What the AMC Part 1 is
The Australian Medical Council (AMC) assesses international medical graduates who want to practise in Australia. On the standard pathway, the first step is the AMC MCQ examination, usually called AMC Part 1 or AMC 1. It tests the medical knowledge expected of a doctor graduating from an Australian medical school.
The format in 2026
- 150 multiple-choice questions, each with one correct answer out of five options. 120 are scored; 30 are unscored pilot questions you cannot tell apart.
- One sitting of 3.5 hours.
- Computer-adaptive: each question is chosen based on how you answered the ones before, so every candidate sits a different exam.
- Delivered by Pearson VUE at test centres around the world — you book your centre with Pearson VUE directly.
- Scored on a 0–500 scale with the pass mark shown as 250. The AMC raised the underlying standard slightly from 2026; the scale did not change.
How the scoring works
Because the exam is computer-adaptive, there is no fixed percentage to aim for. The exam serves questions matched to your level; passing means you answered correctly questions whose difficulty sits above the cut score. The AMC states plainly that the 2026 change does not mean you must answer a greater percentage correctly.
What comes after the MCQ
On the standard pathway, after passing the MCQ you complete either the AMC clinical examination or a workplace-based assessment, then supervised practice in Australia before general registration.
How to prepare
- Learn Australian practice, not the practice you trained in. The exam tests what an Australian junior doctor would do — Australian guidelines, screening programs and prescribing.
- Cover all five areas: adult health (medicine and surgery), women’s health, child health, mental health, and population health and ethics.
- Do questions every day and read every explanation, including why each wrong option is wrong. Recognising distractors is half the exam.
- Use spaced repetition so the questions you got wrong come back just before you would forget them.
- Sit timed blocks near the end: 150 questions in 3.5 hours is about 84 seconds each.
Study for AMC Part 1 with DuoVa
An ever-growing AMC Part 1 question bank, explained to current Australian guidelines — eTG and RACGP-based explanations, including why each wrong option is wrong. New questions every day, recall papers, spaced repetition, and it works offline. Paste a question from a group chat and DuoVa turns it into a proper one, answer and reasoning included.
Questions
- Is AMC Part 1 the same as the AMC MCQ exam?
- Yes. AMC Part 1, AMC 1 and the AMC CAT MCQ examination all refer to the same computer-adaptive multiple-choice exam.
- How many questions are in the AMC exam?
- 150 — 120 scored and 30 unscored pilot questions — in one 3.5-hour sitting.
- What is the AMC pass mark?
- Results are reported on a 0–500 scale with the pass mark shown as 250. From 2026 the AMC raised the underlying standard slightly, but the scale and the way results are reported did not change.
- Can I sit the AMC exam outside Australia?
- Yes. Pearson VUE delivers it at test centres in many countries. You choose and book your centre with Pearson VUE.
Official sources
- Australian Medical Council — MCQ examination
- Australian Medical Council — Update to the MCQ exam pass standard (FAQ)
- Australian Medical Council — Assessment pathways to registration
Rules change. Always confirm with the Australian Medical Council and the Medical Board of Australia before you book or apply. DuoVa is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with either.
Read next
How to prepare for AMC Part 1
A practical AMC Part 1 preparation plan: what to study, how to use MCQs and explanations, spaced repetition, recalls, timing, and how to fit it around a full-time job.
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The routes for international medical graduates to work as a doctor in Australia: the standard pathway through the AMC exam, the Competent Authority pathway for UK, Irish, US, Canadian and NZ-assessed doctors, English tests and registration.
From PLAB to Australia
Planned the UK and PLAB route but now looking at Australia? When PLAB lets you skip the AMC exam through the Competent Authority pathway, when it does not, and how your PLAB preparation carries over to AMC Part 1.