5 Best Tips to Prepare for PLAB Exam in 3 Months!

So, you’ve got 3 months to get ready for the PLAB exam? Sounds tight, right?

Yeah, it is.

But if you’ve got the right mindset, a solid plan, and a few key strategies, it’s doable. I’ve seen people pull it off — not just scrape by, but do well.

This post breaks down five practical, no-fluff tips to prepare for the PLAB exam in just 90 days. These are the same tips shared by mentors who’ve been through it and now offer online PLAB coaching. They’re not random. They’re tested and real.

Let’s get into it.

Top 5 Tips to Prepare for PLAB Exam in 3 Months

1. Know Exactly What You’re Dealing With

You can’t prepare well if you’re not sure what you’re even preparing for.

So the first thing? Understand the exam.

PLAB 1 Basics:

1. 180 multiple-choice questions
2. All single best answer format
3. Duration: 3 hours
4. Covers everything a UK-trained doctor is expected to know at the FY2 level

No tricks. But you do need both clinical knowledge and UK-style medical thinking.

Quick tip:

If you’ve been practicing in a different healthcare system, some things might feel off. Like patient-centered care, documentation habits, or how guidelines are applied. It’s not just about knowing medicine — it’s also about how it’s practiced in the UK.

Don’t skip this step. Spend one day max and go through the GMC blueprint. Just Google “GMC PLAB blueprint”. It’s free. It’s official. And it’ll keep your prep focused.

2. Follow a 3-Month Plan (Don’t Wing It)

Three months sounds like a lot. But it’ll fly by if you’re not tracking what you’re doing.

Here’s how you can break it down:

Month 1: Learn and build your base

1. Focus: Read high-yield topics and understand patterns
2. Use one main source (don’t try to do 5 at once)
3. Resources: PLABable, PLABverse, or Samson Notes (pick one)
4. Target: Finish one round of questions + explanations
5. Track: Make a Google Sheet or notebook to list weak topics

Month 2: Reinforce + Relearn

1. Revise your weak areas
2. Do another round of MCQs
3. Add mock tests (once a week)
4. Watch short topic-based videos if needed (like Geeky Medics or Osmosis)
5. Discuss tricky cases in online study groups (Telegram/WhatsApp groups help)

Month 3: Practice under exam conditions

1. Full mocks, under real timing
2. Focus: Decision-making and speed
3. Daily revision of marked questions
4. 1-2 hours of clinical guidelines daily (NICE, BNF – skim only the relevant bits)

No one sticks to a plan 100%. That’s okay. But having one keeps you on track.

3. Choose the Right Study Material (and Stick to It)

This one’s big.

You don’t need a library. You need a few good sources — and repetition.

What works (as shared by PLAB mentors):

1. PLABable: Most popular Qbank. Good explanations. Regularly updated.
2. PLABverse: Great for notes. Clean layout. Easy to revise.
3. Samson Notes: Old but gold. Still useful for concept-building.
4. Dr. Khalid’s Lectures: Helpful if you prefer audio-visual learning.

Pick what suits your style.

Just don’t keep switching. That’s a trap.

What to avoid:

1. Reading textbooks like Davidson or Kumar & Clark
2. Over-researching rare conditions
3. Spending hours on topics that only show up once in 180 questions

Instead, focus on:

1. Emergency medicine
2. Ethics and law
3. Pediatrics
4. OB/GYN
5. Psychiatry
6. Communication skills

These come up often. You’ll notice the pattern once you do 500+ questions.

4. Join Online PLAB Coaching (If You’re Struggling Alone)

Self-study is great. Until it’s not.

If you’re stuck, procrastinating, or just don’t know where to begin — a structured online PLAB coaching course can help.

Why?

1. You get a routine. That alone improves your consistency.
2. You have mentors who’ve taken and passed PLAB.
3. Doubts get cleared fast. No wasting hours on Google.
4. Group study and weekly mocks keep you accountable.

A lot of students say coaching helped them focus, especially in the last month.

But — and this is important — coaching is not a magic fix. It works if you show up and do the work.

Don’t join just to feel productive. Join because you’re ready to take it seriously.

Look for:

1. Courses that offer weekly live sessions
2. Tutors who’ve passed PLAB themselves
3. Practice mocks included
4. Feedback on your progress

Check reviews. Ask for demo classes if unsure. And don’t fall for the hype. Real mentors give you clarity, not promises.

5. Simulate the Exam Often (Don’t Wait Until the End)

Most people make this mistake: they leave mock tests until the last 2 weeks.

Big mistake.

You need to train yourself to think and act under pressure.

Start doing mocks by the middle of your second month. Even if your scores are bad. Doesn’t matter.

Here’s why:

1. You’ll see where you panic
2. You’ll learn how to pace yourself
3. You’ll get used to the exam format
4. Your brain will get better at choosing the “best” answer

Try this schedule:

1. Week 4: 1 mock
2. Week 5-6: 2 mocks per week
3. Week 7-8: 3-4 mocks per week
4. Week 9-12: 4+ full mocks + daily 50-question practice blocks

Don’t just do them — review them.

The review is where the learning happens.

Have a notebook or Google Doc just for your mistakes. Write what went wrong and why. You’ll start spotting patterns.

Build Small Habits That Make a Big Difference

This part gets ignored. But it matters more than you think.

1. Wake up at the same time every day (PLAB starts in the morning)
2. Practice sitting for 3 hours straight
3. Eat light before mocks (simulate test day)
4. Take short walks after long study sessions
5. Cut distractions (log out of YouTube if needed)

These don’t feel urgent. But they shape your exam-day mindset.

Also — don’t burn out. It’s not a sprint. It’s just a focused effort for 90 days.

There’s no one right way to prepare for PLAB in 3 months.

Some people use coaching. Some don’t. Some study 10 hours a day. Others manage with 4 focused hours.

What matters is:

1. You know the exam
2. You stick to one plan
3. You practice a LOT
4. You review your mistakes
5. You ask for help when needed

Use these tips to prepare for the PLAB exam smartly. Keep showing up. And remember, even if it feels like too much — others have done it before you. You can too.