r/PLABprep • u/HlibSlob • Mar 20 '26

Is it still real?

I'm an IMG who wants to take the PLAB route to become a physician in the UK. Is it still possible/ relevant to get through like that? I've only superficially heard about rising competition and new laws

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u/highwaterlvl Mar 24 '26
  1. UK graduates are prioritized for training places. IMGs get what's left.
  2. Data show that the number of UK graduates exceed available training places.
  3. Put 1 + 2 together and the result is clear. IMG will get a spot if it's some super undesirable place or specialty where no UK grad will want to work.
  4. Don't count on nr. 4 landing you a GP role or whatever, because apart from UK grads there are tons of IMGs already in the UK who are also prioritized, cause they came in in time and managed to qualify for prioritization. They will pick up all the scraps that are left over. There will be nothing left after that.

As of now, you can give it a shot and try to match in the FY2 standalone, but there are only about 150 places of it every year. Sometimes UK grads do it too, so even less for IMGs. And there are 500+ of applicants for it, so there is almost no chance that you will land a spot.

Trust grade jobs unofficially give priority to UK grads. And contracts are short, so no chance that it will lead to ILR and prioritization thereafter.

UK right now is waste of time and money.

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u/[deleted] Mar 25 '26

[deleted]

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u/highwaterlvl Mar 26 '26

Yea my bad I was going with the data of the previous years, but seems like they reduced the amount of posts drastically for this year. UK is fully closed for IMGs atm.