The GMC publishes PLAB 2 results within a month of the exam date. It emails you when the result is available in the My Tests section of GMC Online and contacts you directly if publication is delayed. Results are unavailable by telephone or at GMC reception.
When results are published
The GMC commitment is: "Your results will be published within a month of your exam date". The same guidance says the GMC will contact you directly if there is a delay. The email tells you how to open the result in My Tests. Sign in through your own GMC Online account and read the result there. The result remains in GMC Online if you go on to register, so the account is also the place to return to when preparing a registration application. Calling the GMC or visiting reception will not provide the result.
What the results page shows
The GMC separates the result into station-level and overall figures. These numbers show where marks were gained or lost before the qualitative statements explain the observed behaviour.
| Level | Information shown |
|---|---|
| Each station | Marks in each of the 3 domains, the station total, the station pass score and whether the station was passed or failed |
| Whole exam | Total marks in each domain, the exam total, the exam pass score and the overall pass or fail outcome |
Station pass scores vary because each station has its own cut score. The overall pass mark uses the sum of the underlying station cut scores plus 1 standard error of measurement, so adding the displayed station pass scores may not reproduce the exam pass score. The PLAB 2 scoring guide covers that calculation and the separate minimum-stations requirement.
The two assessment centres operate independently. Candidates sitting on the same day at different centres can receive different stations and different pass marks. The GMC can also exclude a station for quality assurance, in which case it recalculates the exam pass mark and the minimum number of stations required. Your result page contains the figures that apply to your exam.
The ten feedback statements
For each station, examiners can indicate which of 10 pre-set feedback statements apply. They must record statements when they judge a performance Unsatisfactory or Borderline. Recording them is optional for a stronger performance, so the absence of a statement does not add a separate mark.
| GMC label | What the statement describes |
|---|---|
| Consultation | The consultation was disorganised or lacked a clear structure. |
| Issues | The main issues or priorities were not recognised. |
| Time | The available station time was managed poorly. |
| Findings | Abnormal findings, or their implications, were not identified. |
| Examination | The examination was not performed competently, or instruments were not used proficiently. |
| Diagnosis | A correct working diagnosis or suitable differential diagnoses were not formed. |
| Management | The plan did not reflect current best practice, including follow-up and safety netting. |
| Rapport | Rapport or sensitivity was inadequate, including through the use of stock phrases. |
| Listening | Verbal or non-verbal cues were used poorly and active listening was weak. |
| Language | Jargon, rapid speech or failure to check understanding made communication less effective. |
The GMC does not publish these statements as a one-to-one classification under its three scored domains. For reviewing a result, Findings and Examination relate most directly to data gathering, technical and assessment skills. Diagnosis and Management sit closest to clinical management. Rapport, Listening and Language point most directly to interpersonal skills. Issues may affect data gathering or management, while Consultation and Time can affect marks across the station.
Use the statement beside the domain scores from the same station. A Management statement with a low clinical-management mark gives a clearer repair target than the station fail alone. A Time statement beside losses in several domains may indicate that an unfinished consultation affected more than one part of the score.
One statement on one station describes what that examiner observed in that performance. The same statement across several different stations deserves priority in a resit plan because the behaviour has appeared in more than one task. Compare the wording, the domain marks and the station type before deciding what to practise.
If you passed
After a pass, the next regulatory step is an application for registration with a licence to practise. The GMC says registration should be approved within 2 years of passing PLAB 2, and the pass date is the date you took the test. If more than 2 years have passed, the GMC requires additional evidence of current knowledge and skills. A recent PLAB 2 pass can also count as evidence that English has been maintained. This applies when the pass was less than 3 months before the registration application and the required IELTS or OET minimum scores were achieved less than 3 years ago.
The GMC offers free Welcome to UK practice workshops, booked through GMC Online once you are on the register. They give practical guidance on ethical scenarios in UK practice and a chance to meet other internationally qualified doctors.
In 2026, passing PLAB 2 and obtaining registration do not secure an NHS post. The GMC states that the number of PLAB places is not directly linked to the number of vacancies offered by employers such as the NHS. The first NHS job after PLAB guide covers service posts, sponsorship and the effect of current training recruitment rules.
If you did not pass
Check eligibility before paying for another test or course. The normal limit is 4 attempts. A fifth attempt is available only by application and is final. Before applying, you must complete at least 12 months of additional learning that meets the GMC evidence rules. The other deadline comes from PLAB 1. You must pass PLAB 2 within 2 years of the PLAB 1 test date. The PLAB 1 result publication date does not start that period. If its validity expires while you complete the additional learning for a fifth attempt, PLAB 1 may need to be taken again.
If another attempt remains available, use the booking and test-centre guide for the rebooking process. Use the failed second-attempt guide to compare the station statements with domain marks and choose a repair priority.
The GMC no longer offers a results-checking service. A disagreement with marks cannot be submitted as a request for another marking pass. The formal route is an appeal, and only the published grounds qualify.
Appealing a result
An appeal can be based on an irregularity in the conduct of the exam, including an administrative error, or on unexpected or exceptional circumstances that arose during the exam. The GMC does not accept alleged under-marking, failure to understand the exam procedures or disagreement with academic judgement as appeal grounds.
The appeal must reach the GMC within 10 working days of publication of the result. A late appeal needs an explanation and supporting evidence. If an appeal succeeds, the possible outcomes are annulment of the result, a free attempt, an additional attempt or a combination of those remedies.
A complaint about the service or administration is separate from an appeal about the result and can be sent to feedback@gmc-uk.org.
If illness, an unexpected circumstance or an exam irregularity affects you, tell assessment-centre staff as soon as possible on the day, ideally before leaving.
Questions candidates actually ask
How long does it take to get PLAB 2 results?
The GMC publishes PLAB 2 results within a month of the exam date. It contacts candidates directly if publication is delayed.
How do I check my PLAB 2 result?
The GMC sends an email when the result is ready. Sign in to GMC Online and open the My Tests section; results are unavailable by telephone or at GMC reception.
Can I get my PLAB 2 result rechecked?
The GMC no longer offers a results-checking service. An appeal is available only on the GMC's published grounds, such as an irregularity in the conduct of the exam or unexpected exceptional circumstances during it.
What are the PLAB 2 feedback statements?
They are 10 pre-set descriptions of behaviours that an examiner may attach to a station. The statements cover problems such as missed priorities, poor time management, weak examination technique, unsafe management or ineffective communication.