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PLAB 1

  July 31, 2020    

The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test



The route of PLAB is now holding quite a high stakes and has become very popular among the medical students for the past decade or more. Some of the catchy reasons for that could be:


A) easily approachable and shorter route to get into the residency program 

B) more affordable and welcoming for the IMGs

C) less time and energy-consuming in terms of studies. 



In the blog, I am glad to share my experience with the exam but I would strongly recommend not getting misguided by the information provided. These are just my views. So, it would be wise to listen to other views as well and then design your plan.


The preparation for the PLAB 1 exam is quite easy. The total time period required for passing PLAB 1 is around 2 months (though can get extended to 4 months if somebody is concurrently doing a job). The exam takes place almost 4 times in a year in the UK while gets scheduled nearly 2-3 times in a year in other countries. It costs an amount of approximately Rs 48000-50000. The exam contains a total of 180 questions, including both the clinical scenarios and the basics which are to be done in 180 minutes. Its passing ratio lies in between 60-68%.

SOURCES TO GET GRIP ON:


There exist many resources for PLAB 1 but among all, the only and only reliable and essential resource is PLABABLE. It is an online paid subscription which imparts over 2000 volatile and high-yield questions. The explanation that comes after every question is highly inclining as it is written in the most comprehensive manner and is retainable.  

Apart from the updated question bank and guidelines, they also provide fast-paced online revision courses conducted by their qualified doctors and mock tests to put the learned knowledge into action. 

 

Two good reads of PLABABLE suffice to clear the exam and can be done in a duration of 3 months. Though practically, two reads are not possible because after getting done with the questions once, you cannot remark on them. In that case, you can only revise the marked ones or can make separate notes of the important topics and run through them in the end.  


Other than PLABABLE, some recommend to use Samson notes or 1700 Khalid notes. Undoubtedly, both carry a good gravity and one can use any of them besides PLABABLE (it is a must). However, I was doing a job while preparing for the exam so i didnt prefer to follow any other notes. Though, all these sources are dispensable if someone is profoundly reciting PLABABLE. But in a nutshell, it is highly individualistic and time-dependent. 


However, with time, the complexity of exams in escalating thus a candidate must prepare to the optimum levels to ace the exam. For this, a subscription of Passmedicine is highly sensible and fruitful. It contains the updated NICE and BTS guidelines with phenomenal explanation notes with every question. Again, it totally depends upon the candidate on what source to follow as the information and the content does not vary a lot in all of them.  


The books which can be used for references and revision for PLAB 1 are Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine (OHCM) and Clinical Specialities (OHCS). All the notes and explanations of PLABABLE are also from these two primary resources. 


  

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Occupational English Test

  July 25, 2020    

Proficiency in English language has been one of the inevitable requirements for applying abroad. Though various ways already exist to assess the competency of candidates in english language, OET is one of the fragments among them.


Sometimes, these english assessments seem tougher than the actual medical exams. After not getting the required scores in the IELTS once, it was a humming and hawing state to re-attempt it. But with some good grace, I gave a shot to OET and fortunately, cleared the exam with good grades. So, to utter with all consciousness, I have become a fervent supporter of it. 


Occupational English Test (OET), an English language test, designed especially for healthcare workers, is an assessment tool based exclusively on medical parameters and reflects real workplace environment. This test has proven to be more comprehensible and cognitive for all the medical professionals.


The exam takes place many times in a year and has a 2-year validity. Currently, almost every country (inclusive of Pakistan) has operated exam centers for OET with good success. 


The exam contains four subdivisions, each part has its own sensitivities and peculiarities and should not be taken easy. Though, the good thing is that all of them are highly relatable and thus doable. The exam can be prepared within a 2-month duration of true determination and focus. It is demanded to give few quality hours to the listening and reading parts as both can twist the exam result very easily. Though speaking is much more acceptable in a sense that it contains a patient and doctor/nurse conversation which we pretty much do in our daily lives. However, after completing the writing part in the test, it felt that i dodged a bullet. All in all, the whole exam is exhilarating. 



Important links for the preparation of the exam:
1) All modules:


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1eZknEkCVOvI3L0DS2JZc70azi27DgkO7?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uO0JrmTyUExziRUNRuhcO57ypie8tAOq?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZlRN9X5jbrz9NyjShk0DOKoFl6ZBIXgU?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wQXSUtS56Gdgewjc4K0THuZL5V8TXI0z/view?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dOtF1agQ6dHlqEnoEdTH7ccheTlMHZcW?usp=sharing 




2) Reading:


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WgAHeBWrPYKpq-zNiQM4dbnWc_e2ZB7N/view?usp=sharing 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W9b4E5YWxIdRyfpdrNzoqb0drUVdi4m4/view?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NymiDHdev2hFNvo6U7ivMq4x9RJaizSg 


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WgAHeBWrPYKpq-zNiQM4dbnWc_e2ZB7N/view?usp=drivesdk 


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ICJVTUElf6WvwkqpjmlFXhP81oxqSXSv/view?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dsU5vCS5WX2tqAtwUgq5rYDgu5-Qcqlw?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NymiDHdev2hFNvo6U7ivMq4x9RJaizSg?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eFV9sW_DMT_5GvRRp43LxWaBUL6TMgAL/view?usp=sharing


3) Writing:


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Oe4XnU5JEQRN719ktLqQOqP5-A6hin3O/view?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y2Yd3vnI3Zf62136aFlZ3eSIwgXdrSB7/view?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vSISU8Zix8cS_VXuUwVKBHxaWkWbnZZs/view?usp=sharing 



4) Listening: 


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CPQvPT-eGXJjy2jwGeFDZphSdwE3HbtD?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XYOeVIMuQo_Dn5glZjZ6kDg3DccJqJUq?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XYOeVIMuQo_Dn5glZjZ6kDg3DccJqJUq 


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JfBKRiBZiluv6y3KPK78uasgdkUP2kBo?usp=sharing 


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yc30nI35lAwlAWIgu8aQMpBUI7Rcq5tJ/view?usp=sharing 



5) Speaking:


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rakeTZb9Zu3i5tCaSvdomthF_vlOaADv

  

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EMIRATES ID:

  July 18, 2020    

Now coming on to the other matter of importance- the process for Emirates ID. For Emirates ID, either you have to be a national or you necessarily need a sponsor in the UAE who can apply for your entry permit. That sponsor can either be your spouse or your parents (if you are less than 21 years- which none of us would be at the time of exam).
Well, it was my fate that my husband happened to be in Dubai already who sponsored and applied for my ID and made at least this step of application facile for me.

For a spouse to be a sponsor, there are few requirements, for instance; a valid Emirates ID of the sponsor, EJARI- a tenancy contract, and a stable job with a salary of more than 4000 AED. Following are the steps:


  1. First and foremost is to have a marriage certificate in your hands; attested from MOFA and the UAE embassy in the parent country.

  2. Then get that certificate translated into Arabic (in AED 105) and an attestation from the embassy in the UAE, costing an amount of AED 150.

  3. Following this, apply for an entry permit visa by first of all getting a “sponsor registration” done at AMER (by your spouse) which has a fee of AED 320. The process of application costs a further AED 215 and gives you an entry permit visa/pre-entry visa within two working days- official permission of entering the country. 

  4. The entry permit visa allows you to file the residency visa at the AMER (government center of UAE) once you are in the country, the urgent fee of which is AED 450. 

  5. This takes you to a step forward for medical testing and biometric, having a fee of AED 432 and AED 280 respectively. Along with this, buying medical insurance is not mandatory but you can opt to save your time in the future.

  6. Simultaneously apply for the Emirates ID which costs AED 270.

  7. After biometric, you would be good to get a permanent residency visa from their municipality office. The issuance of a 2-year residency visa charges an amount of AED 535. After reviewing your details and fitness, they stick a salmon-pink colored paper on your passport, and guess what, with just a few minutes wait, you will be a UAE resident. On the other hand, the Emirates ID would also get ready in a period of two weeks and would be notified to the given contact (you or your sponsor). The collection of ID does not require your presence in the UAE.

  

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Working as a General Physician in the UAE:

  July 17, 2020    


Apart from the residency training, one can wonder for other options available for doctors in the UAE. Well, there are certainly other ways to embark on medical practice in the UAE though, require a real effort and zeal by the ex-pats to draw out the authentic information. Such options provide you with being an internee or a GP.

It is indispensable that a healthcare professional must need to acquire a sustained license before commencing medical practice in the UAE. There are four different licenses offered by the government, i.e. DHA and DHCC, HAAD, and MOH, for working as physicians in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah with the other Northern Emirates in the respective order. The main preconditions to obtaining a license are:

1) A mandatory 2-year bonafide experience of clinical practice from your homeland either as a GP or as a medical officer.
2) Successful completion and acceptance of data flow.

Dataflow is a highly strict process of document verification by the officials and requires extreme precision and legitimacy. Henceforth, a very accurate paperwork submission is a point of emphasis and should be up to scratch. Any error can bring your application to the verge of rejection. Therefore, a guide is provided to sketch a correct picture. This blog mainly highlights the steps to be followed for the DHA.


The process begins by making a DHA account and working on their online Sheryan portal. Following this, the applicant has to attach all the unattested documents required by them which will cross-checked by the team. This includes the academic documents, a valid medical license, experience certificates and a good standing certificate. The time taken by the whole process of verification and acceptance is approximately 2 weeks (urgent) to 1-2 months (regular) and charges a fee of around AED 1100-1300 (It may vary).




Upon acceptance of the dataflow, an applicant gets a positive primary source verification (PSV) report. With a positive PSV and clearance of the exam, an applicant is eligible to apply for the eligibility letter (costing 220 AED) from DHA followed by the issuance of healthcare professional license. This process takes maximum of a week.


The good thing about the DHA is while doing the process for PSV, one can attempt the prometric exam. Though this is not seen with HAAD. The exam is held multiple times in a year in nearly all the countries and costs an amount of approximately AED 1000. It is an online MCQ-based exam with no negative marking. The passing score ranges from 70-75% and re-attempting is easy. Though, the past papers can suffice to ace the exam if someone already has a good command over First Aid Step 1 and 2 along with MTB Step 2. The blog also shares the link of some must-do past papers.


A booklet is attached to provide a step-wise description of the whole process.


According to the modified rules, candidates who have already taken PLAB/MRCP/USMLE are exempted from the DHA/HAAD exam but the clinical experience and dataflow are crucial and are still needed. Though the rules can change any time so a vigilant check would save you from any useless exertion.




  

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Working as an Internee in the UAE:

  July 17, 2020    


Now coming over the internships, there are certain government hospitals of Dubai/Abu Dhabi which induct internees for clinical attachment many times in a year with every hospital having a particular induction fee. Both the DHA and seha programs tend to be unpaid but in the end, award an applicant with the experience that gets useful in the future.


Meducation.ae is an e-service facility that provides a platform to the candidates to apply for the internship programs. One of the programs offered is an unpaid internship that lasts for a minimum of 2 weeks to a maximum of 12 months and charges a fee of AED 50/day by the internee.


Another such is offered by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP). They offer three different kinds of training programs- student training, internship program (for 6-12 months) and clinical experience for the graduates (PDF guide). All such programs have different eligibilities and duration of practice.


Some requirements for them are an English language test (IELTS/TOEFL), a valid BLS certificate and of course an Emirates ID. Importantly, all those programs prefer their locals first but do manage to accommodate immigrants.

  

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Residency Programs in the UAE:

  July 17, 2020    

The UAE recently started welcoming doctors over the globe with their new residency programs entitled DRTP and TANSEEQ, requiring only an entrance test (EMREE/EMSTREX) for them. There comes a program offered by MOHAP as well but they open seats for foreigners very occasionally. The residency program has a length of 4-6 years depending upon the specialty and rewards a certification from the Arab board upon successful completion of the program.

The point of importance here is, though the entrance exam does not come up with any paperwork, the residency application does! Apart from a very disastrous and draining document submission, the most meticulous news is that Emirates ID/ residency visa is mandatory for DRTP and TANSEEQ applications-without it, the exam is nothing but a mock test. This is a point of great emphasis because not everyone is eligible to get an ID issued as it has its own limitations. Technically, the exam is meaningful only for the sponsored ones or those who are already living in the UAE (by their good fortune).

Both DRTP and TANSEEQ have online application forms (pretty much lengthy and time-consuming). However, it’s always advisable and safe to be in touch with those people who are also involved in the process or have done it, to secure yourself from any unwanted lapse.

Besides Emirates ID, the other tedious task is the documents attestation. All the necessary documents like degree, transcript and house-job certificates should get attested in the series described below at the time of application submission.

1) HEC verification of degree and transcript each costing Rs 1200 2) MOFA attestation of degree and transcript each costing Rs 60 3) Pakistan consulate UAE attestation of degree, transcript and internship certificates each costing AED 20 4) MOFA UAE attestation of degree, transcript and internship certificates each costing AED 156.

And after doing all the stamping, apply for certificate of equivalency from Ministry of Education (MOE) UAE but that can be done once you get shortlisted by the authority.

The application fee for DRTP is AED 650 while that of TANSEEQ is AED 1000 though MOHAP charges no fee at all.



  

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Interviews for the Residency Programs:

  July 17, 2020    

Once wrapping up the online work of application submission, you now just have to wait for the interview call/email nonchalantly. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for assessment by way of Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) conducted by DRTP and short interviews conducted by TANSEEQ/MOHAP. This happens within a month of the last scheduled EMREE exam. These interviews are one of the rocky roads to go through with. They use many short independent assessments, typically in a timed circuit, to obtain an aggregate score of each candidate's soft skills and ethical knowledge. Interviewers are interested in seeing that the candidate has got what it takes to be an exemplary medical practitioner — not just the grades and know-how, but the right attitude and skills as well. They will be testing your ability to make ethical and informed decisions, as well as your critical thinking and communication skills. They will also be interested in your knowledge of current healthcare and social issues. An essential tip for MMIs is to be confident, compassionate, a good listener, and a logical professional.

Meanwhile, the applicants are also required to get their certificates (Bachelors & Internship) verified by way of obtaining Primary Source Verification (PSV). This means that by this time, you should have all your must-have (documents) ready to proceed with data flow and to get PSV in a given time.

Surprisingly, there is no guided material available for the preparation. It is said to use the ethics books, skim the past interviews, watch YouTube videos and most essentially, consult the seniors. But one should put up with the fact that the seats are finite which has undoubtedly upraised the competition. So passing the interview and getting a confirmed seat is a harder nut to crack. After interviews, the pre-qualified candidates apply for the match and after meticulous screening, the selected candidates get a confirmatory email and guess what!! 

Congratulations, You're a resident now!!

This whole process takes nearly 3-4 months and the residency programs begins from the month of September- October. Some previous samples of MMIs.

  

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EMREE:

  July 17, 2020    

The United Arab Emirates University has come up with a strategic plan of medical assessment of the medical students via EMREE/EMSTREX. It is a 180 multiple choice based entry examination for locals and overseas which costs AED 620 and takes place 3-4 times per year at Al-Ain University (a city of Abu Dhabi).

Like many others, I got captivated towards the exam when I came to know about their new policy of not needing any national identity (Emirates ID) for it. Infact, they require only a 55% score for passing the exam. There is no specific material or separate books available in the market for its preparation but it’s recommended to have a good command on Step 1 First Aid and Step 2 MTB. Along with those, the past papers are highly essential and are the key to ace the exam. 

The exam contains pretty obtainable questions from basics and clinical scenarios with no negative marking. The result of the exam comes within a week. After passing the exam, you move ahead to apply for the residency programs of the UAE.

  

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Practicing medicine in the UAE- at your wit’s end!

  July 15, 2020    

After graduation, the selection of an international exam and to begin a medical career at any foreign platform always remains a preference but a tough job for a medical student. The more options we have worldwide, the more strains we get in fulfilling their requirements. Many doctors avidly choose any path which has comparatively less traffic and more easiness in getting settled but its tragic if there’s no availability of any core resource to get yourself familiarized with the entire process before opting for it for future. This is one of the things that I can utter from my experience when I chose the UAE to serve as a medical practitioner.

UAE seemed to be one of the toughest choices; surely not in visiting the state but definitely in commencing a medical career. Like many, I tried my fortune of practicing as a physician/resident in one of the states of the UAE. However, tracing information for that was one of the grueling tasks that I took on my shoulders but at last, after 6months of focused research of me and my husband, we solved that Chinese puzzle and collected every necessary piece of information one can need to proceed with the process. 

I attempted EMREE in March 2020 and cleared the exam with a percentile of 75% but due to limited seats, I didn't manage to get an induction in the residency program. Hence, I have now switched myself to a GP ship which appears an apt decision to me. Therefore, this blog is written to steer my co-fellows in the right direction and to save them from such cumbersome mistakes that I made. However, a healthy suggestion to the readers is that even after being determined for one path, one should keep the ways open to get a second bite at the cherry whenever required! 

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