PLAB 2 and PACES Communication Practice Bank: 40 Scenarios with Timers and Model Phrases

What this bank is and how to use it

This page holds 40 communication scenarios for PLAB 2 and MRCP(UK) PACES, all written by TalkDrill: 20 PLAB 2 scenarios (counselling, breaking bad news, angry or worried patients, consent and explanation) and 20 PACES scenarios (10 communication encounters and 10 consultations). Each has a station card, a brief for whoever plays the patient or relative, the key lines of a strong consultation and an examiner note naming the PLAB 2 domain or PACES skills it tests. Set the timer shown on each scenario: 8 minutes for PLAB 2 (per the GMC PLAB 2 guide), 10 minutes for a PACES communication encounter and 15 plus 5 minutes for a PACES consultation (per the Federation PACES format page). Then mark yourself on the sheet below. Practise with a partner, a colleague or the TalkDrill AI role-play. Do not memorise the model lines; examiners mark the conversation you actually have with the person in front of you.

One warning that applies to every scenario. TalkDrill is an English communication practice tool, not a medical school. The clinical content is simplified so that you can practise the conversation. It is not clinical advice, and it must be checked against current UK guidance before you rely on it. What this bank trains is the part the GMC calls interpersonal skills and the part PACES calls Clinical Communication and Managing Patients' Concerns: how you open, how you listen, how you explain in plain English, and how you close safely.

Timers: 8, 10 and 20 minutes

The clock is half the difficulty. A conversation that would take a relaxed fifteen minutes on a ward has to fit eight minutes in PLAB 2 or ten in a PACES communication encounter. Practise with the real limits from the first day.

Station	Time	What happens inside the time	Source
PLAB 2 scenario	8 minutes	One scenario in a mock consultation or acute ward setting, usually with a simulated patient, occasionally with the examiner. 16 scenarios in about three hours, with at least two rest stations.	GMC PLAB 2 guide
PACES communication encounter (stations 1 and 4)	10 minutes	Patient or surrogate interaction only, with "no examiner-candidate interaction". In the official examples, examiners say when two minutes remain, and the card says "DO NOT EXAMINE THE PATIENT" and "DO NOT TAKE A HISTORY".	Federation format page; PACES23 communication encounter examples PDF
PACES consultation (stations 2 and 5)	20 minutes	15 minutes for history, examination and discussion with the patient, then a 5-minute question and answer with the lead examiner.	Federation format page
Between PACES stations	5 minutes	A 5-minute period between each station; the whole carousel takes 125 minutes. The official cards say "Please read the scenario printed below. When the bell sounds, enter the room."	Federation format page; PACES23 examples PDF

We do not give a PLAB 2 reading time on this page because we did not find it on the GMC pages we read. For practice, read the card, then start the 8-minute clock.

Our suggested split of the clock

The splits below are TalkDrill's suggestion for practice, not a GMC or Federation rule. They exist to stop the commonest failure, which is spending six minutes on questions and having nothing left for the explanation and the plan.

PLAB 2 (8 minutes)	PACES communication (10 minutes)	The job
0:00 to 0:45	0:00 to 1:00	Greet, introduce yourself, confirm who you are speaking to, ask permission, set the agenda.
0:45 to 2:30	1:00 to 4:00	What do they know? Ideas, concerns, expectations. Listen for the hidden worry in the brief.
2:30 to 6:00	4:00 to 8:00	Explain in chunks of one or two sentences, check after each, answer the question they came to ask.
6:00 to 7:15	8:00 to 9:00	Agree the plan, safety-net with specific warning signs.
7:15 to 8:00	9:00 to 10:00	Summarise, ask for questions, close warmly. In PACES, the official examples expect "a summary plan of action" agreed before closure.

Running a station with a partner

A good partner makes this bank far more useful. A partner who reads the doctor's card, or who helps you out when you go quiet, makes it far less useful. Give your partner these rules. They mirror how the official PACES surrogate briefs are written ("Make sure you ask the following question"), and they work for PLAB 2 too.

1. Separate the papers. The doctor reads only the station card. The partner reads only the brief for the patient or relative. If you are using this page on one phone, the partner holds it.
2. Give feelings freely and facts only when asked. The partner shows the emotion in the brief from the first line, but gives information (the gym visit, the neighbour's addiction, the missed doses) only when the doctor asks a question that would bring it out.
3. Ask the scripted question. Every brief has a "Make sure you ask" line. The partner asks it at a natural moment, usually in the middle third. It is the moment the station turns on.
4. React to the doctor, not to the script. If the doctor lectures, interrupts or uses jargon, the partner gets quieter, more confused or angrier, as the brief says. If the doctor listens well, the partner softens. That feedback is the point.
5. Keep time. Start the timer when the doctor speaks. In a PACES communication encounter, say "two minutes left" at 8 minutes. Stop at the limit even mid-sentence.
6. Two lines of feedback, then the sheet. The partner names one moment they felt heard and one moment they felt lost. Then both of you mark the recording on the sheet below.

For PACES consultations, the partner also plays the lead examiner for the last 5 minutes. Good examiner-style questions: "What is your differential diagnosis?", "What would you do next and why?", "How would you explain the risks of that treatment?" and "What did the patient say that changed your plan?" Answer them in plain clinical English, in full sentences.

No partner tonight? Read the brief, then rehearse the spoken part in the TalkDrill AI role-play, which plays the other person so you can practise saying the lines aloud under time. Recording yourself is not optional either way. You cannot hear your own pace, your own jargon or your own interruptions while you are speaking.

The self-marking sheet: GMC domains and PACES skills

Mark from the recording, not from memory. Give yourself the mark the evidence supports. Use the sheet that matches the exam you are sitting.

PLAB 2: the three GMC domains

Per the GMC PLAB 2 guide ("how will you be tested"), every scenario is marked on three domains. The guide lists what sits in the second and third; the questions in the right-hand column are ours. The GMC does not publish a station-level scale for candidates, so the three-point scale below (clear, partly, missed) is for practice only.

GMC domain	What it covers	Ask yourself (TalkDrill)	Your mark
1. Data gathering, technical and assessment skills	Our reading: the focused history, and any examination or practical task the scenario asks for.	Did I ask the questions that rule out danger (the warning signs, the safeguarding question, the capacity check)? Did I find the real reason for the visit?	Clear / partly / missed
2. Clinical management skills	Formulating a diagnosis, explaining something to the patient, and a management plan (GMC guide).	Did I give the diagnosis or result in plain words? Was the plan specific (who, what, when)? Did I safety-net with named warning signs?	Clear / partly / missed
3. Interpersonal skills	Rapport, open and closed questioning, involving the patient, and professionalism (GMC guide). Tested by observing your interaction with a simulated patient or occasionally the examiner.	Did I open with an open question? Did I respond to the emotion before the facts? Did I offer choices? Did I check understanding with teach-back?	Clear / partly / missed

PACES: skills C, E, F and G from the official marksheet

The descriptors below are quoted from the Federation's PACES23 Station 1 Communication marksheet (fetched 21 October 2026). For each skill the marksheet prints the behaviours of a satisfactory candidate and the behaviours that pull a mark down; each examiner then records Satisfactory (2), Borderline (1) or Unsatisfactory (0), and the marksheet says any borderline or unsatisfactory mark "MUST be accompanied by comments".

Skill	Satisfactory (marksheet)	Pulls the mark down (marksheet)	Ask yourself (TalkDrill)
C: Clinical Communication	"Explains clinical information and management options in a clear, structured, comprehensive, and professional manner"; "Assesses impact of symptoms and identifies patient's preferred management options"	"Gives unclear or insufficient information"; "Unsystematic; uses jargon; appears unpractised; unprofessional"; "Fails to involve patient/relative in developing management plan"	Count the medical words I left unexplained. Did I ask what they would prefer?
E: Clinical Judgement	"Applies appropriate and accurate clinical knowledge, and principles of law and ethics, to select or negotiate a sensible and relevant management plan for this specific patient, relative or clinical situation, including a timescale where appropriate"	"Fails to apply appropriate and accurate clinical knowledge, and principles of law and ethics, to this case"; "Selects or negotiates an inappropriate, incomplete or incorrect management plan"	Did I name the ethical or legal point (capacity, confidentiality, candour, best interests)? Did the plan have a timescale?
F: Managing Patients' Concerns	"Seeks, detects, acknowledges and addresses patient's/relative's specific questions or concerns in an empathetic manner"; "Demonstrates active listening and confirms patient's or relative's understanding"	"Overlooks or fails to address patient's/relative's specific questions or concerns"; "Poor listening; lacks empathy"	Did I answer the "Make sure you ask" question directly? Did I check understanding at least twice?
G: Maintaining Patient Welfare	"Treats patient/relative respectfully and sensitively, ensuring comfort, safety and dignity"	"Causes patient/relative physical or emotional discomfort"; "Jeopardises patient safety"	Did I leave them safe, with a plan and a way to reach us? Did anything I said cause avoidable distress?

Why G deserves its own row. The Federation's published pass standard for the 2024/01 assessment period (news item of 2 April 2024) required candidates to pass all seven skills and reach 126 of 168 overall, with minimums that included C 11 of 16, E 20 of 32, F 10 of 16 and G 28 of 32. Skill G is marked in all eight encounters by two examiners, so it collects 16 judgements; 28 of 32 leaves very little room for a borderline. That standard is set per assessment period, so check the current one on the Federation site, but the lesson holds: never leave a patient or relative distressed or unsafe at the bell. The PACES encounters page explains the full station table and how the skills add up.

The model phrase sheet

Every model in the bank uses the same moves in the same order. Learn the moves, not the sentences. The phrases below are ours; change the words until they sound like you. The full list of 120 jargon-to-plain swaps, and the empathy lines that do not sound scripted, are on the plain English for patients page.

Move	What it does	Two ways to say it
Opening	Name, role, permission, who is in the room	"Hello, I'm Dr Rao, one of the doctors on the ward. Is it all right if we talk for a few minutes?" / "Before we start, would you like anyone with you?"
Agenda	Tells them, and the examiner, where you are going	"I'd like to hear how things are from your side, then explain the result, then plan together." / "There are three things to cover today."
Ideas	What they think is happening	"What do you think might be causing this?" / "Have you had any thoughts about it yourself?"
Concerns	What they are afraid of	"Is there anything in particular that worries you?" / "What's the worst thing you've been thinking?"
Expectations	What they hoped for today	"What were you hoping we could do today?" / "What would make today worthwhile for you?"
Warning shot	Prepares them for bad news	"I'm afraid the results are not what we hoped." / "I have some difficult news."
Chunk and check	One idea, then a pause and a check	"Does that make sense so far?" / "Shall I go on, or is that enough for now?"
Empathy	Names the feeling before the facts	"This is a lot to take in." / "I can see why you're angry."
Safety-net	Specific signs, and where to go	"If you get chest pain or feel faint, call 999." / "If it's not better in a few days, come back."
Teach-back	Proves understanding without a quiz	"So I know I've explained it well, could you tell me what you'll do?" / "What will you tell your family?"
Close	Summary, questions, warmth	"So, to sum up: ... What questions do you have?" / "Thank you for talking this through with me."

PLAB 2 counselling: 5 scenarios

Counselling stations reward patience. The patient usually knows what you are going to say; the marks are in finding out why they have not done it yet and agreeing one step they will actually take. Lecturing loses the interpersonal domain in the first minute.

P01: Smoking cessation after a normal chest X-ray

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Daniel, 46. You have smoked since you were 15. You tried to stop twice with willpower alone and lasted about a week each time; you were irritable and put on weight. You think the cough is "just a smoker's cough". You secretly worry because your father died of a heart attack in his early sixties. You expected cough medicine, not a talk about smoking. If the doctor lectures you about risks, say "Everyone tells me that" and fold your arms. If the doctor asks what matters to you, mention your daughter's wedding next summer. Make sure you ask: "Do those patches actually work, or is it all willpower?"

Examiner note: Interpersonal skills first, then clinical management skills. Marks come from asking about his ideas and past attempts before advising, and from offering choices. Reciting the risks of smoking in the first minute loses rapport; ending without an agreed, concrete next step loses clinical management.

P02: Raised liver test and drinking most evenings

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Claire, 39. Since your divorce last year you drink a bottle of wine most evenings "to unwind". You do not think you have a problem: you never drink in the morning and you have never missed work. You think the tiredness is stress. You are frightened that a raised liver test means liver damage or cancer. You hoped for a tonic or vitamins. If the doctor uses the word "alcoholic", become defensive and short. If the doctor is kind and curious, admit that the drinking has crept up. Make sure you ask: "Does this mean my liver is damaged for good?"

Examiner note: Interpersonal skills: non-judgemental questions, no labels, and picking up the cue about her divorce. Clinical management skills: a plain explanation that one raised test is not proof of permanent damage, a withdrawal safety-net and agreed follow-up. Quoting units and limits before hearing her story is the usual loss.

P03: Lifestyle after a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Imran, 54. You work late shifts in a restaurant kitchen, eat at odd times and drink sugary fizzy drinks to keep going. Your mother had diabetes and had a foot amputated when you were young. You believe diabetes means insulin injections straight away. You hoped for one tablet that fixes it so life can carry on as normal. If the doctor lists complications quickly, look frightened and stop talking. Make sure you ask: "Will I have to inject insulin like my mother did?"

Examiner note: Clinical management skills: a correct, plain explanation and a stepwise plan (nurse, education, foot and eye checks). Interpersonal skills: picking up the cue about his mother and the fear of insulin. A rapid list of complications, and no check that he understood, are the usual losses.

P04: A 15-year-old asks for the pill and does not want her parents told

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Ella, 15. Your boyfriend is 16 and goes to your school. You have been together for six months and you plan to have sex soon. You feel ready and say it is your decision. Nobody is pressuring you, and you do not use drugs or alcohol. You do not want your mum told because she is very religious. You open up if the doctor is warm and does not judge. If the doctor says "You're too young", go quiet and say "Forget it". Make sure you ask: "Will you tell my mum?"

Examiner note: Data gathering: the partner's age and the safeguarding questions are part of the station, not optional extras. Interpersonal skills: respect, and confidentiality explained with its limits. Clinical management skills: options, condoms and follow-up. Refusing outright, or promising absolute secrecy, are the usual losses. The competence assessment rests on UK guidance for under-16s (the Fraser guidelines); check the current wording.

P05: Asthma: using the reliever, not the preventer

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Aisha, 24. You stopped the brown inhaler because "it didn't do anything", and you read online that steroids make you put on weight. The blue one works straight away, so you trust it. You wake once or twice a week with a tight chest. You hoped for a stronger blue inhaler. If the doctor simply says "You must take the brown one", say "I'll try" in a flat voice. Make sure you ask: "Isn't the brown one a steroid? I don't want to put on weight."

Examiner note: Clinical management skills: the reliever and preventer explained in plain words, a technique check and emergency advice. Interpersonal skills: the steroid worry answered directly instead of repeating the instruction. Data gathering: night symptoms and daily reliever use show poor control. No technique check and no emergency plan are the usual losses.

PLAB 2 breaking bad news: 5 scenarios

The order is always the same: find out what they know, fire a warning shot, give the news in one plain sentence, then stop talking. Silence is part of the answer. P08 is a telephone station; the full worked version is on the station scripts page.

P06: Biopsy result: bowel cancer

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are George, 67. You came alone because your wife is unwell at home and you look after her. You suspected something was wrong because your father had bowel cancer. When you hear the word cancer, go quiet for several seconds and look at the floor. Then ask whether it has spread. You want honesty and dislike "beating about the bush". Your real worry is who will look after your wife. Make sure you ask: "How long have I got?"

Examiner note: Interpersonal skills carry this station: a warning shot, silence after the word cancer, and responding to his feelings before more facts. Clinical management skills: the next steps (scan, the specialist team, a named nurse) without promising an outcome. Avoiding the word cancer, or answering "how long" with a number, are the usual losses.

P07: Miscarriage confirmed on an early pregnancy scan

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Priya, 31. This is your first pregnancy after two years of trying. Your husband is parking the car. You blame yourself because you went to the gym last week. When told, cry quietly. You worry this will happen every time. Make sure you ask: "Did I do something to cause this?"

Examiner note: Interpersonal skills: the self-blame question is the moment the station turns on; answer it directly and kindly. Clinical management skills: options in general terms, no pressure to decide, and a safety-net for bleeding and infection. Words such as "non-viable" or "products of conception", or rushing into options before she is ready, are the usual losses.

P08: Telephone station: telling a daughter her father has died

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Susan, 55. You are getting ready for work when the phone rings. You knew your father was ill, but yesterday the nurses said he was "comfortable". When told, cry and ask "Was he alone? Was he in pain?" You feel guilty for going home last night. Make sure you ask: "Why didn't anyone call me in the night?" If the doctor answers kindly and honestly, accept it.

Examiner note: Interpersonal skills: checking identity, checking she is safe to talk, a warning shot and silence. Clinical management skills: clear practical next steps. In our judgement data gathering is light here and the marks sit in the other two domains. Euphemisms such as "passed on" or "we lost him" leave doubt on a phone line; the word "died" is the kind one.

P09: Chest X-ray shows a shadow that needs urgent tests

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Margaret, 63. You stopped smoking ten years ago. You came hoping for antibiotics. Your husband died of lung cancer and you nursed him at home. As soon as you hear the word shadow, ask "Is it cancer?" You want an answer today and get frustrated with vague replies. Make sure you ask: "Is it cancer? Just tell me."

Examiner note: Clinical management skills: honest uncertainty plus an urgent suspected cancer referral. Interpersonal skills: answering "Is it cancer?" truthfully without overstating, and acknowledging her husband's death. "Don't worry, it's probably nothing" (false reassurance) and "It's lung cancer" (overstated) both lose marks.

P10: Early Alzheimer's disease: telling the patient

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Harold, 74. You have been forgetting names and once got lost driving to your daughter's house. You think it is "just old age". Your brother had dementia and went into a care home, and you fear being a burden to your wife, June. When told, go quiet, then ask: "Will I end up not knowing my wife?" Make sure you also ask: "Can I still drive?"

Examiner note: Interpersonal skills: checking he still wants to know, and responding to the fear of being a burden. Clinical management skills: a plain diagnosis, an honest outlook without a timescale, the duty to tell the DVLA, the memory service and planning ahead. Talking to his wife over his head when he has capacity is the usual loss.

PLAB 2 angry or worried patient: 5 scenarios

Let them finish. Apologise for what they experienced, without blaming a colleague. Then offer something concrete. When something has gone wrong, be open about it: the GMC expects candour, and these stations test it.

P11: Operation cancelled on the day, for the second time

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Kevin, 49. You lose money every day you do not work, and you arranged cover for two weeks. Start loudly: "This is a joke. Second time!" Calm down only if the doctor lets you finish, apologises sincerely and offers something concrete. If the doctor makes excuses or says "calm down", get louder. Make sure you ask: "Who do I complain to?"

Examiner note: Interpersonal skills: letting him speak without interruption, a sincere apology without blaming colleagues, and never "calm down". Clinical management skills: a concrete next step (a new date, food now) and the complaint route. Defensive explanations of how busy theatres are lose marks in both domains.

P12: A wrist fracture missed in the emergency department

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Laura, 34. Your wrist still hurts and you have been cutting hair through the pain. You are angry: "So I've been working on a broken wrist for ten days?" You worry it will not heal and that you cannot work. You want an honest explanation and an apology, and you calm down if the doctor is open and makes no excuses. Make sure you ask: "Will this be reported, and is anyone going to be held responsible?"

Examiner note: Clinical management skills and interpersonal skills together. The GMC expects openness when something goes wrong (the professional duty of candour), so marks go to an early, clear apology, an honest account and a plan. Hiding behind "the X-ray was hard to read", or blaming a named colleague, are the usual losses.

P13: Headaches and a request for a brain scan

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Oliver, 28. A colleague's brother was diagnosed with a brain tumour after "just headaches", and you have been reading online at night. The pain is band-like and comes at the end of the day. No vomiting, no weakness, no change in vision, not worse lying down. You sleep badly and drink a lot of coffee. You want an MRI "just to be sure". Make sure you ask: "How can you be sure it's not a tumour without a scan?"

Examiner note: Data gathering: the warning-sign questions are the evidence for your reassurance. Interpersonal skills: taking the tumour fear seriously before declining the scan. Clinical management skills: a clear plan and a specific safety-net. Refusing the scan without saying why, or ordering it to end the conversation, are the usual losses.

P14: A tired mother wants antibiotics for her child's cold

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Sofia, Leo's mother. You are exhausted after three bad nights and must go back to work tomorrow. Last winter another doctor gave antibiotics "and he got better". You want antibiotics. If the doctor only says "it's a virus", become irritated. Accept no antibiotics if the doctor explains clearly, shows they took you seriously and tells you exactly when to come back. Make sure you ask: "What if it turns into something serious overnight?"

Examiner note: Clinical management skills: the decision is easy; the marks are in explaining it and in a safety-net a tired parent can remember. Interpersonal skills: noticing her exhaustion and the pressure of work. "It's just a virus" with no plan, or prescribing to end the argument, are the usual losses.

P15: A daughter is angry that her father fell on the ward

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Helen, 58. On admission you told the nurses that your father gets confused and wanders at night. You are angry: "I told them this would happen." You worry he will fall again and break a hip. You want an apology and closer watching. Make sure you ask: "What are you going to do so this doesn't happen again?"

Examiner note: Interpersonal skills: an apology for what she experienced, without defensiveness, and acknowledging that her warning was not acted on. Clinical management skills: a clear account and specific measures against falls. Data gathering: asking what she has heard so far. "These things happen in hospital", or promising he will never fall again, are the usual losses.

PLAB 2 consent and explanation: 5 scenarios

Consent is a conversation, not a form. Explain what, why, the risks that matter to this person, the alternatives including doing nothing, and then check understanding in their words. The decision is theirs.

P16: Consent for an upper GI endoscopy

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Fatima, 58. You are frightened of choking on the tube; a friend had "a camera" and said it was awful. You think the anaemia is from your diet. You hoped tablets would be enough. Make sure you ask: "Are you looking for cancer?" and "Will I be awake?"

Examiner note: Clinical management skills: the parts of valid consent in the GMC guidance on decision making and consent (what, why, risks, alternatives including doing nothing, and her choice). Interpersonal skills: the fear of choking dealt with before the list of risks. A risk list she cannot use, and no teach-back, are the usual losses.

P17: Atrial fibrillation and a blood thinner

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Sunil, 71. You are worried about "blood thinners" because a friend on warfarin needed frequent blood tests and bled badly after a fall. You want to go home today. Make sure you ask: "Isn't this rat poison? Will I need blood tests every week?"

Examiner note: Clinical management skills: a balanced account of benefit and harm that leads to a shared decision. Interpersonal skills: the "rat poison" question taken seriously and answered plainly. "You must take it", or leaving "anticoagulation" and "thromboembolism" unexplained, are the usual losses.

P18: A Jehovah's Witness declines a blood transfusion

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Samuel, 45. You are a Jehovah's Witness and you will not accept blood. You carry a signed advance decision card. You feel tired and a little breathless. You expect to be pressured, and you become firm if you are. You will consider some alternatives (iron through a drip, medicines that reduce bleeding) and want to know which are acceptable. Make sure you ask: "Will you give me blood if I become unconscious?"

Examiner note: Clinical management skills: checking capacity through his understanding of the risks, offering alternatives and recording a valid advance decision. Interpersonal skills: no pressure and no judgement of his faith. Repeated persuasion, or saying "we'll give blood in an emergency" when a valid advance decision exists, are the usual losses. Check current UK guidance on advance decisions.

P19: Explaining an underactive thyroid and levothyroxine

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Rachel, 36. You are relieved there is a reason for the tiredness, but scared of "being on tablets for life". You are planning a pregnancy next year. You hoped for a quick fix. Make sure you ask: "Is it safe to get pregnant on this tablet?"

Examiner note: Clinical management skills: a correct, plain explanation and a monitoring plan. Interpersonal skills: responding to the pregnancy plan, which is her real concern. Using "thyroxine", "TSH" or "hypothyroidism" without explaining them is the usual loss.

P20: A patient with chest pain wants to leave before his repeat test

Timer: 8 minutes (the GMC PLAB 2 scenario length). Read the card first, then start the clock.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Craig, 52. You feel fine now and think the pain was indigestion. Your ex-wife cannot collect your 9-year-old son today and nobody else can. You will stay if the doctor helps you find a solution for your son. Make sure you ask: "You can't keep me here, can you?"

Examiner note: Data gathering: finding the real reason (his son) is what makes a solution possible. Clinical management skills: risks explained, capacity checked through his understanding, practical help, and a safe exit if he still leaves. Interpersonal skills: respecting his choice without threats. "You're not allowed to leave", or letting him go without a safety-net, are the usual losses.

PACES communication encounters (10 min): 10 scenarios

These follow the layout of the Federation's PACES23 communication examples: your role, the problem, the patient and relative, the scenario and your task, with no history and no examination. Two examiners watch and do not take part in the conversation. Skills C, E, F and G are marked. Most of these carry an ethical or legal point (capacity, confidentiality, candour, best interests), which is where skill E lives. Clinical and legal points are simplified for practice; check current UK guidance.

C01: A DNACPR decision: the son is upset

Timer: 10 minutes with the patient or relative. Your partner says "two minutes left" at 8 minutes, as examiners do in the official examples.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Paul, 58. You think "do not resuscitate" means the hospital is "giving up" and will stop treating your mother. You have read that CPR saves lives. You live far away and feel guilty. Make sure you ask: "So you're just going to let her die?" Other questions you might ask: "Can I overrule this?" and "Will she still get antibiotics and fluids?"

Examiner note: C: CPR explained as what it really is, without jargon. F: answering "let her die" with empathy and the clear message that care continues. E: the legal and ethical position (the decision about CPR is a clinical one, those close to a patient who lacks capacity should be consulted and told, and a second opinion can be requested; check current UK guidance). G: her dignity throughout. Arguing statistics, or letting him believe treatment will stop, are the usual losses.

C02: A wife asks you not to tell her husband he has cancer

Timer: 10 minutes with the patient or relative. Your partner says "two minutes left" at 8 minutes, as examiners do in the official examples.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Gurpreet, 66. You believe that telling your husband will make him "give up", and that "in our family we protect the sick". He had depression some years ago. Make sure you ask: "Please don't tell him. It will kill him." Other questions you might ask: "What if he asks you directly?"

Examiner note: F: exploring her fear (his past depression, family expectations) before stating the principle. E: a patient with capacity has a right to information and must not be deceived, balanced by letting him set the pace. C: plain, kind language. Agreeing to keep the secret, or stating the rule coldly in the first minute, are the usual losses.

C03: Epilepsy: the patient will not stop driving

Timer: 10 minutes with the patient or relative. Your partner says "two minutes left" at 8 minutes, as examiners do in the official examples.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Lewis, 34. Without a car you will lose your job, and you have two children and a mortgage. You feel fine on the tablets. Say: "I'll just keep quiet. Who's going to know?" Soften if the doctor explores the work problem and talks about options. Make sure you ask: "Are you going to report me?"

Examiner note: E: the GMC guidance on fitness to drive (persuade first; if he keeps driving, disclose to the DVLA and tell him before you do). F: the job and money worry taken seriously. C: firm and clear without threats. G: his safety and the public's. Promising confidentiality, or threatening to report him in the first minute, are the usual losses.

C04: Huntington's disease: the patient does not want her sister told

Timer: 10 minutes with the patient or relative. Your partner says "two minutes left" at 8 minutes, as examiners do in the official examples.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Natalie, 38. You and your sister fell out two years ago over your father's estate. You do not want her to know because she "will pity me", and you fear the news will reach your employer. Make sure you ask: "You can't tell her without my permission, can you?" You will consider telling her yourself if the doctor is patient and offers help from the genetics team.

Examiner note: E: GMC confidentiality guidance allows disclosure to a relative at serious risk only rarely, after trying to get consent; show you know it is a balance, not an automatic yes or no. F: the family rift and the fear about work explored. C: her sister's risk explained plainly. Telling her the sister must be informed, or ending without a plan, are the usual losses.

C05: Ceiling of care in severe COPD

Timer: 10 minutes with the patient or relative. Your partner says "two minutes left" at 8 minutes, as examiners do in the official examples.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Frank, 78. You hated the mask but it helped. You are afraid of "choking to death". You want to stay at home with your dog for as long as possible. You suspect the doctors are "writing you off". Make sure you ask: "If I get worse, will you just let me suffocate?"

Examiner note: C: intensive care and its limits explained plainly. F: the fear of suffocating met head-on. E: a shared decision on a ceiling of care, advance care planning and clear documentation. G: comfort and dignity. A list of procedures without asking what matters to him is the usual loss.

C06: Inviting a patient into a clinical trial

Timer: 10 minutes with the patient or relative. Your partner says "two minutes left" at 8 minutes, as examiners do in the official examples.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Joan, 64. You worry about being "a guinea pig". You do not understand "randomised" or "placebo". You would like to help others, but you fear side effects and worry that saying no would upset your doctor. Make sure you ask: "If I say no, will my care be any different?" and "Will I know which tablet I'm on?"

Examiner note: C: randomisation and placebo explained without jargon. E: valid consent for research (voluntary, informed, free to withdraw without affecting care). F: the "guinea pig" fear and the worry about upsetting the doctor. Pushing recruitment, or saying "double-blind randomised controlled trial" without explaining it, are the usual losses.

C07: New rheumatoid arthritis and starting methotrexate

Timer: 10 minutes with the patient or relative. Your partner says "two minutes left" at 8 minutes, as examiners do in the official examples.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Amina, 42. Your aunt had "arthritis" and ended up with twisted hands. You read online that methotrexate is a chemotherapy drug. You are frightened of losing your work, which depends on your hands. Make sure you ask: "Isn't methotrexate a cancer drug?"

Examiner note: C: a plain explanation and a teach-back. E: the safety essentials of a weekly drug with blood monitoring. F: the "cancer drug" fear and her livelihood. G: she leaves knowing how to stay safe. A long list of side effects with no context, or no mention of weekly dosing, are the usual losses. Clinical detail is simplified; check current UK guidance.

C08: A mother demands her 17-year-old daughter's results

Timer: 10 minutes with the patient or relative. Your partner says "two minutes left" at 8 minutes, as examiners do in the official examples.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Karen, 45. You are frightened: your daughter is pale and quiet and will not talk to you. You suspect drugs. Say: "I'm her mother. I have a right to know." Make sure you ask: "What are you hiding from me?" Calm down if the doctor is kind, explains why they cannot share, and offers a way forward.

Examiner note: E: confidentiality for a 17-year-old with capacity, under GMC confidentiality guidance. F: the mother's fear explored and acknowledged. C: saying no clearly and kindly. G: supporting Chloe to share in her own time. Hinting at the diagnosis, or refusing coldly and leaving, are the usual losses.

C09: Motor neurone disease: planning ahead with an advance decision

Timer: 10 minutes with the patient or relative. Your partner says "two minutes left" at 8 minutes, as examiners do in the official examples.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are David, 61, a retired police officer. You watched a colleague with motor neurone disease spend months on a ventilator, and you do not want that. You worry your wife will be "made to decide" when you cannot speak. Make sure you ask: "If I can't speak, who decides?"

Examiner note: E: the Mental Capacity Act requirements for an advance decision refusing life-sustaining treatment, and the option of a lasting power of attorney for health and welfare. F: his fear for his wife. C: a plain, unhurried explanation. G: comfort promised and meant. Steering him back towards treatments he has refused is the usual loss.

C10: Recommending an HIV test

Timer: 10 minutes with the patient or relative. Your partner says "two minutes left" at 8 minutes, as examiners do in the official examples.

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Marco, 40. Two years ago you had unprotected sex with a new partner abroad and you have worried quietly ever since. You fear people at work will find out, and you think HIV is "a death sentence". Make sure you ask: "Who will see the result?" and "What if it's positive?"

Examiner note: C: the test offered as routine, in plain words. F: confidentiality and stigma addressed. E: testing needs his consent, and a positive result leads to effective treatment. G: privacy and dignity. Lecturing about risk, or testing without clear consent, are the usual losses.

PACES consultations (20 min): 10 scenarios

A consultation is marked on all seven skills, A to G. You have 15 minutes to take a focused history, examine what is relevant and respond to the patient's concerns, then 5 minutes of questions from the lead examiner (Federation format page). The models below show the communication spine only. The examination itself is for your clinical preparation, and your partner should play the examiner for the last 5 minutes.

K01: New headaches in a 72-year-old

Timer: 15 minutes with the patient, then 5 minutes of examiner-style questions from your partner (20 minutes in all).

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Brenda, 72. Right-sided headaches for three weeks. Your scalp is tender when you brush your hair, and your jaw aches when you chew. Yesterday the vision in your right eye blurred for a few minutes. You think it is a brain tumour and you want a scan. Make sure you ask: "Is it a brain tumour?" and "Do I have to take steroids? I've heard they make you fat."

Examiner note: All seven skills, A to G. D and E: the scalp and jaw questions earn the diagnosis, and urgent treatment protects vision. C and F: the tumour fear answered and the steroid worry handled. G: comfort during the examination. In the 5-minute discussion, be ready to justify starting steroids before tests confirm it. A long systems review that leaves no time to explain is the usual loss.

K02: Breathlessness and ankle swelling after a heart attack

Timer: 15 minutes with the patient, then 5 minutes of examiner-style questions from your partner (20 minutes in all).

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Peter, 74. You get breathless on the stairs, your ankles swell by evening, you sleep on three pillows and twice you woke up gasping. You think it is old age and hoped for an inhaler. You care for your wife, who has Parkinson's disease. Make sure you ask: "Is my heart failing? Does that mean it's going to stop?"

Examiner note: All seven skills, A to G. D and E: breathlessness lying flat and at night after a heart attack point to heart failure. C: explaining the term so it does not frighten. F: his role as a carer. G: positioning him comfortably for the examination. Saying "heart failure" and moving on is the usual loss.

K03: Weight loss and tiredness in a 61-year-old

Timer: 15 minutes with the patient, then 5 minutes of examiner-style questions from your partner (20 minutes in all).

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Linda, 61. You have lost about a stone in four months, feel tired, have a poor appetite and feel full after small meals. No change in your bowels, no bleeding, no cough. You think it is stress since your husband retired. Your sister died of ovarian cancer. Make sure you ask: "Do you think it's cancer?"

Examiner note: All seven skills, A to G. D: a sensible differential, said in lay terms. E: an urgent, proportionate plan for investigation. F: the sister's death and the cancer fear acknowledged without false reassurance. C: honesty about uncertainty. "I'm sure it's nothing", or a list of tests with no explanation, are the usual losses.

K04: Palpitations and a family history of sudden death

Timer: 15 minutes with the patient, then 5 minutes of examiner-style questions from your partner (20 minutes in all).

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Jessica, 35. Twice a week your heart suddenly races, then suddenly stops racing after a few minutes. No fainting and no chest pain. You drink five cups of coffee a day and sleep badly at the moment. Your uncle died suddenly at 40 "of his heart". Make sure you ask: "Could I die suddenly like my uncle?"

Examiner note: All seven skills, A to G. D: sudden onset and offset suggest a re-entrant tachycardia; the family history of sudden death changes the plan. E: ECG, monitoring and a low threshold for cardiology referral. F: the fear of sudden death acknowledged. C: a plain account of an electrical problem. Blaming coffee and stress without addressing the family history is the usual loss.

K05: Joint pains and a facial rash in a 30-year-old

Timer: 15 minutes with the patient, then 5 minutes of examiner-style questions from your partner (20 minutes in all).

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Zara, 30. Your small hand joints ache, you have a red rash over your cheeks after being in the sun, mouth ulcers, tiredness and thinning hair. You think it is a vitamin deficiency. You and your husband are planning a pregnancy. Make sure you ask: "Can I still get pregnant?"

Examiner note: All seven skills, A to G. D: the pattern (rash after sun, ulcers, joint pain, hair loss) suggests lupus. E: checking the urine for kidney involvement. F: the pregnancy question answered honestly. C: "immune system" explained simply. Never asking about pregnancy plans, the patient's real agenda, is the usual loss.

K06: Blackouts on exertion in a 68-year-old driver

Timer: 15 minutes with the patient, then 5 minutes of examiner-style questions from your partner (20 minutes in all).

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Roger, 68, retired. You drive your grandchildren to school. You collapsed twice: once walking up a hill, suddenly and without warning, and you came round quickly. No tongue biting and no confusion afterwards. You sometimes get chest tightness on effort. You think it is low sugar. Make sure you ask: "Can I keep driving?"

Examiner note: All seven skills, A to G. A and B: listening for a murmur with this story. D: collapse on exertion with chest tightness points to a cardiac cause such as aortic stenosis. E: an urgent heart scan and driving advice. F: his independence and the grandchildren. Forgetting the driving question until the examiner raises it is the usual loss.

K07: Type 2 diabetes, numb feet and a painless sore

Timer: 15 minutes with the patient, then 5 minutes of examiner-style questions from your partner (20 minutes in all).

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Vikram, 58. You own a busy shop. Your feet are numb and burn at night. Last week you noticed a small, painless sore on the sole of your foot. You think it is poor circulation from standing all day. Your sugar control has been poor. You worry about time off from the shop. Make sure you ask: "Will I lose my foot?"

Examiner note: All seven skills, A to G. A and B: sensation, pulses and the ulcer. D: a neuropathic ulcer. E: urgent referral to the foot team. F: the amputation fear and his business. G: careful handling of the foot. Treating the sore as minor because it is painless is the usual loss.

K08: A tremor and the fear of Parkinson's disease

Timer: 15 minutes with the patient, then 5 minutes of examiner-style questions from your partner (20 minutes in all).

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Patricia, 65, a retired piano teacher. Your hands shake when you hold a cup or write, and it is better after a glass of wine. Your father had the same. You have no slowness, stiffness or falls. A friend has Parkinson's disease and you fear losing your independence. You want a brain scan. Make sure you ask: "Is it Parkinson's?"

Examiner note: All seven skills, A to G. A and B: rest versus postural tremor, and no rigidity or slowness. D: essential tremor. C and F: a clear "I don't think this is Parkinson's", with reasons she can follow. Ordering a scan by reflex instead of explaining the clinical reasoning is the usual loss.

K09: High blood pressure despite three tablets in a 40-year-old

Timer: 15 minutes with the patient, then 5 minutes of examiner-style questions from your partner (20 minutes in all).

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Tunde, 40. You take your tablets but often forget the evening one. You snore loudly and wake up tired, and your wife says you stop breathing at night. You take ibuprofen most days for back pain. Your father died of a stroke at 55. You hoped for a stronger tablet. Make sure you ask: "Am I going to have a stroke like my father?"

Examiner note: All seven skills, A to G. D: secondary causes in a young patient (sleep apnoea, anti-inflammatory painkillers, missed doses, hormonal causes such as primary aldosteronism). E: testing before adding drugs. F: his father's stroke. C: asking about missed doses without blame. Adding a fourth drug without asking how he takes the first three is the usual loss.

K10: Back pain and morning stiffness in a 28-year-old

Timer: 15 minutes with the patient, then 5 minutes of examiner-style questions from your partner (20 minutes in all).

Brief for the patient or relative (your partner reads this, you do not): You are Ryan, 28. Your lower back is worst in the morning, with about an hour of stiffness, and better after exercise. It wakes you in the second half of the night. Last year you had a red, painful eye. You think it is from lifting at work and you hoped for physiotherapy. You fear being "bent over by 40" and losing your job. Make sure you ask: "Will I end up bent over?"

Examiner note: All seven skills, A to G. A and B: spinal movement and chest expansion. D: the features of inflammatory back pain. E: MRI and rheumatology referral, with an eye safety-net. F: the fear of deformity and his job. Treating it as mechanical back pain from lifting is the usual loss.

Official sample stations to use alongside this bank

Our scenarios are for volume. The official material is for calibration: it shows exactly how the exam bodies write a card, a surrogate brief and examiner guidance. Use both.

Material	What is in it	Status
Federation PACES sample scenarios page	A communication examples PDF, three consultation example PDFs, written materials for the scenario videos, and PACES23 videos on communication skills and consultations.	Read 21 October 2026
PACES23 communication encounter examples (PDF)	Four complete encounters with candidate card, surrogate brief and examiner guidance: hydration and feeding in severe dementia; an antibiotic given to the wrong patient; explaining the importance of insulin treatment in newly diagnosed diabetes; explaining a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.	Read 21 October 2026
Federation PACES marksheets	One marksheet per encounter, including the Station 1 and Station 4 communication marksheets quoted above.	Read 21 October 2026
Station 4 scenario pack (PDF)	The Federation's Station 4 communication and ethics scenario pack.	Link opens; we could not extract its text this week, so we do not summarise it
GMC sample OSCE station	The GMC's own sample PLAB 2 station, listed in the PLAB 2 guide.	Listed in the GMC guide; not re-read this week (the GMC site blocks our checker)
GMC: how will you be tested	The three PLAB 2 marking domains.	Read in a browser 21 October 2026

A useful habit with the official PACES examples: run one as a timed encounter before you read the examiner guidance, then compare your recording with the points the examiners were asked to look for. Then do the same with three scenarios from this bank. Every official link, with its status, is on the official resources page.

A practice route: two scenarios a day

Our suggestion, for anyone four to eight weeks from PLAB 2 or a PACES diet:

1. Week one, learn the moves. Read the five worked transcripts on the station scripts page and the phrase sheet above. Record yourself saying the eleven moves aloud.
2. Every day after that, two scenarios. One new scenario from this bank and one repeat of yesterday's weakest, both timed, both recorded, both marked on the sheet. PLAB 2 candidates work through P01 to P20; PACES candidates through C01 to C10 and K01 to K10, then the PLAB 2 bad news and consent scenarios for extra volume.
3. Twice a week, a partner. A colleague, a study group or a friend who can read the brief and push back. On the other days, rehearse with the AI role-play.
4. Fix one sound at a time. If your recordings show stress falling on the wrong syllable of medical words, the word stress read-aloud drill fixes it in short daily sessions. If your first language shapes a habit examiners notice (directness that sounds blunt, flat question intonation, over-formal phrases), the first-language mistakes page names it and gives the fix.
5. Two full mocks. In weeks four and seven of the 8-week roadmap, run a block of scenarios back to back at exam timing: eight PLAB 2 scenarios with no break between them, or two PACES communication encounters and two consultations.

The dates, fees and booking rules are on the PLAB 2 format and fees page and the PACES dates page. Everything else for both exams starts at the PLAB 2 and PACES communication hub.