNITED STATES MEDICAL LICENSING EXAMINATION)

1. One of the best educational system in the world.

2. Better working and living conditions.
3. Academics and research facilities availability.
4. Fellowships and Specialists jobs opportunities.
5. Easy H1B visa processing.
6. J1 waiver jobs.
7. Green card processing.
8. Hard work and proper guidance of utmost importance.
UNITED KINGDOM

PLAB(PROFESSIONAL AND LINGUISTIC ASSESSMENT)

1. One of the best educational system in the world.

2. Registrar and Consultants jobs available.
3. Easy work visa and green card processing
4. High cost of living.
5. Saturation
6. Long wait and processing time.
7. Strict regulation by National Health System and General Medical
Council.
INDIA

AIPGMEE/NEET, AIIMS, PGI CHANDIGARH, STATE ENTRANCES.

1. Serving your country.

2. Family legacy.
3. Very competitive.
4. Preferred branch unavailability.
5. Limited research opportunities.
6. MBBS / Post Graduate bond service.
7. Fluctuating exam pattern
8. No single exam.
9. Costly private seat.
10. Assault and Security issues.
CANADA

MCQEE (MEDICAL COUNCIL OF CANADA EVALUATING EXAMINATION)

1. Good medical system.

2. Better working and living conditions.
3. Easy point basis green card processing.
4. Fellowships and Specialists jobs.
5. Not preferred by International Medical Graduate.
6. Green card or Permanent residents preferred.
AUSTRALIA

AMC (AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL COUNCIL)

1. Better working and living conditions.

2. Job availability
3. Underserved area serving.
NEW ZEALAND

NZREX (NEW ZEALAND REGISTRATION EXAM)

 1. Better working and living conditions.
2. Green card or Permanent Resident preferred.
3. Not International Medical Graduate friendly.
GULF (UAE, SAUDI ARABIA, OMAN, KUWAIT)

MOH (MINISTRY OF HEALTH),

DHA (DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AUTHORITY), HAAD(HEALTH AUTHORITY OF
ABU DHABI)

1. Tax free job with a good pay

2. Better working conditions.
3. Yearly contract.
4. PQR requirements.
5. Long Dataflow processing time.
6. Payment in Dirhams.
7. Agents alert.
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES (GERMANY, RUSSIA, POLAND, UKRAINE,
BELARUS)

No Exam

1. Cheap
2. Preferred branch availability
3. Not Medical Council of India recognized.
4. Language
5. Not all are International Medical Education Directory listed.
ASIAN COUNTRIES (PHILIPINES, CHINA)

No exams.

1. Cheap
2. Preferred branch availability
3. Not Medical Council of India recognized.
AMERICAN CONTINENT (CARRIBEAN)

No exams.

1. Cheap
 2. Preferred branch availability
3. Not Medical Council of India recognized.
In the list above, I tried to sum all the possible options available. It seems to
be overwhelming at first glance, but after going through it carefully, it would
not be a difficult to choose one.

I would personally suggest USMLE as the best option. After my MBBS, I too
faced the same dilemma of choosing the right options. My friends started
preparing for the entrances, joined classes and test series. But I had different
plans. I got the notes for USMLE and videos and started my USMLE journey.
Took some time at beginning, as I had no one to guide or work my way out.
Slowly and steadily and with help of my seniors, I studied and passed USMLE
step 1 and 2 CK. Post that, I took USMLE CS in Philadelphia and passed in first
attempt, got ECFMG certified. The experience I had, made me understand the
importance of high score in USMLEs and passing in first attempt and its effect
to get a residency or fellowship. I think, formal training from professional
institute and their guidance in ERAS application can be definitely be helpful in
getting into a residency program.

Passing USMLE gives you many opportunities. Few of them are listed
below.

 Apply for residency in USA.

 Apply for fellowship in USA.
 Life time validity of ECFMG certificate.
 USMLE step 1 and step 2 are valid for NZREX Clinical.
 DHA Dubai also recognizes it to practice as general practitioner.
 Accepted as an alternative to MCQEE in some provinces of Canada
for residency applications.
 Accepted by Australia Medical Council for alternative competent
pathway.
 Some other countries which accept USMLE are Qatar and Israel and
Dubai health care city (DHCC).
References:
USMLE: United States Medical Licensing Examination
PLAB: Home - GMC
HAAD: www.haad.ae
DHA: http://www.dha.ae
MCI: mcindia.org -&nbspmc india Resources and Information.
MCQEE: Medical Council of Canada
AMC: Australian Medical Council " Home
NZREX: Home
MOH: ‫وزارة الصحة ووقاية المجتمع‬
Israel: www. http://health.gov.il.
Qatar: Request Rejected
DHCC: www. Dubai Healthcare City

5. These are some of the many questions that a fresh medical graduate encounters.
Limited knowledge and lack of guidance makes things even worse. It’s a dream of
MBBS students to do PG in their preferred choice branch and excel in it. Getting a PG
is the pinnacle of success for any medical graduate!

Medical graduates work hard to pass the PGCET and even have to take a gap for
study in order to get the preferred choice branch. Many have the dream to do a PG
outside India, but lack of guidance and proper information often leads to some of
them even changing their medical field to non-clinical or medical allied.

Just imagine at this crucial point of your career, you have someone who has been
through the same path and ready to guide you, work with you and help you in your
every step ahead; this would definitely boost your confidence and ease your mental
anxiety.
I think, an informed decision is the best decision. Hence I provide you with some
options after MBBS. Kindly go through them and choose the one which you feel you
the most comfortable with!

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

USMLE (UNITED STATES MEDICAL LICENSING EXAMINATION)

1. One of the best educational system in the world.

2. Better working and living conditions.
3. Academics and research facilities availability.
4. Fellowships and Specialists jobs opportunities.
5. Easy H1B visa processing.
6. J1 waiver jobs.
7. Green card processing.
8. Hard work and proper guidance of utmost importance.

UNITED KINGDOM

PLAB(PROFESSIONAL AND LINGUISTIC ASSESSMENT)

1. One of the best educational system in the world.

2. Registrar and Consultants jobs available.
3. Easy work visa and green card processing
4. High cost of living.
5. Saturation
6. Long wait and processing time.
7. Strict regulation by National Health System and General Medical Council.
INDIA

AIPGMEE/NEET, AIIMS, PGI CHANDIGARH, STATE ENTRANCES.

1. Serving your country.

2. Family legacy.
3. Very competitive.
4. Preferred branch unavailability.
 5. Limited research opportunities.
6. MBBS / Post Graduate bond service.
7. Fluctuating exam pattern
8. No single exam.
9. Costly private seat.
10. Assault and Security issues.

CANADA

MCQEE (MEDICAL COUNCIL OF CANADA EVALUATING EXAMINATION)

1. Good medical system.

2. Better working and living conditions.
3. Easy point basis green card processing.
4. Fellowships and Specialists jobs.
5. Not preferred by International Medical Graduate.
6. Green card or Permanent residents preferred.
AUSTRALIA

AMC (AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL COUNCIL)

1. Better working and living conditions.

2. Job availability
3. Underserved area serving.

NEW ZEALAND

NZREX (NEW ZEALAND REGISTRATION EXAM)

1. Better working and living conditions.

2. Green card or Permanent Resident preferred.
3. Not International Medical Graduate friendly.

GULF (UAE, SAUDI ARABIA, OMAN, KUWAIT)

MOH (MINISTRY OF HEALTH),
DHA (DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AUTHORITY), HAAD(HEALTH AUTHORITY OF ABU
DHABI)

1. Tax free job with a good pay

2. Better working conditions.
3. Yearly contract.
4. PQR requirements.
5. Long Dataflow processing time.
6. Payment in Dirhams.
7. Agents alert.

EUROPEAN COUNTRIES (GERMANY, RUSSIA, POLAND, UKRAINE, BELARUS)

No Exam

1. Cheap
2. Preferred branch availability
3. Not Medical Council of India recognized.
4. Language
5. Not all are International Medical Education Directory listed.
ASIAN COUNTRIES (PHILIPINES, CHINA)

No exams.

1. Cheap
2. Preferred branch availability
3. Not Medical Council of India recognized.

AMERICAN CONTINENT (CARRIBEAN)

No exams.
 1. Cheap
2. Preferred branch availability
3. Not Medical Council of India recognized.
In the list above, I tried to sum all the possible options available. It seems to be
overwhelming at first glance, but after going through it carefully, it would not be a
difficult to choose one.

I would personally suggest USMLE as the best option. After my MBBS, I too faced the
same dilemma of choosing the right options. My friends started preparing for the
entrances, joined classes and test series. But I had different plans. I got the notes for
USMLE and videos and started my USMLE journey. Took some time at beginning, as I
had no one to guide or work my way out. Slowly and steadily and with help of my
seniors, I studied and passed USMLE step 1 and 2 CK. Post that, I took USMLE CS in
Philadelphia and passed in first attempt, got ECFMG certified. The experience I had,
made me understand the importance of high score in USMLEs and passing in first
attempt and its effect to get a residency or fellowship. I think, formal training from
professional institute and their guidance in ERAS application can be definitely be
helpful in getting into a residency program.

Passing USMLE gives you many opportunities. Few of them are listed below.

 Apply for residency in USA.

 Apply for fellowship in USA.
 Life time validity of ECFMG certificate.
 USMLE step 1 and step 2 are valid for NZREX Clinical.
 DHA Dubai also recognizes it to practice as general practitioner.
 Accepted as an alternative to MCQEE in some provinces of Canada for
residency applications.
 Accepted by Australia Medical Council for alternative competent pathway.
 Some other countries which accept USMLE are Qatar and Israel and Dubai
health care city (DHCC).
References:
USMLE: United States Medical Licensing Examination
PLAB: Home - GMC
HAAD: www.haad.ae
DHA: http://www.dha.ae
MCI: mcindia.org -&nbspmc india Resources and Information.
MCQEE: Medical Council of Canada
AMC: Australian Medical Council " Home
NZREX: Home
MOH: ‫وزارة الصحة ووقاية المجتمع‬
Israel: www. http://health.gov.il.
Qatar: Request Rejected
DHCC: www. Dubai Healthcare City

I personally feel that doctors in US are paid more as compared to doctors in

UK. Even if the pay/salary was same for the two, UK tax charges are relatively
more as compared to in US.

Difficulty?

While you just have to write IELTS and give PLAB 1; mind you there are past
papers and what not; to get done with PLAB 1 rather easily so it takes
relatively less time. However, PLAB 2 is relatively hard as far as i have heard.

For USMLE, the path is relatively clear, but you have to put in a lot of effort,
not only in Step 1 but step 2 (ck and cs) and step 3. USMLE TAKES TIME.

Even if you get done with any of the exams, it doesn’t mean that you will get a
residency spot; be it UK or US. So, whatever you choose, know the
consequences beforehand and then work toward your goals.

6. Unless you get into Harvard or something, it is difficult to make a blanket

statement about what is ‘better’. Both have great training systems.

Check out:

USMLE vs PLAB (residency)

You need to see what lifestyle and culture suits you, and decide.

In the USA, you start from the bottom of the ladder, with residency then you
move on to fellowship. There is no other way to get into the system.

In the UK, there are multiple entry points - you may enter at the foundation
level, core training level, or super-specialty level. It is easier to enter the
system, but training posts may be competitive depending on specialty.
In USA, American graduates are preferred over IMGs, and most IMGs don't get
into good training programs or specialties. In UK, only your merit gets you
through - not your nationality.

In the US, everything is privatized, while in the UK everything is standardized.

In the US, MOST IMGs DO NOT GET INTO A NATIONALLY RANKED

RESIDENCY.

USMLE is much tougher, and it takes atleast 1–2 years for you to get into
residency, which time you'd be jobless.

PLAB is easy, and you can get a job immediately after passing it. But you'll
have to work hard to get into training.

The health system in USA is the worst in the developed world! Thousands of
people die and go bankrupt due to medical bills. Is it really satisfying to earn
so much money working in a system like that?

How the U.S. Health Care System Compares Internationally

Following headings have been covered:

HOW RESIDENCY WORKS

SCORE IN EXAMS

IF YOU DON'T GET MATCHED INTO TRAINING

SPECIALTIES AVAILABLE

MONEY& WORK CULTURE

PEOPLE WHO DON’T DO WELL IN THEIR CAREER

7. USMLE :

USMLE or United States Medical Licensing Exam commonly called the ‘the
Boards’, is very challenging three step Licensing Exam to get Medical License
to practice Medicines in the United States. First, two steps can be taken while a
student is in med-school but step-3 can only be taken after graduation.

Eligibility

Step-1, Step-2 CK, and Step-2 CS can be taken by students while in Medical
School,

Step-3 can only be taken after graduation by,

US and Canadian Med-School Students recognized by Liaison Committee on

Medical Education (LCME)

US and Canadian Med-School Students recognized by American Osteopathic

Association

Students outside US and Canadian Med-Schools recognized by International

Medical Education Directory (IMED) and Educational Commission for Foreign
Medical Graduates. (ECFMG).

Although USMLE is a 3-steps exam, it still takes 5 days of testing. Today taking
USME steps is very time consuming and rigorous. Step-1 is considered to be
the most difficult of all the steps and things start getting easier afterward.

PLAB

Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test is the main route for
the Overseas-International Medical Graduates (IMG’s) to practice the safe
medicine in the United Kingdom (UK). PLAB is aimed to test the basic
necessary skills and the clinical knowledge of the candidates wishing to
practice medicine in the UK. PLAB exam is conducted by the General Medical
Council (GMC) in the UK.

Eligibility:
You become eligible to take PLAB exam only after meeting the following
eligibility criteria;

· Your Medical Institution is listed in the General Medical Council (GMC) List

· You have acquired your primary medical qualification (MBBS)/Graduation

· You have cleared the IELTS with overall score of 7.5 Bands and Individual
Score of 7 Bands in all four Basic Components (Reading, Writing, Speaking,
Listening)

The PLAB test is aimed to test the depth of the knowledge and the skills that
you have to demonstrate to make you eligible to practice medicine in the UK.
You will be tested against limited registration to work as a doctor in the UK.
PLAB will assess your ability, as a doctor, to work safely as a Senior House
Officer (SHO) in a UK NHS hospital. There are actually, two components of the
PLAB test series, PLAB 1 and PLAB 2.

8. Legit question for a medical student. However, it is also an irrelevant one.

You shouldn’t be choosing between USMLE and PLAB. You should be
choosing between living in the US vs. living in the UK.

If you’re simply asking which one is easier, I would (cautiously) recommend

trying for a residency in the US. (Disclaimer: I do not know about PLAB first
hand).

As Janak mentions in his answer, (and this is the widely accepted opinion), the
USMLE route is more streamlined with good transparency in the application
process and a wide range of good resources available to help you along the
way. IMHO, all things being equal (good scores, LORs, visa), networking is the
thing that will make or break your residency application. Assuming (and this is
generally true) that you will have more friends/contacts/seniors in the US
doing their residency or practicing medicine, it makes US a better option in my
opinion.

Yes ,you will have to score a minimum 7.5 on IELTS ,before PLAB
Now they have an easier exams called OET,but the issue is ,IELTS will be
required for tier 2 visa .

Tier 2 is one of the best visa for PR and citizenship application.

UK is for doctors ,one of the easiest countries to get a citizenship ,unlike the
USA

PLAB is an interesting journey, which all International Medical Graduates (IMG)

who have qualified outside the European Union will have to undertake before
they can start working in the UK National Health Service (NHS).

All doctors must be registered and licensed with the GMC if they want to work
as doctors in the UK. How doctors are registered and licensed depends,
generally, on their nationality and where they qualified. Doctors who graduate
outside the UK and the EEA are known as international medical graduates.

Requirements:

IELTS

Part I – is a written test of knowledge applied to the care and treatment of

patients.

Part II – is an assessment of clinical and communication skills.

About PLAB
The Professional and linguistics assessment board (PLAB) is a test
conducted by the General Medical Council (GMC) of England for doctors who
have qualified overseas and wish to practise medicine in the UK under
limited registration. The test is conducted for the assessment of the ability of
a candidate as a doctor, to work safely as a senior house officer (SHO) in a
UK NHS hospital. PLAB is conducted in two parts. It is highly imperative for
foreign medical graduates to clear PLAB in order to practise in UK. If a
candidate passes the PLAB test but took multiple attempts to pass part 1 or
part 2 of the test, this may be taken into consideration during the registration
process.
Eligibility criteria
A candidate must possess:

 A primary medical qualification accepted for limited registration by an

institution listed in the World Health Organisation Directory of Medical
Schools
 IELTS academic modules and attained a score of at least 7.0 overall
and a minimum of 7.0 for all of the four language modules.

 12 months postgraduate clinical experience at a teaching hospital.

Exam pattern
There are two parts:

 Part 1 is a three-hour exam containing 200 questions. It consists of

extended matching questions (EMQ) and single best answer (SBA)
questions.
 Part 2 is a 14-station objective structured clinical exam (OSCE). It lasts
for about one hour and 40 minutes.

Test Venue for PLAB

 Part 1 can be taken in the UK and overseas in India, Egypt, Bulgaria,
Dubai, Nigeria or Pakistan.
 Part 2 may be taken only in the UK.

Application procedure
Candidates can apply for the PLAB test through the GMC website. Part 1
costs £145 and must be paid online by credit card through the GMC website.

After a candidate has applied for the test, after the application deadline is
over he/she will receive an email from the GMC confirming his/her
registration, place, venue and the starting time of the test. Part 1 is held in
Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi twice a
year(on 15th March and 15th November) and the deadline for registration is
eight weeks prior to test date.

A candidate can sit for Part 1 as many times as he like, but can only take
Part 2 of the test four times. If he fails at the fourth attempt candidate will
have to take Part 1 again.

Syllabus
Aspirants are referred to the standard medical textbooks used in UK medical
schools. They can also take a look at the GMC booklets ‘Advice to
Candidates’. There are separate booklets for Part 1 and Part 2.

Accessories to carry along to the examination

Candidates must bring their passport, admission letter, a pencil, an eraser
and a pencil sharpener.

Result
 Part 1 results are usually available four weeks after the test.
 Part 2 results are usually available two weeks after the test.

The exact date for the release of the results is announced on the test date.
Results are available on the GMC website the day after the results have been
sent out by post.

Results are sent by post and not over the phone, by email or by fax. An
aspirant must pass Part 2 within three years of passing Part 1,as the result is
valid for three years only.

WEBSITES OR BLOGS TO REFER

https://roadtouk.com/blog/plab-vs-mrcp-vs-usmle/
https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/plab/a-guide-to-the-plab-test
https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/plab/plab-1-guide
https://medsyndicate.com/2017/10/19/usmle-vs-plab/
https://www.britishcouncil.org.eg/en/exam/medical/plab
https://drmqjourney.wordpress.com/
https://naseersjourney.com/
https://abubakkar1605.wordpress.com/
https://roadtouk.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-plab-1/
https://thesavvyimg.co.uk/what-you-need-to-know-about-plab/
https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/plab/plab-test-
blueprint/download-the-plab-blueprint
http://themaddocblogs.com/index.php/tag/plab/#sthash.ZFsifFOZ.dpbs
http://www.rxpgonline.com/plabpart1.html
https://www.interface.edu.pk/tests/plab/plab1syll.asp
https://www.samsoncourses.com/plab-1/

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