The AMC Exam: A Complete Guide for International Medical Graduates

What is the AMC exam?

The Australian Medical Council (AMC) exam is the standard assessment pathway for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) seeking medical registration with the Medical Board of Australia via AHPRA. The exam verifies that doctors trained outside Australia and New Zealand meet the medical knowledge and clinical competence expected of an Australian medical graduate at intern level.

The AMC assessment has two parts: AMC MCQ, a written multiple-choice examination, and AMC Handbook AI RolePlay, a multi-station clinical assessment also known as the MCAT (Multi-station Clinical Assessment Tool).

AMC MCQ: the MCQ exam

• Format: 150 multiple-choice questions, computer-based.
• Duration: 3.5 hours.
• Content: All clinical disciplines — internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics & gynaecology, psychiatry, general practice, emergency medicine, and population health.
• Pass mark: Set via Angoff standard-setting; typical pass rate is 50–70%.
• Cost (2026): Approximately AUD 2,690.

AMC MCQ emphasises clinical reasoning over rote recall. Questions present clinical vignettes and ask candidates to identify the most likely diagnosis, the next best investigation, or the most appropriate management step.

AMC Handbook AI RolePlay: the clinical exam (MCAT)

• Format: Multi-station OSCE, approximately 16 stations.
• Station types: History-taking, focused examination, counselling, procedural skills, and clinical reasoning.
• Duration: Around 8 minutes per station.
• Marking domains: Data gathering, clinical reasoning, communication, and professionalism.
• Cost (2026): Approximately AUD 3,490.

AMC Handbook AI RolePlay simulates real Australian clinical practice. Candidates rotate through stations with simulated patients (actors trained to portray specific cases), and trained examiners assess performance against standardised marking criteria. Effective preparation requires structured roleplay practice, not just textbook reading.

Eligibility

1. Primary medical qualification from a recognised international medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools.
2. Verification via EPIC (Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials) administered by ECFMG.
3. English language proficiency: IELTS Academic (overall 7.0, no band below 7.0) or OET (Grade B in all four components) or equivalent.
4. Pass AMC MCQ before applying for AMC Handbook AI RolePlay.

How to prepare: a proven strategy

For AMC MCQ

1. Build foundations with Murtagh's General Practice — the cornerstone Australian primary care text.
2. Practice 3,000+ MCQs across all disciplines, not just your clinical specialty.
3. Use spaced repetition for high-yield facts (drug doses, classification criteria, screening intervals).
4. Target weak areas identified by question-bank analytics. Generic study wastes time.
5. Review the RACGP Red Book for preventive care questions, which appear in nearly every paper.

For AMC Handbook AI RolePlay (MCAT)

1. Practice clinical roleplays against the official MCAT station blueprints (history, examination, counselling, procedural).
2. Get examiner-grade feedback after every roleplay, mapped to AMC marking domains.
3. Drill structured frameworks: SOCRATES for pain, SPIKES for breaking bad news, the Calgary-Cambridge model for consultations.
4. Time your stations: 8 minutes goes fast. Practice with a stopwatch from day one.
5. Simulate the real exam day with back-to-back stations rather than one at a time.

How Mostly Medicine helps

Mostly Medicine is built specifically for IMGs preparing for the AMC. The platform consolidates the resources, AI tools, and analytics that replace dozens of disjointed apps:

• 4,400+ AMC MCQs with AI explanations, spaced repetition, and weak-area targeting.
• 151+ AMC Handbook AI RolePlay clinical roleplays powered by Claude AI, with examiner-grade feedback after every consultation.
• Reference library — Murtagh, RACGP Red Book, and AMC Handbook summary, searchable and AI-indexed.
• Australian medical job tracker — RMO pools, GP pathway, application checklist for life after AMC.

The free tier includes sample MCQs, limited roleplays, and full reference access. No credit card required.

Start preparing free →

Frequently asked questions

Who is eligible to sit the AMC exam?

Doctors holding a primary medical qualification from a training programme outside Australia/New Zealand, with verified credentials via EPIC, and meeting English language requirements (IELTS 7+ or OET B+) are eligible to sit AMC MCQ. Passing AMC MCQ is required before sitting AMC Handbook AI RolePlay.

How long does AMC preparation take?

Most candidates spend 4–8 months preparing for AMC MCQ and an additional 3–6 months for AMC Handbook AI RolePlay, depending on prior clinical experience and English fluency.

What is the AMC MCQ pass rate?

Pass rates vary by cohort but typically sit between 50% and 70% for AMC MCQ. Performance correlates strongly with hours of MCQ practice and depth of clinical reasoning, not memorisation alone.

Is the AMC exam harder than the USMLE or PLAB?

The AMC tests a similar core knowledge base to USMLE Step 2 CK and PLAB but emphasises Australian primary care and population health (RACGP-style content). Candidates with USMLE or PLAB experience usually adapt quickly with focused practice on Australian-specific guidelines.

What is the difference between AMC Handbook AI RolePlay and MCAT?

They are the same exam. MCAT (Multi-station Clinical Assessment Tool) is the formal name for the AMC Handbook AI RolePlay clinical examination.