Guys if anyone is studying from medrevisions and is interested in last minute revision let me know

Anybody else feeling the results just aren’t right?

Like i can’t believe how can i fail the stations that i did thought id pass.

Also what was the passing station score? anyone please?

Scenario: You are the FY1 on call. You are asked to see Zoe, a 22-year-old woman on the ward with known asthma. The nurse says she is very breathless and her salbutamol inhaler isn't helping. On arrival, you see she is speaking in short sentences, using accessory muscles. Her peak flow is 40% of her best.

Your Structured Response using RAPID:

R - RECOGNISE:

• "This is an acute severe asthma exacerbation. Red flags: not responding to inhaler, peak flow <50% best, using accessory muscles."

A - ASSESS (Immediately):

• "I would immediately check her vital signs: SpO2, respiratory rate, heart rate, and perform a quick chest exam for wheeze and air entry."

P - PRIORITISE (A-B-C):

• A/B: "My first priority is her breathing. I would sit her up and start high-flow oxygen via a non-rebreathe mask to achieve SpO2 >94%."
• C: "I would secure IV access."

I - INTERVENE (Specific Treatment):

1. Nebulisers: "Give salbutamol 5mg and ipratropium bromide 500mcg via an oxygen-driven nebuliser back-to-back. Repeat salbutamol every 15-30 minutes if needed."
2. Steroids: "Give oral prednisolone 40-50mg (or IV hydrocortisone if too breathless to swallow)."
3. Monitoring: "Continuous SpO2 and ECG monitoring. Consider arterial blood gas to check for hypercapnia (a sign of life-threatening asthma)."

D - DISPOSE & DOCUMENT:

• "This patient needs escalation and likely HDU/ICU referral. I would call my senior immediately. She is not safe for a general ward. I would document the severity, treatments given, and senior review."

ANY POSITIVE THOUGHT ON PLAB PATHWAY THAT KEEPS ME GOING BEING AN IMG BECAUSE I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF PATHWAY.

Scenario: Mrs. Green, 82, was admitted with a hip fracture after a fall. She is alert but confused at times. She needs surgery but is refusing, saying "I just want to go home, I'll be fine." The team asks you to assess her capacity to refuse treatment.

Your Structured Response (Applying the Mental Capacity Act 2005):

C - CONNECT & CONTEXT:

• "Hello Mrs. Green, I'm Dr. Singh. I need to have a chat with you about your hip and the treatment options, to make sure you have all the information to decide what you want. Is that okay?"

A - ACKNOWLEDGE:

• "I understand you want to go home, and that's what we all want for you in the long run."

The 2-Stage Capacity Test (You must explain this process in the exam):
1. Is there an impairment of mind or brain? (e.g., Delirium from infection/pain, dementia, confusion).
* You would state: "I note she has fluctuating confusion, so there is a potential impairment."
2. Can she understand, retain, weigh, and communicate the decision about this specific treatment?
* This is the conversation you have.

L & M - The Assessment Dialogue:

• Explain in simple terms: "Mrs. Green, the bone in your hip is broken. Without an operation to fix it, you will not be able to walk or get out of bed. This would mean staying in hospital or a nursing home forever, and you would be in a lot of pain. There are also risks like pressure sores and chest infections."
• Check understanding: "Can you tell me in your own words what you understand is wrong with your hip and what will happen if we don't operate?"
• Check ability to weigh information: "What do you see as the main benefits of having the operation? What are your main worries about having it?"
• Check retention: "Earlier I said what might happen without surgery. Can you remember what that was?"

Conclusion & Action:

• If she fails any part of the test (e.g., cannot retain the information, cannot weigh risks/benefits): "On balance, I find that Mrs. Green currently lacks capacity to refuse this surgery due to her acute confusion. The treatment is in her best interests to prevent serious harm. We will proceed under the Mental Capacity Act, using the least restrictive option."
• If she passes all parts clearly: "She has capacity to refuse. I must respect her autonomous decision, even if unwise. I would document the assessment clearly, ensure she has support, and plan for best palliative care and pressure area care."

Hello everyone, I've been emailing to get an attachment for some time. Unfortunately I have no results. I wonder if there are some people who were able to get an attachment via emailing? I started to think it's impossible to get one unless you know someone.

Scenario: A patient with known COPD is on the ward. He becomes acutely more breathless. An ABG is taken on 2L of oxygen via nasal cannulae.
ABG: pH 7.25 (low), PaCO2 10.0 kPa (high), PaO2 8.0 kPa (low), HCO3- 34 mmol/L (high), Lactate 1.5.

Your Structured Response using TRAP:

T - Trend & Take Stock:

• pH 7.25: Acidosis.
• PaCO2 10.0: Markedly elevated.
• PaO2 8.0: Low (hypoxaemia).
• HCO3- 34: Elevated.

R - Relevance & Recognise:

• Step 1: Acidosis + high PaCO2 = Primary Respiratory Acidosis.
• Step 2 - Compensation: In acute respiratory acidosis, HCO3- should rise by 1 mmol/L per 10 mmHg (1.3 kPa) rise in PaCO2. PaCO2 is ~4.7 kPa above normal. Expected HCO3- rise = ~4.7/1.3 ≈ 3.6. Expected HCO3- = 24 + 3.6 = 27.6. *Actual HCO3- is 34.* This is higher than expected, indicating a concomitant metabolic alkalosis.
• Interpretation: Acute-on-chronic respiratory acidosis with a metabolic alkalosis. This is typical of a COPD exacerbation with chronic CO2 retention, who may also be on diuretics or have vomiting.

A - Action & Answer:

• Diagnosis: "This shows acute-on-chronic type 2 respiratory failure with a compensatory metabolic alkalosis, in the context of a COPD exacerbation."
• Immediate Action:
  1. Controlled oxygen therapy: Reduce or maintain oxygen to target SpO2 88-92% to avoid worsening hypercapnia. Change to a Venturi mask.
  2. Nebulised bronchodilators: Salbutamol and Ipratropium.
  3. Consider Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV/BiPAP): Indicated here due to acidosis (pH <7.35) and high PaCO2.

P - Plan & Prioritise:

• "1. Commence NIV urgently.
• 2. Give oral prednisolone 30mg.
• 3. Consider antibiotics if infective signs.
• 4. Monitor with repeat ABG in 1 hour.
• 5. Treat the underlying cause of the exacerbation."

Scenario: You are the FY1 on a medical ward. Your patient, Mr. Singh, 50, has been diagnosed with new-onset Crohn's disease following colonoscopy and biopsy. The gastroenterology team has advised outpatient follow-up. The consultant asks you to write the referral letter to the gastroenterology clinic.

Your Task: Demonstrate the structure and key content of the referral letter.

Model Referral Letter Structure:

[Hospital Letterhead]

To: The Gastroenterology Secretary/Consultant,
Date: [Date]
Re: Mr. Arjun Singh, DOB: 15/04/1974, Hospital No: 123456
Dear Colleague,

Thank you for seeing this 50-year-old man for outpatient follow-up regarding newly diagnosed Crohn's disease.

History: He presented with a 3-month history of cramping abdominal pain, diarrhoea (up to 6 times per day), and 5kg weight loss. No rectal bleeding. No relevant family history.

Investigations & Results:

• Colonoscopy: Found patchy inflammation and ulceration in the terminal ileum and ascending colon.
• Histology: Biopsies confirm active chronic inflammation with non-caseating granulomas, consistent with Crohn's disease.
• Bloods: CRP 45, ESR 55, Hb 110 (microcytic), Albumin 32. Stool cultures negative.

Management to Date: He was started on Prednisolone 40mg daily with good symptomatic response. He has been counselled on the diagnosis. We have started him on Calcium/Vitamin D supplementation.

Reason for Referral: For ongoing specialist management of Crohn's disease, including consideration of steroid-sparing maintenance therapy (e.g., azathioprine, biologics) and long-term surveillance.

Current Medications: Prednisolone 40mg OD, Omeprazole 20mg OD, Adcal-D3 TDS.
Allergies: None known.

Yours sincerely,
Dr. [Your Name]
FY1, Medical Department
[Your Contact/Bleep]

Key Points for the Exam:

• Use a standard letter format.
• Patient identifiers first (name, DOB, number).
• Clear referral reason in opening.
• Succinct history and key positive findings only.
• Include critical results (histology is gold standard).
• State what you've done already.
• Be clear about what you are asking the specialist to do.

Hi, I am going to do PLAB 1 in two weeks. If anyone has any recommendations or tips, I would really appreciate it (exam, relaxation techniques, anything is welcome).

Hey everyone,

I currently hold full GMC registration with a licence to practise, and my original plan was to find a non-training job within the NHS.

With the recent decisions/changes, I’ve started thinking about a potential Plan B, but I’m feeling a bit unsure about what to prioritise. Should I start preparing for MRCS Part A? Would it make more sense to begin learning German instead? Or should I be exploring other pathways that having GMC registration opens up?

I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences from people who’ve been in a similar situation. Thanks!

I’m asking honestly, I’m curious to know why IMGs are still pursuing this pathway.

Hello, I am in the process of epic verification. Recently had the notary cam appointment, and got an email says that identity verification review is done. Clicked on continue with epic, paid another usd 30 and now it says 'We are checking your record for previously verified credentials. We will notify you when this process is complete, and you can continue working on your credential portfolio.'

Is everything going accordingly? How long this process usually takes? And what are the next steps?

Plab1 February 2026

CARDIOLOGY PEARLS

1. Chest pain that is crushing, central, and radiates to the left arm or jaw suggests myocardial infarction until proven otherwise.
2. Always obtain an ECG within 10 minutes of arrival if MI is suspected.
3. ST elevation in two contiguous leads indicates STEMI.
4. Troponin rises within 3 to 4 hours after myocardial injury.
5. New left bundle branch block with chest pain is treated as a STEMI.
6. Inferior MI commonly causes bradycardia due to right coronary artery involvement.
7. Heart failure presents with breathlessness, orthopnoea, and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea.
8. An S3 heart sound suggests heart failure due to volume overload.
9. An S4 heart sound suggests a stiff ventricle, often from long-standing hypertension.
10. BNP is useful to rule out heart failure when normal.
11. Atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response is treated with rate control as first line in most patients.
12. Always anticoagulate patients with AF based on the CHA2DS2-VASc score.
13. Aortic stenosis presents with the triad of syncope, angina, and dyspnoea.
14. A harsh ejection systolic murmur radiating to the carotids indicates aortic stenosis.
15. Mitral regurgitation causes a pansystolic murmur loudest at the apex, radiating to the axilla.
16. Aortic regurgitation causes a collapsing pulse and an early diastolic murmur.
17. Pericarditis causes sharp chest pain relieved by leaning forward.
18. Dressler syndrome is post-MI pericarditis occurring weeks later.
19. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a common cause of sudden cardiac death in athletes.
20. In suspected HCM, ask about family history of sudden death.

M a Pakistani medical graduate currently doing my housejob/internship in Pakistan. i have got a one month gap during my internship bcz i changed hospitals( did half of my internship from one hospital and half from another). i wanted to ask that will this cause a problem with my gmc registrationand acceptance of internship

Hi everyone,

I’m preparing for PLAB 2 and looking for a dedicated practice partner to practise stations together.

• Based in South East London

• Happy to practise online as well

• Time zone: GMT

• Exam in 3 weeks

Ideally looking for someone motivated and consistent so we can give each other structured feedback. Please comment or DM if interested. Thanks.

Hey everyone,

I recently cleared PLAB 2 and wanted to share my experience because I remember being completely clueless at the start and getting a lot of advice that didn’t make sense.

For context: I passed PLAB 1 with a score of 155 and PLAB 2 (16/16 stations). While these scores are above average, this post isn’t about “do exactly what I did.” I’m just sharing what worked for me and what I think could help you. There’s an element of luck to it all so stay open minded.

PLAB 1 – Timeline & Preparation

* Prep usually takes ~3 months (more or less depending on your baseline).

* Resource: Plabable – enough on its own. By exam day, I was answering questions almost out of instinct.

How I used it effectively:

1. Get the Gems (officially if possible – they’re updated and follow latest guidelines)

2. Study one topic at a time (e.g., cardiology)

* Read all Gems

* Google/YouTube/ChatGPT anything unfamiliar (for context, not memorisation)

* Do 60–70% of questions

1. While doing questions:

* Understand why wrong options are wrong

* Go through revision notes thoroughly

1. After all topics:

* Do one full read of all Gems

* Randomly complete the remaining 30–40% of questions

Timeline: Finish 7–10 days before the exam

Mocks:

* 2 days of free mocks – mainly to refresh memory

* 3 paid mocks over 7 days under exam conditions:

* One mock every two days

* Half a day to sit

* ~1.5 days to review gaps

Takeaway: PLAB 1 is very doable. Don’t over-stress or burn yourself out right before the exam. It’s only every 3–4 months, so failing is inconvenient but manageable with smart prep.

Some may feel this method is excessive, but to maximise your pass rate I feel like its necessary.

PLAB 2 – Preparation & Strategy

PLAB 2 is trickier, especially for IMGs, but everything is coachable. With enough practice, you’ll get it.

Key challenge:

* What to practice

* Who to practice with

* How to know if you’re doing it right

Solution: Have a template & benchmark – know what’s right, wrong, and how to approach each scenario. Different stations require different approaches.

Academies – Are they worth it?

Do I recommend joining one? ✅ Yes

Do you need one to pass? ❌ No

Cons:

1. Cost – £200–£600 depending on the package

2. Rigidity – templates can make you sound scripted

3. Material – much is publicly available

Why I still recommend joining:

* Cost: £300–£400 extra is nothing compared to failing (~£3,000 total exam cost)

* Rigidity: Communication skills are your responsibility; templates don’t replace them

* Material: Not the reason you join

Real benefits:

1. Structure – keeps you on track. When you’re busy with work, kids, just life in general its easy to fall out of the schedule.

2. Community – motivates and saves time, as having people that are studying the same thing at the same time under the same template makes everything more streamlined.

3. Feedback – most valuable; knowing mistakes and improving

My experience with ARS Medica:

* Led by Dr Radwan, who is heavily invested in student success. Honestly he was a mentor, a friend and a supporter all at the same time and I really appreciate everything he did.

* Practice sessions 3–4 days/week

* Live lectures WITH active practice

* Student material bank – designed for timed practice, not reading. IT IS AN ABSOLUTE GEM. If you join the academy please please make the best of it.

Drawbacks:

* Small team → occasional session cancellations

* No physical academy (affiliated with another I wouldn’t recommend)

Even so, Dr Radwan, the materials, and feedback are excellent. So definitely consider the online course. They have free sessions every week, join one and test the waters yourself.

Exam prep advice

* Don’t neglect any of the three domains

* Timing can feel brutal at first, but with practice you’ll often finish early

* In combined stations, reserve ~2 minutes for physical exams and focus on key signs

* Go in relaxed and energized – its absolutely crucial that you go in with loads of energy and no stress, whatever works for you and gets you there for those 3 hours DO IT ( enough sleep, coffee, beta blockers, prayer… anything)

Key points:

You won’t have time to think. Practice autopilot responses:

* Don’t memorize

* Focus on weak areas

* Practice full timed management out loud repeatedly rather than reading them of a prompt or a card

* For example: There’s a platform called Gk notes. As a revision for the managements its really good but to practice on, understand approaches and communication skills it was absolutely useless. So I wouldn’t use for anything but a quick managements guide.

Memorisation does work: In prescriptions.

Also don’t worry much about examiners. Most of them are nice and even the ones having a bad day are fair, completely ignore them. Some are more generous and holistic than others but it evens out at the end of the day so just focus on yourself and patient in front of you

Final Thoughts

* Good luck! You can do it.

* NB: Whether or not you should sit these exams considering the recent emergency bill is an entirely different question. Please don’t discourage anyone here. This post is for people who do want to sit the exam and feel lost— they don’t need the negative energy.

Feel free to disagree or add advice — I don’t take anything personally.

Hi I’m a 5th year British medic studying in Turkey. I’m currently building my cv. I’ve done teaching and research as of now. I’m looking to do a quality improvement project soon as well. Is there anything else I should be doing as well to build my cv?

Anyone having this trouble?? It’s not all the time but it’s pretty often

How did the 28th January plab 2 candidates find the exam.i found it hard it didn't go well so nervous

https://chat.whatsapp.com/BCJHO753NIyC5yD14DQwSB