For PLAB 2, a simulation allowance is valuable only when it supports enough relevant practice and review for your plan. Compare complete encounters, feedback access and any usage limits before comparing subscription prices. A large advertised library and a large allowance are not the same thing.
This comparison is published by iatroX and includes its PLAB 2 simulation track. Product descriptions were checked on 19 September 2026. No provider's commercial feedback is treated as an official PLAB result.
Establish what one practice session includes
OSCE Revisions, described through MedRevisions, and SimsBuddy both offer interactive clinical preparation. Inspect the current PLAB 2 package rather than assuming that the allowance, modes or support are identical across every examination on the platform.
Ask whether a session includes the encounter, the debrief, further discussion and a repeat attempt. If the product uses credits, determine which activities consume them. Do not convert a credit balance into a promised number of cases without a published rule.
A trial can help establish whether the interface suits you. It does not prove the quality of every case or guarantee that all advertised functions are included in the lowest-priced plan.
Compare the case with the examination task
The GMC's PLAB 2 guidance should anchor preparation. A generic patient conversation can be useful, but the provider should make clear what examination-specific structure it is offering.
Check how the case brief, patient response and feedback fit together. If the feedback rewards a different task from the one the candidate was asked to perform, the learning signal becomes confusing. Detailed output is not necessarily coherent output.
Use a case that resembles a learning need you have already identified. Someone struggling to structure an explanation needs a different test from someone trying to improve the completeness of a history.
Budget the review, not just the encounter
An uninterrupted conversation can expose a habit; the debrief is where the learner decides what to change. A plan with many back-to-back stations but no review time may produce activity without much correction.
For an original planning example, imagine a fictional candidate whose recurring problem is answering a patient's concern with more factual information rather than exploring the concern. Their next session should test a different response to that moment. Completing an unrelated case simply to use the allowance may not address it.
Keep the next goal specific. "Ask what worries the patient about this option before explaining it again" is more actionable than "improve empathy". The precise goal should follow the actual encounter, not a generic checklist.
Do not confuse fluency with examination readiness
A virtual patient can make repeated rehearsal convenient. It cannot provide every aspect of a real clinical encounter or practical assessment. Physical examination and procedural skills still need suitable teaching and supervised practice.
The same distinction applies to confidence. A platform may feel comfortable after repeated use, but comfort with one interface is not evidence of performance in the examination. Use appropriately varied practice and feedback from other sources where available.
We have not conducted a standardised comparison of the named systems. Any future results would need to report the scenarios, outputs, review criteria and limitations of the actual run.
A purchase that fits the remaining preparation
Choose OSCE Revisions or SimsBuddy when the current PLAB 2 package, allowance and feedback meet your needs. A specialist subscription can be the most economical option for someone who wants only that activity.
Consider iatroX when the simulation debrief, Tutor follow-up and relevant written learning form a useful combination. Its broader access is not a reason to count unrelated examinations as personal value. If you already have effective teaching and need only occasional rehearsal, a smaller purchase or the available introductory experience may be enough.
What iatroX adds to this decision
The September 2026 simulation release includes PLAB 2, with voice and text interaction, coached and uninterrupted modes, and transcript-linked feedback. Tutor-led follow-up is part of the published design, not an independently validated prediction of examination performance.
The introductory offer is one complete simulation across the platform, not a separate free attempt for every examination. Inspect the debrief as well as the conversation; practical skills still require suitable supervised work.
The UK price published on 19 September 2026 is £99 paid upfront annually, equivalent to £8.25 a month billed annually, or £29 monthly. Paid question banks, Socratic Tutor, the study planner, simulations and CPD tools are included together, not sold as separate simulation or CPD add-ons.
Frequently asked questions
Can I compare AI credits directly with a number of complete stations?
Only when the provider publishes the conversion and specifies which activities consume credits. Otherwise keep the units separate.
Should I use all my allowance before the examination?
Not at the expense of reviewing the encounters. Relevant practice and applied feedback matter more than exhausting a quota.
Does an AI station replace practical PLAB 2 preparation?
No. Use it for supported rehearsal alongside appropriate clinical and practical teaching.