Free PLAB 2 Surgical stations
Surgical PLAB 2 stations cover acute and elective presentations such as abdominal pain, lumps and peri-operative issues. They test focused history-taking, recognising the surgical emergency, and explaining the plan and consent clearly.
What PLAB 2 surgical stations cover
Surgical PLAB 2 stations cover acute and elective presentations such as abdominal pain, lumps and peri-operative issues. They test focused history-taking, recognising the surgical emergency, and explaining the plan and consent clearly.
Topics you can practise in these stations include:
- Constipation after hip surgery
- Swollen, lumpy leg veins
- Acute loin pain
- Persistent back pain
- Pain and swelling at a hernia operation site
- Wound infection after leg cyst removal
- Worried about prostate cancer
- Pre-op assessment for ankle screw removal
- Inguinal hernia repair
- Post-operative care after hip replacement
- Post-op management after knee replacement
- Ankle injury X-ray results
- Breast lump
- Sudden painful cold leg
How to approach a surgical station
Take a focused history of the presenting problem, identify the surgical emergency, and explain investigations, the likely plan and consent 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 surgical stations
Examiners reward candidates who actively screen for what must not be missed. In surgical stations, the key red flags include:
- Peritonitis: a rigid, tender abdomen
- Signs of bowel obstruction
- Sudden severe abdominal pain (ischaemia, ruptured aneurysm)
- Gastrointestinal bleeding with instability
- Sudden testicular pain (torsion)
Skills these stations test
The 15 surgical stations break down by skill type as:
- Counselling 7
- History and management 6
- History red flags 2
All 15 free surgical stations
Every station below is free. Click one to sit it as an eight-minute spoken consultation, then get your mark-scheme breakdown.
Counselling 7
- Wound infection after leg cyst removal - Miss Pauline Norbury, 29
- Worried about prostate cancer - Mr Gareth Tindall, 60 (PSA testing request)
- Pre-op assessment for ankle screw removal - Mr Trevor Underwood, 48
- Inguinal hernia repair - explanation and concerns - Mr Gerald Vickers, 45
- Post-operative care after hip replacement - Mrs Beatrice Wadsworth, 78
- Post-op management after knee replacement - Mrs Linda Yates, 65
- Ankle injury X-ray results - Margaret Ackroyd, 29
History and management 6
- Constipation after hip surgery - Mrs Sarah Underwood, 78
- Swollen, lumpy leg veins - Elizabeth Northcote, 33
- Acute loin pain - Mr Matthew Bramwell, 27
- Persistent back pain - Mr Stanley Carmichael, 58 (suspected prostate cancer)
- Pain and swelling at a hernia operation site - Kevin Mortimer, 50
- Breast lump - Mrs Patricia Jardine, 24
History red flags 2
- Sudden painful cold leg - Mrs Pauline Hartwell, 72
- Right-sided abdominal pain - Ms Robyn Falconer, 24
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 Gastrointestinal 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 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 surgical stations come up?
Plabity's 15 free PLAB 2 surgical stations include presentations such as constipation after hip surgery, swollen, lumpy leg veins, acute loin pain, persistent back pain, pain and swelling at a hernia operation site, wound infection after leg cyst removal, worried about prostate cancer, pre-op assessment for ankle screw removal, inguinal hernia repair, post-operative care after hip replacement, post-op management after knee replacement, ankle injury x-ray results, breast lump, sudden painful cold leg. Each runs as an eight-minute spoken consultation marked to the PLAB rubric.
Are these PLAB 2 surgical stations free?
Yes. All 15 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 surgical stations free.
15 spoken surgical cubicles, marked to the PLAB rubric. No card, no plan.
Start practising free