Tips for PLAB 2

Tips for the exam:

• Be confident. Nobody likes a timid doctor.
• Smile. Remember: Laughter is the best medicine.
• As soon as you enter the cubicle, do not rush to start off your station. Greet the examiner and show him/her your id. Thank him and proceed with your case.
• Do not memorise the script provided by the coaching academy. The examiner gets bored of hearing the same stuff everytime. Personalise it.
• Be natural and go with the flow. Do not overact.
• Use words like Please, Sorry, Thank you.
• Be sympathetic. 
• Questions tend to be very long If you do not have time to read the question completely before you enter the cubicle/ can't recollect the question, just excuse yourself and read the question. The actors are trained to go in an 'off' mode the moment you say excuse-me and pick up the question paper. Just say thank you whenever you want to resume.
• While examining the patient, verbalise your finding. Do not be silent.
• Remember the patients name and call your patient by his/ her name as often as you can. It helps create a  good rapport with the patient.Do not mess it up.
• Read the question carefully. If the question says that you are a doctor in the A&E and it is a psychiatric scenario, summarise by saying that you will refer him/ her to the psychiatric team. However, if the question says that your are any FY2 in psychiatry, do not mention psychiatry referral. Tell them that you will get your seniors involved.
• Instead of blurting out the management and your treatment plan, discuss it with the patient. Ask if he is comfortable with your plan.
• Remember that you are an FY2/SHO. So always involve seniors in your management.
• Do not rush the stations. It is okay if you do not finish the entire station.