This will be a long post- My PLAB 2 experience
Today I received my PLAB 2 results:
I passed all 18 stations and obtained a total score of 158. I’m still feeling overwhelmed as I write this post.
I joined Batch VV- a wonderful talented group of 90+ vibrant doctors from all over the globe. I had about 4 weeks after the course to prepare myself for the exam. I still remember my 1st day at Common Stations when we all had to introduce ourselves- it was indeed a very intimidating day for me as I realised I was the only one in the batch who just recently graduated from Medical School with no internship experience. As classes resumed, it got even more intense when I had to answer questions infront of the entire class. I had several thoughts running on my mind “I think I answered stupidly”, “Oh, I’m not good at all” - Today as I reflect back, I’m so so so glad I answered questions and participated in class actively. It helped me to become better and boosted my confidence level. So to all the wonderful doctors, please pick up your hand and participate in class. I took down all the 150+ tasks and just missed 1 task which was about DKA (was very hungry, had to walk out to eat 
). Follow all the tasks and listen to Dr Hamed! Trust me, I sat all those long hours in class listening, participating and taking down notes. I know it is very difficult to concentrate but it is hardwork and determination that pays off. Once the 2 weeks classes had ended and I was busy studying on my own, nothing seemed new to me as I had already gone though it properly in class.
I know everyone keeps saying “PRACTISE PRACTISE PRACTISE” - Everyone has their own way of learning. We are all different and it’s true that PLAB 2 is all about how good your communication and interpersonal skills are. But more importantly, it’s vital you organise yourself, schedule your study plan, practise accordingly and be consistent. I have posted a few pictures of all the stations I penned down and stuck up my wall. I like my work very organised and planned out. I had a clear picture of my approach I should have, had a 15 minutes glimpse of all the stations on my wall before going to bed and sometimes even performed infront of the mirror. In summary- do what works for you but please be consistent everyday till the day of your exam. Do practise with a few others and ask them to criticise you. We can only improve by learning from our mistakes and watching others. I personally couldn’t study in the mornings and I knew I would be sleeping if I was not commited. So I would come to the academy very early in the mornings (luckily academy is quiet in the mornings) and practise for a few hours and go back home to read my materials for the next day.
I am someone who looks confident but I do have very bad anxiety problems. There were several nights I spent not sleeping, there were several days I cried and gave up and there were several hours I just sat down in a panic state- it is absolutely normal to feel this way. It is so important to stay postive and also have a good support system. Being alone in the UK for the 1st time was not easy at all. But I’m so blessed to have my parents, friends and family who believed in me. All the encouraging words, motivation and support honestly meant so much to me. Special thanks to Dr Soheb Rehman who told me about common stations and who helped and guided me throughout. I was very very very lucky to have you as my mock examiner. Another special thanks to my university senior Amanah Salih. It was a conincident to find out that she took her PLAB 2 and also passed it on 1st attempt. You were truely an inspiration to me and seeing you made me believe that passing this exam is not impossible. Thanks to my amazing PLAB 1 group for walking along with me during my PLAB experience: Deepan Chakaravarthy Vijayakumar, Aash Limbachia, Rohit Reddy, Seethalakshmi Annamalai, @Gopinath, Kausar Taighoon Shah, Sinthuja Vijayaranjan Ratheesh and Shazia Mir. Last but not least I would like to thank the entire #BatchVV . We all had an amazing time together and you all were so helpful and supportive. May Allah (S.W.T) bless us all in our future endeavours. Ameen!
P.S. I have come across so many people asking or doubting if Common Stations is a good academy or not. I have also come across alot of hate and negativity about CS. Dear Doctors, I may not be in the right position to judge which academy is the best since I have only been to one, but from a neutral point of view- your PASS/FAIL is not determined by which academy you attended but rather how much time and effort you have given yourself to prepare for this exam. I honestly feel Dr Hamed has done an incredibly great job. His materials are all updated and recent exam questions are all there- this is just what you need to pass and ace the exam. Doctors, have faith in yourselves and aim for the sky- even though you may not end up on the moon but you will land among the shining stars! All the best!