Station 1: I had to examine a lady with some gynecological problem. I forgot to use the lubricant KY jelly. Examiner was not happy. As palpation of the fornices was difficult, I was thinking she was having a retroverted uterus.

Station 2: next station was a lady delivered a healthy baby 4 weeks back. She was having postpartum depression and some suicidal tendency. I recommend hospitalization for both of the mother and the baby.

Station 3: I had to take history from a nurse and make out some differential diagnosis. As I never practiced this part well, I was a little confused. The patient was having pain abdomen. In my opinion, this was due to the side effect of long standing use of analgesics as he was suffering from fracture neck femur.

Station 4: I faced an anxious mother of a febrile baby with history of convulsion. I explained her that febrile convulsion is common this part of life and there is not much to be worried.

Station 5: I was discussing about pain management with the daughter of a lady suffering from carcinoma breast.

Station 6: I was given some prolene suture and needle holder and was expected to make a knot. I did not do well here as the needle holder was not working properly. Later I managed to make the knot with mu hand.

Station 7: I had to discuss the beneficial aspect of MMR vaccine to a father of a 1 year old child. He was talking continuously and all I had to do was to fill up the gaps between our conversations.

Station 8: my next station was difficult. It was a lady patient with ectopic pregnancy. She was thinking to go out from the hospital and somehow I managed to convince her to stay back at the hospital.

Station 9: next patient was suffering from pain in the shoulder and my diagnosis was painful arc syndrome. He was having great difficulty in moving his shoulder.

Station 10: next patient was suffering from COPD. I forgot to examine his neck due to lack of time and absentmindedness. Somehow, I managed to take 2 PEFR readings before the bell.

Station 11: next patient was a female at her twenties. She was giving a history of pain shifting from loin to groin. My diagnosis was urinary tract infection. This was the easiest of the lot.

Station 12: I had to demonstrate adult CPR to the examiner. Here also I did well.

PLAB consists of two parts – Part 1 and Part 2 or OSCE.

In PLAB Part 1, you have to answer EMQs and some single best answers. EMQs can be chosen from any of the subjects usually trained during the schooling days. The subjects include – Anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, microbiology, internal medicine, surgery, gynecology and obstetrics, psychiatry, ophthalmology and ENT. The question is set by GMC and from a question bank maintained and updated by the organization. Detailed guideline can be found on the website of GMC.

In PLAB part 2, your clinical skill and knowledge about common diseases occurring in the UK are being tested. It is also known as OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination). Part 2 is formulated to check the ability of a foreign medical graduate to practice medicine securely in any hospital in the UK. The standard is fixed and the aptitude from a candidate is expected at the end of first Foundation year (F1).

In the United States, this exam is called USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination). In the UK, it is named as PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board). In Australia, an overseas medical graduate has to pass the exam set by the AMC (Australian Medical Council).

This medical licensing exam is a tough one and it requires a lot of grueling hours to prepare for it. Questions are usually MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) or EMQ (Extended Matching Questions). Questions are picked from every subject like anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology, internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry, obstetrics & gynecology, preventive medicine and genetics. The division of subjects may vary depending upon the exams.

USMLE is divided into three parts – Step I, Step II and Step III. There are some overseas countries where a medical graduate can take the exam. In Step I, there is an exam of EMQ. Step II is again divided into 2 part – Step II CK (Clinical Knowledge) and Step II CS (Clinical Skills). One has to pass these two steps to gain a medical license to practice medicine in the US. Step II has to be taken in the US only. Step III is for the students who want to engage in a job which is independently awarded.

The PLAB has two parts – Part 1 and Part 2 or OSCE. Part 1 can be taken in outside UK but one has to come to the country to take the Part 2.

As medical schools throughout the world vary in their standards and curriculum, the intention of ECFMG is to assess the condition of the overseas doctor to go into a post graduate clinical specialty course. It is also assessed whether he or she can fairly compatible to work as resident doctor for the field he or she has chosen. Post doctoral training program aspirants are also required to enter such certification courses.

An international medical graduate has to clear USMLE in order to join as a resident doctor in the US. Similarly, a doctor, who has not obtained medical degree in the UK, European Union or not trained in Switzerland, has to pass PLAB before joining as a Senior House Officer (SHO) in the UK.

The use of English language as a day to day practice are being assessed before giving the final clearance if the international medical graduate are trying to pursue his further studies in an English Speaking nation.