How to Work as a Doctor in the UK: The PLAB Route Step by Step

The PLAB route at a glance

To practise medicine in the UK you need registration with a licence to practise from the General Medical Council (GMC). Most international medical graduates get there by passing the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board test, known as PLAB. The route has seven steps.

Step 1: Check your medical degree is accepted

Your primary medical qualification must be one the GMC accepts. In practice this means your medical school must be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools with a note confirming it meets the GMC's criteria. Check this before you spend money on English tests or exam fees.

Step 2: Prove your English

The GMC accepts either of two tests for doctors:

• IELTS Academic: 7.5 overall, with at least 7.0 in each of reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• OET (Medicine): grade B in each of the four sub-tests.

Your result has to be recent when you apply, so plan the timing around your PLAB dates rather than taking the test years in advance.

Step 3: Pass PLAB 1

PLAB 1 is a written exam of 180 single best answer questions in three hours. It is held at test centres in the UK and abroad. The questions test the knowledge expected of a doctor starting the second year of the UK Foundation Programme and follow the GMC's MLA content map.

The most reliable way to prepare is to do practice questions every day and review every explanation. PLABABLE's PLAB 1 question bank is built around the high-yield topics that come up again and again, and our PLAB exam overview covers the format in more detail.

Step 4: Pass PLAB 2

PLAB 2 is an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) taken in person at the GMC's clinical assessment centre in Manchester. You rotate through a series of short stations with simulated patients and examiners, covering history taking, examination, communication, data interpretation and practical skills.

Practising stations out loud, with a timer and with feedback, matters far more than reading. See PLABABLE's PLAB 2 resources for station practice.

Step 5: Verify your qualification through EPIC

The GMC checks your primary medical qualification directly with your medical school through EPIC, the primary source verification service run by ECFMG/Intealth. Many candidates start this while preparing for PLAB, because verification can take weeks or months depending on how quickly the university responds.

Step 6: Apply for GMC registration with a licence

Once you have passed PLAB 2, you apply through your GMC Online account. You will need your EPIC-verified qualification, your English test result, evidence of your PLAB passes, certificates of good standing from any regulator you have been registered with, and an identity check. Once the GMC approves you, you are added to the medical register with a licence to practise.

Step 7: Find your first NHS job

Most IMGs start in a non-training post (often called trust grade, junior clinical fellow or locally employed doctor) before applying for specialty training. A clinical attachment in a UK hospital can give you UK experience and references to put on your CV.

Doctor or nurse? GMC vs NMC registration

The GMC registers doctors. Nurses, midwives and nursing associates register with a different regulator, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and take a different exam. If you or a family member are moving to the UK as a nurse, read our guide to NMC vs GMC registration.