PLAB 1 candidates planning a 2027 attempt need to check their examination location before building a revision timetable around February. The GMC is changing where the assessment is delivered, and an assumption based on the previous year's calendar may no longer work.
The GMC's current 2027 changes page, checked on 25 October 2026, lists six locations that will no longer run the exam: Dhaka, Alexandria, Accra, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. It also confirms that the February sitting will be available in UK and EU locations, but not in other international locations.
These are delivery changes. They create practical decisions about timing, travel and preparation; they do not mean that PLAB has been replaced or that every international candidate must travel to the UK for every sitting.
What the changes mean for different candidates
| Your original plan | The decision to revisit |
|---|---|
| February at an international centre outside the UK/EU | Consider a UK/EU February appointment or another available international sitting |
| Any 2027 sitting in one of the six removed cities | Check alternative locations in the GMC booking system |
| February in the UK or EU | Check availability and the usual booking requirements |
| A later international sitting | Confirm that the location, date and eligibility remain suitable |
The current GMC FAQ includes Hyderabad and Kolkata as well as the four cities named in its earlier announcement. Candidates should therefore use the dedicated current guidance rather than rely on an older screenshot or a summary that has not been updated.
Available appointments are shown in GMC Online. A public list of possible locations does not demonstrate that a place is available on a particular day, and a revision provider cannot confirm your eligibility or reserve a seat on the regulator's behalf.
Start with the constraint that is hardest to change
There are several possible constraints: your English-language evidence, travel documents, leave from work, finances and the date by which you need an examination result. Identify the one that actually limits your choices before comparing revision resources.
For example, a fictional candidate living near a removed centre may find that another international location is feasible during a later sitting. Another candidate may have an urgent personal timeline and decide to investigate a February UK or EU appointment. The preparation period is different in each case, even if both candidates begin with similar clinical knowledge.
Write down confirmed facts separately from unresolved questions. "I can take leave in February" is not the same as "I have a February appointment". Keeping those separate prevents non-refundable travel arrangements or subscription dates from being built around an assumption.
Understand the English-language evidence issue
The GMC describes possible flexibility for some candidates affected by the removal of international February places. Its guidance includes a route for discussing an extension where English-language evidence expires between 1 February and 31 May 2027, with requests needed by 19 March 2027 for a May sitting. This is a conditional process, not an automatic extension for everyone.
The practical task is to compare the expiry date on your evidence with the realistic examination options, then follow the GMC's published instructions if your circumstances fit. A revision timetable should record any pending eligibility decision rather than treat it as already resolved.
If you contact the GMC, make the question specific: your evidence expiry date, the intended sitting and how the delivery change affects the plan. A clear factual enquiry is more useful than asking whether all candidates receive extra validity.
Work backwards from the result you need
An examination date and a result date are different milestones. The GMC's PLAB 1 results timetable lists 11 February 2027 for the next February sitting and 25 March for the corresponding results. Candidates should check the live timetable before relying on these dates for another application.
Build a sequence: confirmed eligibility, booking, preparation, travel, examination and expected results. If a later process depends on the result, allow for its own requirements rather than assuming that everything can be completed on the day the score appears.
This exercise can also clarify when paid revision access is useful. The most expensive option is not necessarily the longest subscription; it may be several overlapping purchases made before the preparation period is properly defined.
Preserve what you have already learned
A changed examination month does not require discarding existing preparation. It requires adjusting the balance between learning new material, revisiting previous errors and practising under time constraints.
If the sitting moves later, maintain contact with earlier topics. For example, keep a weekly mixed session and use a smaller set of delayed questions to revisit important corrections. The additional weeks can help you discover whether knowledge remains usable outside the session in which it was learned.
If the feasible sitting is earlier than expected, reduce low-value activities first. Lengthy note rewriting, collecting several overlapping courses and repeatedly answering familiar questions can consume time without clarifying readiness. Retain breadth, explanation review and practice selecting the next action from a clinical vignette.
Keep the UK clinical context visible
PLAB preparation requires more than recognising a disease name. A candidate may know the diagnosis but choose an investigation, referral route or management approach that does not fit the UK context in the question.
The GMC MLA content map defines the relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours. The version applying from September 2026 is the appropriate starting point for the cohorts discussed here. Use it to organise coverage, then use questions to examine how that knowledge is applied.
A useful correction note states the clinical decision and the circumstance that changes it. "I need to revise cardiology" is too vague. "I selected a routine diagnostic pathway despite features requiring urgent assessment" identifies the reasoning that needs attention. When the answer depends on guidance, record the current UK source alongside the correction.
Choose revision resources after clarifying the job
A question bank provides repeated opportunities to apply knowledge. Official examples familiarise you with the assessment's tasks. A tutor or teaching course can help when you cannot explain why an answer is correct. These functions can complement one another, but buying all of them does not automatically produce a coherent plan.
The iatroX PLAB 1 bank brings adaptive practice, spaced review and a Socratic Tutor into one environment. Its useful role is to connect an attempted question with a clearer explanation and a later opportunity to apply the principle. Full PLAB 1 bank access is paid, while free samples allow candidates to inspect the question and explanation workflow before choosing access.
For a candidate whose sitting has moved, continuity is particularly valuable. The learning record should remain organised around unresolved decisions and retained understanding, rather than the number of resources accumulated during the wait.
Frequently asked questions
Is the February 2027 PLAB 1 sitting cancelled?
No. The GMC states that February remains available in UK and EU locations. The change concerns other international locations. Actual availability and eligibility must be checked through the GMC booking process.
Which PLAB 1 centres are being removed in 2027?
The current GMC guidance names Dhaka, Alexandria, Accra, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. Use the current dedicated changes page because earlier announcements listed fewer locations, and confirm the available alternatives in GMC Online.
Should I stop revising if my examination moves to a later sitting?
Maintain a sustainable routine and adjust its emphasis. More time allows delayed review and unfamiliar practice, but a long period without retrieval can make earlier work harder to use. A later sitting is a reason to reorganise preparation, not necessarily to start again.
Continue your preparation around the sitting that fits your circumstances with the iatroX PLAB 1 question bank.