Interested in taking the PLAB?

Here's some information from the GMC's own website regarding the PLAB exam:

Originally Posted by http://www.gmc-uk.org/register/plab/plab_advice.rtf

SOME IMPORTANT FACTORS TO CONSIDER


Taking the PLAB test can be costly


There are not only the fees for the test to consider, but travel expenses, and the cost of living in London while you take Part 2 of the test and before you find a job. You should be aware that all of this takes time. London, and the South East of England generally, is a very expensive place to live.

And you should consider the personal investment involved ? time spent preparing for the test and the stress involved in embarking on a life in a new country. It is essential that you have made a realistic assessment of whether you will find a job before you apply for the test.

Bear in mind, also, that even after you pass the PLAB test, the GMC can only grant you limited registration when you have obtained an offer of suitable employment.

There are other requirements you will need to meet before we will consider an application to move from limited to full registration.

Finding employment in the UK can be difficult

We strongly recommend that before you apply for the PLAB test you find out whether you have a realistic chance of obtaining the kind of job you want.

There are different kinds of jobs in the UK. Some of them involve training schemes and in others the training element is less developed. There is strong competition for many jobs. It is therefore important that you realise that you will not be guaranteed the offer of a job by passing the PLAB test, and competition in some specialties and locations is strong. Securing employment can be a lengthy process: statistics show it could take up to a year (or even longer) to find a first post once you have passed the PLAB test. We are working with other agencies to make more information available about job prospects but in the meantime you should be aware of the following:

• There are fewer vacancies in some specialties than others.
• Competition is greater in some locations of the UK than in others.
• If you are applying to take PLAB before completing your pre-registration or internship year, that Pre-Registration House Officer jobs are much scarcer than Senior House Officer (SHO) jobs.

Details of the number of applicants for posts broken down by specialty and by location can be found on http://www.bmjcareers.com/juniorcomp/

OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORK

The GMC does not hold information about job vacancies, but there are a number of other routes you can try, such as

• National Advice Centre for Overseas Doctors
• British Medical Journal
• The Lancet
• Health Service Journal
• Personnelnet Health
• British Council National Advice Centre
• The Hospital Doctor
• NHS Jobs.

These sites will also give you an idea of the types of jobs available.

Another source of useful information is Medical Training in the United Kingdom:
A Guide for International Graduates, published by the UK government departments with responsibility for health. Details can be found from the Department of Health.

Hope this is helpful! #happy