Master gastroenterology for PLAB 1 with 70+ SBA questions covering IBD, GI bleeding, liver disease, peptic ulcer disease, coeliac disease, and all 30+ gastroenterological conditions on the GMC Content Map. Full clinical explanations and NICE guideline summaries included.
Every gastroenterological condition on the GMC PLAB 1 Content Map, with SBA questions, clinical explanations, and NICE guideline references.
Every question includes NICE guideline references. These are the four guidelines most frequently tested in PLAB 1 gastroenterology questions.
Every question maps to a specific condition on the official GMC PLAB 1 Content Map. No irrelevant content.
Every answer option explained — not just why the correct answer is right, but why each distractor is wrong.
Concise NICE guideline summaries for every condition, so you learn the evidence base alongside the questions.
Gastroenterology is a high-yield specialty in PLAB 1, typically accounting for 8–12% of the exam (approximately 14–22 questions out of 180). The GMC Content Map lists over 30 gastroenterological conditions that can appear, including IBD, GI bleeding, liver disease, peptic ulcer disease, and colorectal cancer.
The highest-yield PLAB 1 gastroenterology topics are: inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's vs UC, management), upper GI bleeding (Blatchford score, endoscopy timing), peptic ulcer disease (H. pylori eradication), coeliac disease (serology, biopsy), and liver cirrhosis (complications and management). These appear in multiple sittings.
Key differentiators: UC affects the rectum and extends proximally (continuous), while Crohn's can affect any part of the GI tract (skip lesions). UC causes bloody diarrhoea; Crohn's causes diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and weight loss. Biopsy: UC shows crypt abscesses and goblet cell depletion; Crohn's shows transmural inflammation and non-caseating granulomas. Crohn's has perianal disease and fistulae; UC does not.
The most important NICE guidelines for PLAB 1 gastroenterology are: NG129 (Crohn's disease), NG130 (ulcerative colitis), NG141 (upper GI bleeding), NG20 (coeliac disease), NG61 (IBS), NG151 (colorectal cancer referral), and NG104 (pancreatitis). You do not need to memorise guideline numbers, but you must know the key management recommendations.
The most effective approach is: (1) learn the key conditions from the GMC Content Map, (2) practise SBA questions by topic focusing on management decisions and scoring tools (Blatchford, Child-Pugh, Glasgow), (3) master the Crohn's vs UC differentiation, (4) review NICE guideline summaries for each condition, and (5) practise interpreting liver function tests and hepatitis serology.