My PLAB 1 Experience

Passed, scoring 149/180 (PLAB 1 November 2018)

Mentioning the score to let you know that I passed comfortably with this preparation.

Background:

I graduated in 2017 and haven’t done an internship. Most people advise to give around 3 months to prepare but I could not. I had around 2 months and in these 2 months, I took a lot of days off and did not study for very long hours each day. So, you can pass even in less time. I was a good student in my medical school but not one of those extraordinary ones.

Study Material:

1. 1700 question bank with Dr Khalid’s explanation

2. Plabable question bank

3. Samson mocks

4. Oxford Handbooks of Clinical Medicine and Clinical Specialities

5. Websites for reference:   i. patient.info    ii. gpnotebook      iii. NICE CKS

What I did:

I started reading 1700 questions and noted the number of questions from each topic to have a rough idea about the importance of topics. Then, I very quickly went through the topics that I found to constitute the majority of 1700 questions from Oxford handbooks.  Let me tell you that I had no idea about  Plabable till this point and I had spent 15 precious days in doing this, which is not recommended.

After all this hassle, a fellow plabber suggested me to get Plabable subscription and I cannot thank them enough for this. It is the best resource one could have for PLAB 1, highly recommended. Why? Because it has all the questions arranged topic wise. So, you save the time that you would have spent noting down how many questions from which topic, it’s all there. In addition, it has detailed explanation for every answer, again saving time. If you need more information about a topic, there are links provided for further read. An additional benefit is the comments section. If you have any doubt, post it in the comments and someone will definitely reply. Plabable subscription also includes timed mocks, which will help you get used to the exam conditions.

While solving questions on plabable, I made my own notes for revision, very briefly noting down everything that was new to me or that I thought I might forget. I suggest you make your own notes instead of studying from someone else’s notes, it really makes a difference.

After completing all the questions on Plabable once,  I went back to 1700 to complete what was left only to find out that the questions are almost the same as in Plabable but incomplete and the answers less well explained, as those are just recalled questions by ex plabbers. I would recommend doing the 1700 questions in mock style as a revision of plabable.

Then, I went through my notes, adding more information where I felt the need, from the references mentioned above. Along with that, I did Samson mocks, which were really helpful (the questions) but I found a lot keys to be wrong. I did just a couple of them and then finally revised my notes and stopped studying a few days before the exam.

During these 2 months, I actively participated in discussions on Facebook and WhatsApp PLAB 1 groups, which was a great help.

On the Exam Day:

I travelled to Manchester on the exam day. The environment was very relaxed and everyone was very friendly and co-operative.  If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask them, they will answer you. I remember one of the candidates asking what will happen if they use their own eraser and not the one provided :D

The exam was very similar to what I had been studying for 2 months. The questions were very similar to the ones in Plabable, the length, the words. Some of them were similar to Samsom mocks. However, most of them were slightly changed leading to completely different answers. So, do not memorise the answers, learn the hows and whys. I don’t have a very good memory so that was a blessing in disguise for me :D

There were some questions from new topics but not many. There were some questions that I had read but failed to find the final, correct answer. So, I just marked what I thought was correct based on my research and my scores show that it was not much of an issue. Also, because scores don’t matter, all that matters is if you pass or fail, it’s advisable not to worry about the controversial keys much.

A lot of candidates struggle with time. I would suggest to print out the answer sheet and practise on it and to time your mocks. Although I finished about half an hour early and was able to review some of my answers, I did the questions very, very quickly. You don’t get much time to keep thinking about an answer. If you are unsure of an answer, just mark what you think is best and move on. Then, if you get some time in the end, revisit it.

What I suggest to do:

Get Plabable subscription and start answering the questions, reading explanations and making notes. Then, go through your notes and see if you need any further reading of some topics. After that, do Samson mocks and keep on adding important points in your notes to revise at the end. Next, depending on how much time do you have, do 1700 questions and then Plabable mocks or just the mocks. Meanwhile, keep on posting your queries on PLAB groups and engage in discussions. Another important advice is to be ready to accept that you could be wrong and learn from others. Be polite and help each other as much as possible.

IELTS Writing 7.5

So, after getting the required IELTS score for PLAB in my first attempt, I got to know that I needed an even higher score to apply for Foundation Programme in the UK, 7.5 in each module. I tried to apply for a recheck as I just needed a 0.5 increase in writing but turned out I was late! So, luck had me attempting the test again and voila I got 7.5 😊

How I got 7.5 while scoring a 7 is a nightmare for many, is a question that is being asked by almost everyone who gets to know my score. Hence, I thought of writing about it as well. Even though it is a difficult task to summarise it, I will try my best.

Initially, I got confused by so many sources available. I consulted many, both free and paid but was never fully satisfied. It really all added to my confusion, believe me! So, I sat down one day and devised my own strategy. I picked up what I thought was suitable from a lot of suggestions that I received and after consulting some well reputed English language and IELTS coaches, made my own plan, which I think is the best solution as everything doesn’t work for everyone. I strongly believe that writing is highly subjective, there is no right or wrong, and that customised plans work wonders!

Firstly, good knowledge of the basics is a must.  You cannot score a 7 if your writing has a lot of grammar/spelling mistakes. IELTS is a TEST of the level you are at and not a language course that will teach you English. In addition, like every test, there are some strategies and techniques that you have to learn for IELTS. I highly recommend that those who are struggling to get a high band, consult someone who is familiar with the IELTS test, to get their writing reviewed and find out the exact area where they lack. The only way to improve is to know your mistakes. I also advise you to give proper time and attention to your preparation, and not just keep booking tests one after the other.

As I already got a 7 on my first attempt, I was quite confident to score 7.5 this time. However, I didn’t take it easy and put in all my effort to make sure that I don’t fall short. The conclusion I reached was that there actually is no such thing as “different types of task 2”, every task needs you to discuss an issue and reach a conclusion, that essentially is your opinion. So, all that fuss of whether to give your opinion or not, whether to discuss one view or both is pointless! A good essay, with strong arguments that prove your stance, is all that is required.

Since last year, I have been guiding many IELTS aspirants and with everyone, I use a different strategy. As we are all different, at different levels of the language, having different preferences and writing style, we need to have a customised plan. Some general tips definitely work for everyone but not all can benefit from just these tips. Forcing a certain style of writing onto someone never works!

I definitely think that one can achieve the required score without opting for professional services, depending on how much time they have and at what level of the language they are. Even then they would need someone to pinpoint their mistakes, then if they have enough time and knowledge, they can surely work on it by themselves. Otherwise, if someone is doubtful of their language skills and is unable to get the target score despite working hard on their own, there is no harm in consulting an experienced person. The time and money spent on repeated attempts are better invested in learning and actually preparing for the test