How can I talk to someone from the Common Stations Academy?

The best way to get in touch with someone from the academy is to send an email to the address provided (commonstations@gmail.com), with your query and contact details.

Dr Hamed will then contact you personally to address all your queries.

How can I apply for the Common Stations course?

To apply for our Common Stations course, please send us a request to commonstations@gmail.com.

We will then send you an application form to fill in. You need to complete it and send it back to us.

Once we receive your completed application form, Dr Hamed will personally contact you to answer all your questions and will guide you on how you can proceed with your enrolment.

Why don't we advertise our website with Google?

We are honoured by our wonderful colleagues as the most recommended PLAB2 course. When we have such amazing support, unlike other academies, we do not need to pay Google to advertise our website. That's why you see an "Ad" (stands for "advert") sign next to their website link on the Google listing.

We save such expenses to improve the quality of our course.

Word of mouth speaks for itself.

When should I take my online course and physical training?

It is important to have adequate time for self-study and practice after the online course and physical training.

Therefore, we advise our candidates to take their online course at least 3-4 months before their PLAB2 exam.

Furthermore, we highly recommend our candidates to attend the academy to participate in physical training at least 4 weeks before their exam.

How long does it take to receive an application form after sending the first email?

The application form is usually sent on the same day, however sometimes due to the large volume of emails, it may take up to three working days.

When will I get a call after submitting a filled application form?

Once your application has been received, it will be passed to Dr Hamed, who will call you himself. Our aim is to call you within three working days. However, it may take longer if we need to find a slot for you.

How long does it take to receive a confirmation letter after making the payment?

For payments from within the UK, it takes up to three working days to send you a confirmation letter.

For overseas payments, it may take longer as these payments take some days to clear through banking channels. This can be influenced by factors such as your bank, procedural delays and holidays. We regularly receive updates from our bank and will inform you as soon as your payment has been received.

Generally, for overseas payments it takes up to seven working days to send you a confirmation letter.

As soon as you have sent us the receipt of your payment, your seat will be secured, therefore you should not be worried about this matter.

Do I need to pay for the mocks?

No, two full mocks of 16 stations each are included in the course fee, and you do not need to pay any additional fees for these mocks.

Do I need to pay for workshop classes?

No, you do not need to pay additional fees to attend our workshop classes.

Do I need to pay for self-practice?

No, you can do Self-practice in the academy absolutely free of charge until your exam.

Does Common Stations PLAB academy provide candidates with printed materials?

Yes, we provide you with printed materials covering all the subjects including examination, manikin, history, counselling and ethical.

If I fail my exam, do I need to pay for the course again?

No, those who have already attended our course and need to repeat their PLAB2 exam are able to retake our PLAB2 course, attend workshop classes and do self-practice in our academy, free of charge, until their exam date.

How the mocks will be arranged?

During your online course and physical training, Dr Hamed will assess your individual strengths and weaknesses and will advise you accordingly to improve your performance. 

Your full mocks will be held within 2 weeks’ time prior to your exam date.

Why is Common Stations run by one person, Dr Hamed?

Teaching the subjects by one person ensures the consistency of input, which is essential to maintaining quality.

Dr Hamed has a unique teaching style, which adds more value to the course. Since he runs the course by himself, he is able to structure the course in a way that students are not overburdened with scattered information.

His classes are interactive and thought-provoking, which can prepare you in the best possible way for the exam ahead.

He knows all his students by name. Being with students on a daily basis for 10-12 hours for about two weeks, asking them questions and analysing them, gives him a great deal of knowledge about their weaknesses and strengths. He tells them how to improve their weaknesses and build on their strengths to get the best possible result in the exam, which is crucial to passing PLAB2.

As a rule, in Common Stations PLAB Academy, you are not going to deal with a "middleman". Once you have sent your application form, Dr Hamed will contact you personally to give you essential support and advice before you start your course.

Not only he will take the course by himself, but also, he will answer all your queries and questions during and after the course, discuss your mock exams with you and will support and guide you till your exam.

He teaches you how to deal with different patients and situations in the exam.

In this way you will learn the right approach, tools, and skills.

This is as opposed to the wrong way of teaching PLAB2 exam which is making the candidates to memorise the so-called scripts.

At Common Stations PLAB Academy we will go through thick and thin with you to make your PLAB2 journey as smooth and easy as possible. However, this help and support does not stop there and goes beyond the PLAB2 exam.

Even after the exam, Dr Hamed is available to you and can provide advice and guidance whether it is about GMC registration, job applications or interviews.

Why our candidates score higher in PLAB2 exam comparing to candidates of other academies?

Even though getting a high score in your PLAB2 exam may not seem to be an important factor since your PLAB2 score does not count when you are applying for GMC Registration or jobs, we prepare our candidates in a way that they achieve high scores, simply because:

1.We want our candidates to pass their PLAB2 exam comfortably and safely. Aiming for a high score enables our candidates to have less stress, have peace of mind and subsequently be more confident in their exam. If you don't aim for a high score and only think about passing the exam with a borderline score, you are indeed putting yourself at risk of failing the exam altogether. Historically those who fail the exam are those who aim for a borderline score.

2.The way we train our candidates not only helps them pass their PLAB2 exam but also trains them to deal with different OSCE exams in the future. We are sure most of you are planning to apply for training posts in different specialities in the future and you will face OSCE exams and interviews when you apply for these posts.

We are proud to say that most of our candidates have been successful in their job interviews and other OSCE exams and achieved their desired career goals after attending our course.

How can we read reviews about the Common Stations course?

We are honoured by our wonderful colleagues as the most recommended PLAB2 course. You may read your colleagues reviews on our Testimonials Page.

Is the course good value for money?

Absolutely yes;

1. Our course is an entire package that includes study materials, online course, full course, unlimited practice facilities, supervised SimMan session and full mock exams.  

2. What makes Common Stations course so unique is that we are the only PLAB2 course, which is run by the actual course leader, Dr Hamed himself, and not those who have passed their PLAB2 exam recently.

This is to maintain the highest quality of training provided to our colleagues.

3. We are the only PLAB2 specialist academy. We are the only major academy which does not offer a PLAB1 course as we believe that one does not need to attend a course to pass PLAB1.

Our main focus is on PLAB2 solely and we put all our energy and efforts on PLAB2 to maintain and improve the quality of our course. This is unlike other academies in which running PLAB1 courses will subsequently affect the quality of their PLAB2 courses.

Most of our colleagues are from countries with a weak currency compared to pounds so why should we put a heavy burden on their shoulders by encouraging them to take a PLAB1 course when it is not even necessary?

We believe that PLAB1 exam can be easily cleared with a high score without attending any courses.

4. We provide individual support to our candidates as we believe this is an essential factor not only to pass PLAB2 but also to help our colleagues work in a new environment. This includes both educational and emotional support.

We understand that travelling to a foreign county, studying for PLAB2 and working in a new environment could be a stressful process for international medical graduates.

Each candidate is a different person with different characteristics who requires different ways of support. We aim to build a friendly relationship with our colleagues, so we can support them emotionally, work on the issues if there are any and boost their confidence.

We do everything in our power to provide a stress-free, calm and friendly environment for them to practise and study.

We assess each and every candidate during the course and focus on their weaknesses and strengths, and we support and guide them accordingly.

5. We are honoured by our wonderful colleagues as the most recommended PLAB2 course.

6. Have you ever thought about how much it is going to cost you if you need to retake PLAB2 exam?

Spending for the exam fee, accommodation and plane fare again will be a couple of thousand pounds. As you probably know, once you start working in the NHS, you will earn a couple of thousand pounds every month. A simple calculation shows that, you will eventually lose several thousand pounds if you fail your exam.

By choosing Common Stations PLAB2 course, you can be confident enough that you will need to bear these expenses just once, save yourself the hassle and cost of appearing in the exam a second time and more importantly start your job in the NHS as quickly as possible.

Simply speaking, at Common Stations PLAB Academy, you are paying for quality.

7. At Common Stations PLAB Academy we will go through thick and thin with you to make your PLAB2 journey as smooth and easy as possible. However, this help and support does not stop there and goes beyond the PLAB2 exam.

Even after the exam, Dr Hamed is available to you and can provide advice and guidance whether it is about GMC registration, job applications or interviews.

Can we apply as a group and get a discount on the course?

Common Stations academy receives a large number of applications for each course, usually a few months in advance.

Slots are given on a first-come, first-served basis to applicants. We do not want to risk affecting the quality of the course by offering group discounts and attempting to increase the number of students.

This is to ensure that the quality of teaching is maintained.

Why does not Common Stations PLAB academy offer a PLAB1 course?

We believe that one does not need to attend a course to pass PLAB1.

Most of our colleagues are from countries with a weak currency compared to pounds so why should we put a heavy burden on their shoulders by encouraging them to take a PLAB1 course when it is not even necessary?

We believe that PLAB1 exam can be easily cleared with a high score without attending any courses.

Does attending your PLAB2 course in London cost me more compared to other cities in the U.K.?

The answer is NO.

Living expenses such as food, toiletries etc. is the same in all the major supermarkets in the entire UK.

There is also a local street market situated at a walking distance from our academy which you can have a very cheap meal for less than £2.

A larger part of your living costs will probably be your accommodation.

Even though our coaching centre is in London, we offer a very reasonable and affordable price for our accommodation starting from £18 per night.

Our accommodation is in a walking distance from our academy thus there are no travel expenses.

Where should I stay during the time I am in the UK?

Even though there are many options in our area including hotels, hostels, or shared accommodations, most of our candidates prefer to stay in our academy's accommodation simply because:

1. The price is very reasonable and affordable.

2. There are separate buildings for male and female doctors.

3. Our accommodation is safe and secure.

4. Our accommodation is located at a walking distance from the academy.

5. All the utility bills are included in the rent.

6. All tenants will be our trainees.

7. You will have access to free internet.

8. There will be a regular cleaning service.

What are the choices of shops and restaurants near the academy?

There are many reasonably priced options serving cuisines from all over the world, including many Halal options, within a walking distance from the academy. Grocery stores like Tesco and ASDA are also within walking distance from the academy.

What is Hybrid course?

Hybrid course is a combination of interactive online sessions combined with in-person classes.

As you possibly know, nowadays there are 16 stations in the PLAB 2 exam. Usually around 14 stations are non-practical and around 2 stations will be practical (Manikin, examination and SimMan). When the exam consists of 18 stations, usually around 15 stations will be non-practical and around 3 stations will be practical.

The full hybrid course will run for 14 days. The classes will run from 09:00 am to 19:00 UK time.

You can take the first 12 days of the full hybrid course remotely. 

During the first 12 days of the hybrid course, we will have lectures about the type scenarios every morning.

In the first 12 days, Dr Hamed will cover all the non-practical subjects such as history based type scenarios, all the counselling based type scenarios including counselling of a newly diagnosed disease, poorly controlled disease, medication counselling, test result counselling, risk assessment, pre-op assessment, counselling of a procedure, post-op complications and pain management, paediatrics type scenarios, OBG type scenarios, psychiatry type scenarios, telephone consultation, prescription tasks, ethical type scenarios including NAI in paeds, elderly negligence, domestic violence, breaking a bad news, demanding patient, difficult colleague, medical error, angry patient, dealing with complaints, how to deal with a patient with learning difficulty, young patient's confidentiality and consent and mental capacity.

After the lunch break, on average 6 hours daily will be dedicated to interactive roleplays between Dr Hamed and the candidates.

During these sessions, Dr Hamed and the candidates can see each other and talk together.

Dr Hamed will pick one of the candidates to act as a doctor, and he himself will act as their patient, exactly the same as what happens in the PLAB2 exam.

During these simulated roleplays, Dr Hamed can assess you, identify your strengths and weaknesses and will be able to comment on your data gathering, management plan and interpersonal skills.

When he is doing simulated roleplays with other candidates, he will comment on their performances, and in this way, you can learn from their approach and mistakes as well.

During the last 2 days of the course, we will conduct the practical classes (manikin and examination) in-person in the academy. Your supervised SimMan session will be held on the following day.

It is important to note that, you can also take your manikin and examination classes as well as your SimMan session later with other batches when you come to the academy physically.

After completion of your hybrid course and once you have come to the academy, you can attend our regular face to face classes.

In these workshop classes Dr Hamed will review what you have learnt during your full course, and you can implement the knowledge and the techniques you have been taught before.

He will assess your performance closely and provide you with feedback so you can improve your consultation skills.

When should I attend my hybrid course?

We advise you to attend your hybrid course at least 3-4 months before your exam.

Can I attend my hybrid course earlier than this?

The answer is ‘Of course you can!’, in fact the earlier the better.

The earlier you start your hybrid course, the more time you will have to study and practice.

If I attend it earlier, will I forget?

The answer is ‘No’ because after completion of your course, you will implement what you learnt on your practice in your free time.

We should also tell you that if you attend your hybrid course with satisfactory attendance, we will allow you to retake your course closer to your exam if you wish to.

How can I utilise my time after attending the hybrid course and before coming to the academy?

The answer is ‘Practice!'. 

After attending your full course, practising is the key to pass the PLAB2 exam.

By attending your hybrid course in advance, you can utilise your time in a more efficient way by starting to practice with your colleagues a few months before your exam. 

One of the most important parts of preparation is to find the right study partners who have been trained in the same way as you and practise with them after completion of your full course.

How to find the right study partners before coming to the academy?

During the roleplay sessions of the hybrid course, the candidates will come to know each other, and they can start practising together before they come to the academy.

Of course, those who are in the UK, can come to the academy in-person to practice with their colleagues.

If I have work commitments, how many days of leave shall I apply for?

You need to take leave for the duration of your full hybrid course.

It is very important to not have any commitments during the hybrid course since you will have almost 10 hours classes daily and after each class, you need to review what you have been taught.

However, you do not need to take leave for the duration of your short online course, which you can take prior to your full hybrid course, as you will be having access to the recorded lectures of your short online course.

When should I come to the academy?

We advise you to be in the academy at least a month prior to your exam to complete your preparation comfortably.

One month, will give you enough time to be well prepared for your exam.

One of the common questions we receive is that: ‘What if I cannot be in the academy for 4 weeks, is it possible?’

It is possible.

We advise you to discuss this with Dr Hamed himself when you apply for the course as he can have a better understanding of your situation and can advise you more precisely according to your educational and personal circumstances.

What will happen after I attend the academy?

Number 1:

You will be completing your course by attending your practical sessions which include manikin and examination classes.

Number 2:

You will also attend your supervised SimMan session.

Number 3:

You will be having extra face-to-face workshop classes with Dr Hamed in the academy regularly.

Number 4:

Of course, when you attend the academy in-person, you and your colleagues can practice on manikin, examination and roleplay scenarios on a daily basis from 09:00 am to 19:00 UK time without any limitation until your exam date.

The academy is open everyday including weekends and bank holidays.

Number 5:

When you have practised enough and are prepared, you will be having your 2 full in-person mocks within 2 weeks’ time prior to your exam date.

You will receive your one-to-one individual feedback after each mock.

Why Hybrid?

1.Preparaion Time:

The PLAB 2 exam has significantly changed during the past few years.

PLAB2 exam is a very standard exam but has become more challenging and competitive.

Therefore, the amount of time needed to be fully prepared for it and pass it on first attempt is more than before.

Previously, having 3-6 weeks of practice after the completion of the full course was more than enough. However, we believe now adays, the candidates on average need at least 8-12 weeks of preparation after completion of their full course and this indeed is very difficult for most of the PLAB2 candidates to be in the academy 3-4 months before their exam.

For overseas doctors, it may not be possible to travel to the UK this early as many colleagues cannot afford to take such leave from their job, they may need to resign from their jobs which will put them under a lot of pressure.

More or less the same applies to the candidates living in the UK as they may have other commitments.

2. Expenses and visa:

Another challenge the overseas doctors face is their expenses.

Not only this is difficult to afford, but also, it is difficult to convince the visa officer for being in the UK for such period of time.

Working with the overseas doctors for a few years, we have witnessed that one of the issues they commonly face is delay in receiving their visa.

This is a very challenging and stressful process which can have an adverse effect on their preparation.

If you attend your course in a hybrid format, you will minimize the amount of time you need to spend in the UK.

You will save your hard-earned money as you do not need to spend a great deal of your time in the UK unnecessarily. There will be less pressure in case of any visa issues and interruptions in your travel plans.

Many candidates who live in the UK, have family commitments.

Being away from the family for 2 weeks need a lot of arrangements, for example arranging childcare, accommodation etc and many candidates cannot do that well before their exam. 

Attending the course in a hybrid format will tackle these issues and you can attend your course in advance.

What makes our hybrid course unique?

What makes our hybrid course so unique is that, unlike what commonly happens, we are not just going to broadcast a live class when a few candidates are sitting in a class, and someone is teaching them.

In this way, those attending the course remotely can only observe the classes.

While, in our hybrid course, the candidates can see each other, Dr Hamed makes everyone involved in the interactive sessions and all candidates will actively participate in the roleplay sessions.  

In this way you get the feeling of being in the class with all your other colleagues and not only observing a live class.

If I have further queries about your educational package and how you run your courses, what should I do?

You can send us an email to commonstations@gmail.com and Dr Hamed will personally contact you to address all your queries.

For further information, have a better understanding of our educational package and how we run our courses, you can watch our candidate guide video:

Common Stations PLAB Academy By Dr Hamed - Candidate Guide - YouTube