Free PLAB 2 Gastrointestinal stations
Gastrointestinal PLAB 2 stations cover abdominal pain, dyspepsia, change in bowel habit and jaundice. They test focused history-taking, red-flag screening for cancer and bleeding, and clear explanation of investigations such as endoscopy.
What PLAB 2 gastrointestinal stations cover
Gastrointestinal PLAB 2 stations cover abdominal pain, dyspepsia, change in bowel habit and jaundice. They test focused history-taking, red-flag screening for cancer and bleeding, and clear explanation of investigations such as endoscopy.
Topics you can practise in these stations include:
- Right upper quadrant pain
- Constipation on the ward
- Change in bowel habit with rectal bleeding
- Diarrhoea and vomiting
- Long-standing bowel trouble
- Coeliac disease test results
- Abnormal liver blood test
- Raised bilirubin on a health check
- Anaemia blood results
- Explaining an endoscopy for suspected coeliac disease
- Why do I need a colonoscopy after my sigmoidoscopy?
- Heartburn and biopsy results
- Difficulty swallowing
- Vomiting blood
How to approach a gastrointestinal station
Take a focused GI history, ask about alarm symptoms, and screen for bleeding and malignancy before settling on a benign diagnosis. Explain investigations such as endoscopy clearly.
The underlying structure is the same as any PLAB 2 station: greet and confirm identity, explore the patient's ideas, concerns and expectations early, take a focused history, screen for the red flags below, explain your thinking in plain English, and agree a shared plan with clear safety-netting. See the free PLAB 2 preparation guide for the full study plan.
Red flags to screen for in gastrointestinal stations
Examiners reward candidates who actively screen for what must not be missed. In gastrointestinal stations, the key red flags include:
- Unintentional weight loss
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
- Vomiting blood or passing black, tarry stools
- Change in bowel habit or rectal bleeding in an older patient
- Iron-deficiency anaemia of unclear cause
Skills these stations test
The 27 gastrointestinal stations break down by skill type as:
- History and management 13
- Counselling 9
- History red flags 5
All 27 free gastrointestinal stations
Every station below is free. Click one to sit it as an eight-minute spoken consultation, then get your mark-scheme breakdown.
History and management 13
- Right upper quadrant pain - Mrs Rachel Hartley, 37
- Constipation on the ward - faecal impaction from opioids (talk to the nurse) - Mrs Smith, 85
- Diarrhoea and vomiting - Mrs Hannah Yates, 37
- Long-standing bowel trouble - Mr Marcus Ackroyd, 58
- Difficulty swallowing - Mr Jason Ormerod, 58
- Vomiting blood - Hazel Pemberton, 27
- Indigestion and heartburn - Mr Gary Quayle, 50
- Abdominal swelling - John Maddox, 40 (alcohol-related liver disease)
- Severe epigastric pain - Mr Gavin Holloway, 52 (acute pancreatitis)
- Painful bleeding on opening bowels - Ms Róisín Doyle, 34
- Chronic diarrhoea and weight loss - Niamh Donnelly, 24
- Lower abdominal pain and bowel changes - Mrs Eunice Hartwell, 68
- Recurrent epigastric pain - Mr Reuben Castellano, 58
Counselling 9
- Coeliac disease test results - Eleanor Bellamy, 40
- Abnormal liver blood test - Angela Crowther, 47
- Raised bilirubin on a health check - Mr Brian Dunmore, 47
- Abnormal liver blood test - Mr Gerald Easton, 45
- Anaemia blood results - Mr Gordon Oakley, 58
- Explaining an endoscopy for suspected coeliac disease - Mrs Adriana Jerningham, 45
- Why do I need a colonoscopy after my sigmoidoscopy? - Margaret Knightley, 65
- Heartburn and biopsy results - Barbara Loxley, 45 (Barrett's oesophagus)
- Abdominal pain - Mr Martin Radcliffe, 65 (intestinal obstruction)
History red flags 5
- Change in bowel habit with rectal bleeding - Mrs Eleanor Wadsworth, 60
- Right upper abdominal pain with fever and yellow eyes - Mrs Bernadette Whitlock, 64
- Epigastric pain and weight loss - Mr Albert Crowley, 61
- Weight loss and upper abdominal pain - Mr Royston Okafor, 61
- Yellow skin and weight loss - Mr Frank Holloway, 68
Practise other PLAB 2 specialties
- PLAB 2 Ethical / Communication stations (62)
- PLAB 2 Obstetrics & Gynaecology stations (52)
- PLAB 2 Paediatrics stations (42)
- PLAB 2 Neurology stations (34)
- PLAB 2 Psychiatry stations (31)
- PLAB 2 Cardiovascular stations (27)
- PLAB 2 Dermatology stations (25)
- PLAB 2 Endocrine stations (24)
- PLAB 2 Musculoskeletal stations (20)
- PLAB 2 Respiratory stations (20)
- PLAB 2 ENT stations (19)
- PLAB 2 Surgical stations (15)
- PLAB 2 Urology stations (15)
- PLAB 2 Medicine stations (14)
- PLAB 2 Genitourinary Medicine stations (12)
- PLAB 2 Infectious Diseases stations (11)
- PLAB 2 Haematology stations (9)
- PLAB 2 Ophthalmology stations (7)
- PLAB 2 Palliative / Pain Medicine stations (6)
- PLAB 2 Breast Surgery stations (2)
Frequently asked questions
What PLAB 2 gastrointestinal stations come up?
Plabity's 27 free PLAB 2 gastrointestinal stations include presentations such as right upper quadrant pain, constipation on the ward, change in bowel habit with rectal bleeding, diarrhoea and vomiting, long-standing bowel trouble, coeliac disease test results, abnormal liver blood test, raised bilirubin on a health check, anaemia blood results, explaining an endoscopy for suspected coeliac disease, why do i need a colonoscopy after my sigmoidoscopy?, heartburn and biopsy results, difficulty swallowing, vomiting blood. Each runs as an eight-minute spoken consultation marked to the PLAB rubric.
Are these PLAB 2 gastrointestinal stations free?
Yes. All 27 are free to practise. You sign up with an email address, with no card required.
How are the stations marked?
Each station is marked across the three PLAB domains: data gathering, clinical management and interpersonal skills. You get a breakdown of every criterion with quoted evidence from your own consultation, in seconds.
Practise gastrointestinal stations free.
27 spoken gastrointestinal cubicles, marked to the PLAB rubric. No card, no plan.
Start practising free