Most PLAB 1 study plans online are either too vague ("revise medicine for two weeks") or too rigid ("read pages 147-203 on Tuesday"). Neither works. What works is a structured framework with clear daily targets, built-in flexibility, and a progression from knowledge building through to exam simulation.
This 12-week plan is designed for the MLA-aligned PLAB 1. It assumes you are studying full-time (6-8 hours per day). If you are studying part-time alongside clinical work, extend the timeline to 16-20 weeks and halve the daily targets.
Before You Start: Gather Your Resources
Primary Q-bank (paid): PLABable, Pastest, or MedRevisions. Choose one. You need a large pool of exam-realistic questions with explanations. Budget 3,000-4,000 questions over 12 weeks.
Adaptive Q-bank (free): iatroX Q-Bank. Start from day one and continue throughout. The spaced repetition algorithm will automatically resurface questions you got wrong at optimal intervals, ensuring long-term retention rather than short-term cramming.
Clinical reference (free): Ask iatroX for instant NICE/CKS/BNF verification when you get questions wrong. Do not just read the explanation — verify the guideline, understand the reasoning, and note the source.
Textbook (optional): Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine for quick reference. Not for cover-to-cover reading.
Mock exams: At least 4-5 full timed mocks. Your primary Q-bank should provide these.
Phase 1: Foundation Building (Weeks 1-4)
The goal of Phase 1 is systematic coverage of the major clinical domains. You are building the knowledge base that later phases will test and refine.
Week 1 — Cardiovascular and Respiratory: Cover the high-yield conditions: ACS, heart failure, AF, hypertension, PE, COPD, asthma, pneumonia, lung cancer. Do 40-50 Q-bank questions daily from your primary bank. Begin iatroX Q-Bank with 20 questions daily — the algorithm will start building your personalised weakness profile from day one.
Week 2 — Gastroenterology and Renal: IBD, coeliac, liver disease, AKI, CKD, upper and lower GI bleeding, pancreatitis, renal stones. Continue 40-50 primary Q-bank questions. Continue 20 iatroX questions (the spaced repetition will now include Week 1 review questions automatically).
Week 3 — Neurology and Psychiatry: Stroke, epilepsy, headache (including the safety-critical giant cell arteritis), MS, Parkinson's, depression, psychosis, anxiety, eating disorders, personality disorders. Same daily targets.
Week 4 — Endocrine and Musculoskeletal: Diabetes (all 8 NICE care processes — the exam tests this), thyroid disease, Addison's, Cushing's, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, osteoporosis, back pain red flags.
End of Phase 1 checkpoint: You should have completed approximately 800-1,000 primary Q-bank questions and 400+ iatroX questions. Review your iatroX performance dashboard — the weakest topics identified here should be prioritised in Phase 2.
Phase 2: Expansion and Clinical Reasoning (Weeks 5-8)
Phase 2 covers the remaining clinical domains and shifts focus toward clinical reasoning and application.
Week 5 — Women's Health and Paediatrics: The MLA significantly expanded women's health content. Cover obstetric emergencies, antenatal screening, contraception, menstrual disorders, ectopic pregnancy, cervical screening. Paediatrics: febrile child, safeguarding, developmental milestones, common childhood infections. Do 50 primary questions and 25 iatroX questions daily.
Week 6 — Surgery and Emergency Medicine: Acute abdomen, appendicitis, bowel obstruction, testicular torsion, fracture management, burns, anaphylaxis, DKA, sepsis (updated recognition criteria), status epilepticus. Use Brainstorm for emergency scenarios — structured reasoning under time pressure.
Week 7 — Dermatology, ENT, Ophthalmology, Haematology: These specialties appear less frequently but are high-yield per question because many candidates neglect them. Melanoma, eczema, psoriasis, hearing loss, red eye, acute visual loss, anaemia, leukaemia, lymphoma, clotting disorders.
Week 8 — Ethics, Professionalism, Public Health, Pharmacology: Do not underestimate this week. Ethics and professionalism questions are among the most commonly failed. Cover GMC Good Medical Practice, consent, capacity (Mental Capacity Act), confidentiality, safeguarding, Gillick competence, Fraser guidelines. Pharmacology: drug interactions, monitoring requirements, prescribing in renal/hepatic impairment.
End of Phase 2 checkpoint: Complete your first full timed mock exam (180 questions in 180 minutes). Score and analyse by topic. The topics where you scored lowest become your targeted revision priorities for Phase 3.
Phase 3: Consolidation, Mocks, and Exam Readiness (Weeks 9-12)
Phase 3 is about closing gaps, building exam stamina, and reaching peak performance on exam day.
Week 9 — Targeted Weakness Revision: Use your mock exam analysis and iatroX performance data to identify your 5-6 weakest topics. Spend the entire week on these. Use Ask iatroX to verify every guideline point you are unsure about — this is the week for precision, not breadth.
Week 10 — Mock Exam 2 and 3: Complete two more full timed mocks under exam conditions. No breaks, no phone, strict timing. Analyse results the same day while the questions are fresh. Target any new weak areas identified.
Week 11 — High-Yield Review and Mock 4: Focus on the conditions that appear most frequently: diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, asthma/COPD, ACS, stroke, pregnancy complications, mental health, prescribing safety. Complete mock 4. Your score should be improving with each mock.
Week 12 — Final Review and Rest: Complete your final mock (mock 5) at the start of the week. Spend 2-3 days on light revision of incorrectly answered questions only — no new material. Rest for the final 2 days before the exam. Sleep, eat well, and trust the preparation you have done.
Daily Routine Template
Morning (3 hours): 50 Q-bank questions from primary bank. Review explanations immediately.
Midday (1 hour): 20-25 iatroX Q-Bank questions (spaced repetition — the algorithm chooses what you need to review).
Afternoon (2-3 hours): Topic-specific study for the week's domain. Use the Knowledge Centre for structured guideline review. Use Ask iatroX to clarify any unclear points.
Evening (1 hour): Review incorrect questions from the day. Note patterns — are you consistently getting pharmacology wrong? Ethics? Emergency presentations? These patterns guide your Phase 3 targeting.
One day off per week. Burnout is a real risk over 12 weeks. Protect your rest day.
The Key Principle
Consistency beats intensity. 6 hours of focused daily study for 12 weeks (approximately 500 hours total) will produce better results than 14-hour days for 4 weeks followed by burnout. The spaced repetition from iatroX Q-Bank ensures that early material is retained throughout — you are not just learning and forgetting; you are building durable knowledge that lasts through exam day and into clinical practice.
Start today. The 12 weeks begin when you begin.