From your MBBS
to the NHS,
one clear path.
The PLAB exams, GMC registration, the English test, the visa, the first post — each step is on a different official site. PlabPilot pulls it into a single sequence you can track, with daily practice and the updates that shift your timeline.
Free to join. The first 100 members keep premium free for life.
Six steps, in the right order.
English Test
Prove your English before the GMC will let you book anything. The step people leave dangerously late.
PLAB 1
180 single-best-answer questions at the level of a UK foundation doctor. Around one in four candidates fail.
PLAB 2
A practical exam of 16–18 timed stations. Impossible to rehearse alone — partner practice is the difference.
GMC Registration
Apply within two years of passing PLAB 2 — with your internship certificate, home registration and certificate of good standing.
Visa & Relocation
The doctor route in — cheaper than a standard work visa and exempt from the NHS health surcharge. Needs a job offer first.
First NHS Post
Apply on NHS Jobs; the Trust issues your certificate of sponsorship. Entry posts sit around foundation grade.
A note on UKMLA
If you’re an IMG, you’ll still book “PLAB 1” and “PLAB 2” on the GMC portal in 2026 — the pathway on this page is current. The GMC is gradually transitioning PLAB into the UKMLA; exam content is already aligned to the MLA content map, with all sittings on the updated 2026 map from September 2026. Valid PLAB passes remain accepted for registration. Same journey, evolving name.
Everything the journey needs.
Journey tracker
Six steps from MBBS to your first NHS post, laid out in order. See where you are and what comes next.
Case of the day
One PLAB-style SBA question every day. Small enough to fit a busy schedule, consistent enough to build a streak.
Live updates
GMC policy changes, PLAB exam windows, visa rule updates — curated weekly so you never miss the thing that shifts your timeline.
Cost calculator
The full cost from English test to visa, including flights and Manchester accommodation. No surprises.
Resource guide
Question banks, prep academies, and observerships that earn their keep — with honest guidance on what to skip.
PLAB 2 partner finder
You cannot rehearse the OSCE alone. Match with a partner by exam date and city when the time comes.
Join early and premium
stays free forever.
We are opening the first hundred memberships. Join now, keep your streak alive for a year, and every premium feature stays free — for as long as PlabPilot exists. No catch.
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