Most candidates prepare while working. The trick is a plan that survives bad weeks. This plan assumes about 8 to 10 hours of study per week over roughly 16 to 20 weeks; scale it to your own situation and exam date (see booking dates).
| Phase | Weeks | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Map | 1 | Download the content map; rate each topic; choose resources |
| 2. Learn | 2 to 10 | One system a week from NICE and CKS with 10 to 20 questions a day |
| 3. Practise | 11 to 15 | Mixed timed blocks of 40 questions; revisit errors; see question banks |
| 4. Mock | 16 to 18 | Full 180-question, three-hour mock every week or two; fix timing |
| 5. Taper | Last week | Light review of your error list; sleep; travel and ID check |
Fitting it around work
- Use small anchors: 30 minutes before a shift, 20 questions on the commute, a longer block on a day off.
- Put the hardest topics on the days you have the most energy.
- Plan a catch-up half day each week; plans fail without slack.
- Tell your family and colleagues the exam date so they can support you.
Print the general study planners for templates, follow the step-by-step PLAB study plan, and read the PLAB 1 page for the format you are training for.
Related guides
General education, reviewed 24 October 2026. Guidance changes: confirm with the official sources. Not medical, legal or immigration advice.