Working as a doctor in Australia

The pathways

• Standard pathway — for most international medical graduates. You pass the AMC MCQ exam, then either the AMC clinical exam or a workplace-based assessment, and then complete supervised practice.
• Competent Authority pathway — for doctors who trained or were assessed in the UK, Ireland, Canada, the USA or New Zealand under specific rules. No AMC exams; you go straight to supervised practice in Australia.
• Specialist pathways — for overseas-trained specialists, assessed by the relevant Australian specialist college.

The standard pathway, step by step

• Check that your medical school is recognised, and have the AMC verify your primary medical degree directly with your university (primary source verification).
• Meet the English language requirement.
• Pass the AMC MCQ exam (AMC Part 1).
• Pass the AMC clinical exam, or complete a workplace-based assessment.
• Find a position, apply to the Medical Board of Australia through Ahpra, and complete supervised practice.

English language requirements

• IELTS Academic: 7 overall, with 7 in listening, reading and speaking and 6.5 in writing (tests taken on or after 23 April 2026).
• OET: listening 350, reading 360, writing 350, speaking 360.
• PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT are also accepted — check Ahpra for the current scores.
• A pass in the PLAB test (UK) or NZREX (New Zealand) is also accepted as evidence of English.
• Results are valid for two years before the date you apply for registration.

Finding your first job

Most international graduates start in hospital roles as junior or resident medical officers, and many of the first offers are outside the big cities. Registration and a job go together: the Medical Board must approve the position and the supervision arrangements before supervised practice counts.

Questions

Do I need to pass the AMC exam to work in Australia?

On the standard pathway, yes. Doctors eligible for the Competent Authority pathway — for example those with PLAB and a year of supervised training in the UK — do not sit the AMC exams.

Which English tests does Australia accept for doctors?

IELTS Academic, OET, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT at the Medical Board’s scores, or a pass in PLAB or NZREX. Results are valid for two years before you apply.

Official sources

• Australian Medical Council — Assessment pathways to registration
• Medical Board of Australia — Competent Authority pathway
• Ahpra — Accepted English language tests

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.

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