AMC Exam 2026: MCQ & Clinical Format, Pathways & Qbank
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AMC exam for international medical graduates
The Australian Medical Council (AMC) assesses international medical graduates who want to practise in Australia. On the AMC's standard pathway, you pass the AMC CAT MCQ examination and then the AMC clinical examination (or an approved workplace-based assessment) on the way to registration with the Medical Board of Australia. The AMC runs the assessments; the Medical Board of Australia, through Ahpra, grants registration.
INTERFACE has prepared doctors for international licensing exams for many years. For the AMC, our AMC Part 1 Qbank gives you 4000+ exam-style single-best-answer questions with explanations, organised by topic, with performance analysis, on computer, mobile or tablet.
AMC MCQ and clinical exam at a glance
- AMC CAT MCQ examination — 150 single-best-answer questions (one best of five options) in 3.5 hours, delivered as a computer adaptive test at Pearson VUE centres in Australia and overseas throughout the year. Practise with our AMC Part 1 Qbank.
- AMC clinical examination — taken after passing the MCQ: 16 stations (14 scored) of 10 minutes each, with 2 minutes of reading and 8 minutes of assessment; you pass by passing 9 or more of the 14 scored stations. Fee AUD 3,000 in person or AUD 3,400 online.
What the AMC MCQ exam covers
The MCQ exam is set at the level expected of a graduating medical student in Australia. Its blueprint is:
- Adult health – medicine: 30%
- Adult health – surgery: 20%
- Women's health (obstetrics and gynaecology): 12.5%
- Child health: 12.5%
- Mental health: 12.5%
- Population health and ethics: 12.5%
Questions test data gathering, data interpretation and synthesis, and management. Results are reported on a 0–500 scale with the pass mark described as 250, and are released at 4pm on the Friday three weeks after your exam. From 2026 the AMC has slightly increased the pass standard, although results are still reported against 250. Your MCQ result does not expire.
Pathways to registration in Australia
Before applying for any AMC assessment, you must have your primary medical qualification verified through ECFMG (via a MyIntealth account), and your medical school must be one the AMC lists as eligible. The main pathways for doctors are:
- Standard pathway — for doctors seeking general registration with an eligible medical degree: the AMC MCQ, then the AMC clinical exam or workplace-based assessment.
- Competent Authority pathway — managed by the Medical Board of Australia for doctors who have been assessed by, and practised in the country of, an approved authority: the UK General Medical Council, the Medical Council of Canada, ECFMG or NBOME in the US, the Medical Council of New Zealand or the Medical Council of Ireland. You do not sit the AMC exams, but complete 12 months of supervised practice on provisional registration.
- Specialist pathway — for overseas-trained specialists seeking specialist recognition or area of need positions.
- Short-term training in a medical specialty pathway — for overseas specialists or trainees coming for temporary specialist training.
Because the Competent Authority pathway recognises the UK GMC and US ECFMG, some doctors from Pakistan reach Australia through PLAB or the USMLE instead of the AMC exams. See our PLAB exam guide (and all about PLAB) and our USMLE exam guide. Rules and fees change, so always check the AMC and Medical Board of Australia websites before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
> How many questions are in the AMC MCQ exam?
150 single-best-answer questions, each with five options, answered in 3.5 hours as a computer adaptive test at a Pearson VUE centre.
> What is the AMC MCQ pass mark?
Results are reported on a 0–500 scale with the pass mark described as 250. The AMC slightly increased the underlying pass standard from 2026, but results are still reported against 250.
> Does the AMC MCQ result expire?
No. According to the AMC, your CAT MCQ examination result does not expire.
> How is the AMC clinical exam structured?
It has 16 stations, 14 of them scored, each lasting 10 minutes (2 minutes of reading and 8 minutes of assessment). You pass by passing 9 or more of the 14 scored stations.
> Can I work in Australia without sitting the AMC exams?
Possibly, through the Competent Authority pathway, if you have been assessed by an approved authority such as the UK GMC, the Medical Council of Canada or ECFMG in the US, and have practised in that country. You then complete 12 months of supervised practice on provisional registration.
Have a question about the AMC exam? Contact us.
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