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PLAB

1 Advice and Experience




Getting started


Your very first step on the road to PLAB 1 success is organizing all the information you have
available to you.

Sources of information
Facebook page (file section): https://www.facebook.com/groups/doctor.plab/?fref=ts
One Drive: https://goo.gl/72EJnH

I would suggest creating a folder on your computer and organizing all the information into
their respective categories. The benefit of creating folders is that the information appears
clearer and, quite frankly, less daunting.

The files you will require are:

1. Samson Notes
These are notes that are organized subject wise.
There are 24 notes (each note correlates to the subjects mentioned on the GMC
website).
They give you the basics on each of the subject.
The notes are completely tailored to the exam and are, in my opinion, very useful.
They are not always updated to new guidelines.

2. 1700 MCQ
This is a folder containing 1700 MCQs from past exams.
Make sure to get the unanswered and the answered files (2 separate files).
You will be able to solve the questions on your own and then see whether your
answers match the answers given.
The answers (key) given are not always correct. Make sure to always double check.

3. Mocks
These are files that contain 200 MCQs and are set up just like an exam
You should aim to do 10 Mocks in total.
If you are time-limited try to do at least 5-7.
A lot of the questions given in Mocks are not covered in the 1700 MCQs file;
therefore I suggest you really focus a lot on these mocks.

4. Recalls
These are questions the past plabbers were able to recall after completing their
exams.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to go through and answer these
questions.
A lot of the recalls will be repeated in your exam.
Make sure to go through the questions covered in at least 3 previous exams. E.g. If
you are writing the November exam, look at the recalls from the September, June
and March exams.

5. Experiences
Download and look over past plabbers experiences.
This will give you a proper understanding of the road ahead.
It also provides motivation, as you are able to read the experiences of different
people who have been in the same situation as you and were able to pass.
You will be able to read about different peoples studying technique and determine
which method suits you.

6. Books
Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine (OHCM) and Oxford Handbook of Clinical
Specialties (OHCS).
These books can be found on the one drive folder (see links above).
You will not need to read these books from cover to cover, so dont worry about
that.
These books will serve as excellent references when answering MCQs.

The Actual Studying


Once you have organized all the information you need, its time to put pen to paper and
start the actual process of studying.

In my personal experience, I found that starting with Samson notes helped refresh some of
the rusted parts of my brain and provided me with the basic need-to-know-information on
each subject being questioned.

The advantage of the notes is that the subjects covered are completely tailored to the exam
nothing more. The disadvantage of these notes is that, in some cases, the information
might be incorrect or not updated to match current guidelines. Having said that, I believe
the pros out way the cons and reading through these notes is actually quite beneficial.

How to go through the notes

This all depends on your individual study style. I spent an average of a day (sometimes two)
on each subject. I chose to start with the topics that are most frequently asked about and
then I covered the rest.

PLAB 1 Sample Grid Distribution of MCQs


After covering the notes, I would brush through Oxford books and add some notes if I
thought they were useful. I wrote all my notes from Samson and Oxford onto my own

notebook this was incredibly helpful during revision, as I just had to look at my notebook
without having to read through the Samson notes or books again.

After completing each subject you can cover the subject wise MCQs by getting a subscription
to the Samson online MCQ bank. So for example, if you have completed OBG go onto
Samson online and do the OBG MCQs. I suggest writing notes with the MCQs you cover, that
way you can come back to read it on notebook later on.

Samson notes done. Now what?

Now the fun begins. Covering the MCQs is truly where your brain will get challenged and you
will feel like you are going in the right direction.

I would suggest beginning with the 1700 MCQ file. I printed out 200 MCQs at a time and
wrote notes next to each MCQ. Initially I was only able to cover 100 MCQs a day, but with
time I was progressively able to cover more.

You might feel like the Samson notes didnt prepare you for a lot of the questions you
encounter in this file, that is a perfectly normal reaction. It is at this moment that you will
have the opportunity to meet your new best friends patient.co.uk and NICE guidelines.

Going through the MCQs

Do not just answer the questions. Dissect them. The perfect way to know if youre tackling
an MCQ correctly is if you are able to understand (and explain) the reason why the answer is
the answer and the reason why the others are not. Always make sure you have a reference
to backup your answer. I suggest you give yourself at least 17 days to cover the 1700 MCQ
file.

Sources

Patient.co.uk (the professional articles): www.patient.co.uk
NICE Guidelines: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance
Oxford Handbook Clinical Medicine (OHCM)
Oxford Handbook Clinical Specialties (OHCS)
BMJ: http://www.bmj.com/

Note: Stick to UK websites

Mocks, mocks and more mocks.

At this point you will have the confidence to tackle the infamous Mocks. I read a previous
plabber who wrote that, You need to eat, sleep and drink the Mocks. She/he was not
kidding.

I did one Mock a day, I did not want to rush them and I made sure to double-check the
answers on the various sources I mentioned above.

This is also the perfect time to learn how to time yourself. I aimed for 2 hours to complete
the exam. I wanted to make sure I had extra time to check my answers at the end. I wasnt

sure how tough the actual exam would be so I wanted to make sure I knew how to go
through the questions quickly and efficiently. These Mocks should take about 7 10 days.

Do it all over again (if you have the time)

Now its time to revise everything once more. At this point you would have been studying
for a while, your head is feeling heavy and youre probably worried that youre starting to
forget things. Most of us go through this, but theres nothing a quick revision wont fix.

Total recall

Finally, cover the Recalls. If the recalls are well structured use them as a way to test your
knowledge, search for the answers using your sources.

Duration of it all

I took 2 months to complete all of the above. The duration required varies amongst
individuals. It is completely up to you to determine how long itll take you to complete all
the content you need.

Samson Mocks and Oxford handbook quick read through: 4 weeks
1700 MCQ file: 2 weeks
Mocks: 1 week
Recalls: 1-2 days
Revision: 2 weeks

Note: If you are time limited I would suggest skipping the Samson Notes and focusing on
answering the MCQs. Write the reason for the answer next to the MCQ or on a notebook,
these notes will be useful during revision.


Facebook

Do not underestimate the power of discussion. Personally I am a lone studier, I have always
been that way. I didnt join a Whatsapp or Skype group, the only discussions I had were on
Facebook. A neat trick is to type part of the question you are having trouble with into the
search bar and see previous plabbers discussions on the question.

Unofficial rules of Facebook/Forum discussions
1. Always have a reference to backup your answer
2. Respect others opinions. There is always going to be others who are more
knowledgeable when it comes to certain things. Make sure to be respectful of
everyones opinion.
3. Try to help out as much as you can. Its a stressful time for everyone but this group is
successful because of the incredible people who have taken the time to try and help
others.
4. Do not spend a lot of time arguing over one question. This will waste a lot of
precious hours of studying. If you are incapable of coming to a conclusion, try to
come back to that question at a later date. There are going to be questions that you
will not find a conclusion to and that, you should know that, is okay.

Extra tips

Create a Timetable

This changed the entire course of my studying. Initially I only had a mental timetable, but
nothing was solid. I, therefore, wasted time or took unnecessary breaks. Once I created a
timetable and printed it out, the course of my studying became a lot more focused and
effective.

Monday
st
1 Jan
OBG

Tuesday
nd
2 Jan
Cardiology

Wednesday
rd
3 Jan
Digestive

Thursday
th
4 Jan
Psychiatry

Friday
th
5 Jan
Neurology

Saturday
th
6 Jan
1700 MCQs

Sunday
th
7 Jan
1700 MCQs

Figure 1. Example of a timetable layout for one week


To Subscribe or Not to Subscribe

This has been a topic of discussion for quite some time. According to the structure of the
November 2015 exam it seems that there really isnt a need for an extra subscriptions other
than Samson online. I personally had a subscription to Onexamination and that actually gave
me a false fear of impending doom. The questions were longer and would give a lot of
unnecessary information. The PLAB questions are straight forward and to the point. I
personally believe that extra subscriptions to PassMedicine and Onexamination might not be
quite necessary for the PLAB (however, thats just my opinion).

Summary


Step 1: Organize
Step 2: Samson Notes
Step 3: 1700 MCQs
Step 4: Mocks
Step 5: Revision
Step 6: Recalls

Exam Day Tips

Try to relax as much as you can. Eat a good breakfast. Take stationary with you (pencil,
eraser, pen and sharpener). Snacks such as water and a chocolate bar can be a lifesaver.
The Exam
200 MCQs (single best answer questions)
The questions are a lot clearer than the MCQs youve practiced (all the information
given in the question is important).
The images (X-rays, ECGs, Lesions) are on a separate paper and the normal values
are at the back of your question paper.
Once you have begun do not take your time. Rush for the finish line while
approaching the MCQs with reasoning.
Never leave an answer blank. Answer the question and put a mark next to it, if you
have time go back to it.

Conclusion


Remember, it is completely normal to feel unprepared or doubt your own ability. Make sure
not to let that doubt define who you are and definitely dont let it stop you from trying your
absolute best. I wish you the best of luck! In Sha Allah (God willing) you will do great. Try to
stay focused, determined and confident. Thank you for reading.

Sincerely,
Dr. Nafisa Darod.

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