PLAB 1: Preparation Strategy in 60 Days

Hello, I'm Dr. Niharika Koushik, an IMG from India, taking my PLAB 1 in February 2023, and I'll be summarising a strategy for two groups of people:

- Starting the preparation now

- Revising in 60 days

Preparing in 60 days

The first thing to do is to realistically understand that you need to commit more time on a daily basis so as to try to finish one read and get a revision done before the exams. Many would have done well without a revision or even without finishing the entire syllabus, but I'd advise you to focus on what you need to do right now. Use the time you have wisely. It is an easy exam, but booking a slot is getting harder with each passing year, so it's better not to risk it.

Plan the completion in terms of the number of questions solved rather than topics as some are huge while others are really short. Space the subjects with hard and easy ones alternatively so as to not exhaust and burn yourself out before D-day. I will give a rough idea about how to go about planning, but I'd suggest you tweak it according to your own preference.

The most commonly used platform has about 3000-3500 questions, and it takes about an hour or two to complete the theory part, then aim to do about 100 questions each day.

It might seem overwhelming, but it does get easier with each passing day. On average, one might have to spend 3-5 hours daily. If you need to go slower, it's okay too, but the important thing is to just keep doing. It's not too late yet!

Once your first read is done in 30-40 days, then start doing a mock each day and revising the topics in that you made most of the mistakes. Try to make short notes of topics or questions you tend to mess up. Spare the last week to revise your concise notes or questions that you've flagged, and you'll be more than ready to ace your exam.

Revision in 60 days

Since you're done with your first or even second read, don't slack now; pick up the pace. Firstly revise the topics again, as some topics would have been done 1-3 months ago. Try to get it done in 15-20 days, then start doing mocks and revising topics on alternate days, this way you'll be covering various topics and revising the sections you are weaker in, for which you can make notes if you haven't already, as that can be the game changer in the last week or even on the last day of your preparation.

Set aside at least a week to revise the topics you find most difficult and to solve the questions you've flagged during your preparation. Don't lose your focus. Keep working; you are on the right track. All the best!

It all has to be individualized to help you the most, so do what works for you best. The only thing I'd suggest is to not search for what is important, the material itself is quite concise, and every session will focus on different topics, yet, palliative care and ethics have repeatedly been the centre of focus in PLAB; if you must know. I've just shared what I've learnt and understood from preparing for the exam not once but twice, and I hope that it helps others this exam season.

If you have any questions about PLAB 1, I would be more than happy to answer them at trewlink.com. You can register using this link https://trewlink.com/?referrer=dr.61365

Find me as a community ambassador and follow Dr. Niharika Koushik for random snippets of advice and to know more stories of mine as I navigate through it all.