AMC Exam (Australia): question practice and revision.

Choose a topic for focused revision and check your plan against the official specification.

• Medicine — cardiology, respiratory, GI, renal, endocrine, neurology, rheumatology
• Surgery — general, vascular, urology, orthopaedic, surgical emergencies
• Paediatrics — common presentations, neonatology basics, growth and development
• Obstetrics and gynaecology — antenatal, intrapartum, gynaecologic emergencies
• Population health, preventive medicine, public health Australia
• Mental health — depression, anxiety, psychosis, suicide risk, addictions
• Emergency medicine — ALS, trauma, sepsis, anaphylaxis, toxicology
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, cultural safety, social determinants
• Ethics, communication, professional behaviours, Good Medical Practice (Australian)
• General practice presentations — primary care framework, eTG-aligned prescribing

Drawn from the AMC Examination Specifications, Therapeutic Guidelines Australia (eTG), Australian clinical guidelines, and item density across the iatroX bank.

• Therapeutic Guidelines Australia (eTG) — the central prescribing reference. UK/US drug choice may differ. eTG-aligned antibiotic selection, antihypertensive sequencing, asthma/COPD step-up. Memorising eTG first-line for common presentations is high-yield.
• Australian clinical guidelines — RACGP Red Book (preventive care), CARPA Standard Treatment Manual for remote/Aboriginal health, Australian Asthma Handbook, COPD-X Plan, NHMRC clinical guidelines
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health — recognised as a core competency in the AMC blueprint. Closing the Gap framework, social determinants, cultural safety in clinical encounters, recognising health inequities. Often tested directly.
• Australian general practice context — Medicare framework, MBS item numbers for common consultations, GP referral pathways (chronic disease management plans, GP mental health treatment plans), bulk billing principles
• Mental health and addictions — Australian mental health system, involuntary treatment under state mental health acts (varies by state), AOD (alcohol and other drugs) framework, mandatory reporting frameworks for healthcare professionals
• Australian Immunisation Schedule — NIP (National Immunisation Program) including HPV (universal), MenB, RSV maternal vaccine (recent introduction), influenza recommendations, COVID-19 boosters per ATAGI guidance
• Emergency presentations Australian context — Australian Snake bite envenomation framework, marine envenomation (box jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus, irukandji), heatstroke management in remote settings, paediatric resuscitation per APLS
• CAT-specific exam strategy — Computer Adaptive Test pacing: every question matters; early mistakes can still be recovered with consistent performance. Don't panic about difficulty perception; difficulty calibrates to your ability level. No raw scores shown.

Observations from IMGs sitting the AMC pathway. Verify against the current AMC Examination Specifications, AHPRA standards and Australian clinical guidelines.

Candidate-reported observations — not official guidance.

1. Using UK/US guidelines instead of Australian — eTG (Therapeutic Guidelines) is the Australian prescribing reference. Drug choices, dosing conventions, and first-line treatments may differ from where you trained. The AMC tests Australian standards explicitly.
2. Aboriginal health under-preparation — Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health is a core blueprint domain. Recognising historical context (intergenerational trauma, dispossession), cultural safety in clinical encounters, and Closing the Gap framework is examined directly.
3. Clinical exam pass rate ~21-24% — significantly harder than the MCQ. OSCE-style requires structured communication, history-taking efficiency under 8-minute time pressure, examination technique, and management plans framed within Australian primary or secondary care.
4. CAT format misunderstanding — adaptive testing means difficulty calibrates to your ability level as you progress. Don't panic if questions feel hard — the test is calibrating. Don't panic if questions feel easy — early answers may have been incorrect. Consistent performance matters.
5. Australian general practice framework — MBS item numbers, chronic disease management plans, GP mental health plans, primary care nurse roles. UK/US-trained IMGs often under-prepare on the Australian system structure.
6. Snake bite and envenomation — Australian-specific. Pressure immobilisation bandage technique, antivenom administration, polyvalent vs monovalent. Box jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus, irukandji syndrome recognition.
7. Mandatory reporting under state laws — child protection, fitness-to-practise concerns about colleagues, notifiable disease reporting. State-specific frameworks. Healthcare practitioner notifications under National Law.
8. Cost and timeline planning — MCQ $2,920, Clinical $3,000-3,400, plus EPIC verification, English testing, AHPRA registration ~$1,058/year. Failed attempts add full fees each time. Plan for thorough first-attempt preparation.

A pragmatic phased approach used by recent IMGs who passed both AMC exams first-attempt.

1. Months 1–3 (MCQ phase)

   Foundation pass across all 10 blueprint domains. 40 questions/day with the iatroX adaptive engine. Read eTG Therapeutic Guidelines paired to weak topics. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and cultural safety dedicated reading.

2. Months 3–5 (MCQ → Clinical transition)

   Final MCQ preparation with timed 150-question CAT-style mocks. Pass the MCQ. Begin Clinical preparation immediately — daily history-taking and examination video practice. 8-minute OSCE pacing drills.

3. Months 5–7 (Clinical phase)

   Daily OSCE-style station practice with peers (each acting as patient, doctor, observer). Australian Therapeutic Guidelines management plans for common presentations. Counselling station techniques (breaking bad news, motivational interviewing, ICE framework).

4. Months 8–9 (final preparation)

   Practise full clinical circuits with 16 assessed stations and four rest stations, allowing two minutes reading and eight minutes assessment per clinical station. Specific Aboriginal health scenarios, mental health scenarios, paediatric scenarios. Confirm Clinical placement and travel/accommodation to Melbourne. Sleep, hydrate.

Dedicated AMC Exam (Australia) question practice with answer explanations, guided Tutor review and study planning.

• Focused question practice — Choose the relevant bank and use your answers to identify what to study next.
• Guided reasoning — Explore a difficult answer with Tutor, then apply the distinction independently.
• Review and timed practice — Return to important mistakes and choose a timed practice set where available.

Choose the relevant bank and use the official exam guidance to plan your preparation.

International medical graduates (IMGs) whose primary medical qualification is from a training institution outside Australia and New Zealand seeking general medical registration with AHPRA via the Standard Pathway. Most IMGs from non-recognised training systems take this pathway. Specialist IMGs may have alternative specialist-college pathways.

AMC CAT MCQ has 150 computer-adaptive questions in 3.5 hours at Pearson VUE centres. The Clinical Examination has 16 assessed stations, including two pilot stations, plus four rest stations. Each clinical station has two minutes reading and eight minutes assessment; the result is based on 14 scored stations. Pass MCQ before sitting Clinical. Check the AMC for in-person and online scheduling.

In 2026 (fees recently reduced): MCQ $2,920 AUD, Clinical $3,000 in-person at NTC Melbourne or $3,400 online. Plus AMC portfolio creation ($648), ECFMG/EPIC verification (~$140 USD), English language testing ($410-587), AHPRA registration ($1,058/year). Total minimum first-attempt pathway: ~$8,108-$10,000 AUD.

AMC MCQ pass rate is approximately 47-51% overall. Clinical exam pass rate is approximately 21-24% — significantly more challenging. The Clinical exam requires structured communication, efficient OSCE-style consultation under 8-minute time pressure, examination technique, and management plans framed within Australian standards.

Some IMGs qualify for Workplace Based Assessment (WBA) as an alternative to the AMC Clinical Examination. WBA is conducted in an accredited Australian hospital position over 6-12 months and assesses clinical performance in real practice. Eligibility is determined case-by-case by the AMC.

All three are IMG entry pathways but tested differently. AMC combines computer-adaptive MCQ with a clinical examination of 16 assessed stations and four rest stations, testing Australian guidelines (eTG, Aboriginal health). PLAB 1+2 is MCQ + 18-station OSCE testing UK guidelines (NICE). USMLE Step 1+2+3 is MCQ across three exams testing US guidelines. They are not interchangeable for licensing. Each pathway leads only to its country's registration.

Full AMC Exam (Australia) bank access is included in all-access. Up to 10 new sample questions per day are shared across exams, with no account required. A verified free account includes one guided Tutor session; continued Tutor use is included in all-access.