M U LT I P L E C H O I C E Q U E S T I O N
E X A M I N AT I O N
S P E C I F I C AT I O N S
A u s t r a l i a n M e d i c a l C o u n c i l
“The purpose of the Australian Medical Council is to ensure that standards of education, training
and assessment of the medical profession promote and protect the health of the Australian Community.”
,“The purpose of the Australian Medical Council is to ensure that standards of education,
training and assessment of the medical profession promote and protect the health of the
Australian community.”
© September 2008
Edition 7 – First Printing
ABN 97 131 796 980
ISSN 1325-426X
Copyright for this publication rests with the Australian Medical Council Limited
Australian Medical Council Limited
PO Box 4810
KINGSTON ACT 2604
Email:
Home page: www.amc.org.au
Telephone: 02 6270 9777
Facsimile: 02 6270 9799
, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL COUNCIL
L I M I T E D
SPECIFICATIONS AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL COUNCIL EXAMINATIONS
IMPORTANT NOTE
As the information contained in this booklet replaces that in previous editions of the Examination Specifications
Booklet, candidates are advised to study this booklet closely before presenting for AMC examinations.
Candidates should note that the AMC is not involved in the administration of Medicare. Any questions
concerning the restrictions on Medicare Provider Numbers applying to international medical graduates
should be directed to the General Practice Branch of the Australian Government Department of Health and
Ageing. Nor is the AMC involved directly in aspects of registration to practise, which are the responsibility of
state and territory medical practitioner boards/councils.
Examination requirements may change. All matters concerning the AMC examination, including any
changes in the format and content or associated procedures, will be conveyed to candidates in writing by the
Secretariat. Candidates are recommended to regularly check the AMC website for updates.
STATEMENT ON PRIVACY
The AMC is required to observe the provisions of the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 (effective
from 21 December 2001) which sets out the requirements for the collection and use of personal information
collected before and after that date.
Each of the application forms required by the AMC includes a statement relating to the AMC’s privacy
procedures. Each must be signed by the applicant to give formal consent for the AMC to collect and hold
personal information.
If the consent is not provided, the AMC will not be able to process the application.
, Table of Contents
GUIDELINES AND SPECIFICATIONS ............................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................1
ASSESSMENT AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................................1
STRUCTURE OF THE AMC EXAMINATION .......................................................................1
STANDARD OF THE AMC EXAMINATIONS........................................................................2
FORMAT ...............................................................................................................................2
MCQ examination ........................................................................................................2
THE MCQ EXAMINATION .................................................................................. 3
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MCQ EXAMINATION ................................................................3
FORMAT OF THE MCQ EXAMINATION ..............................................................................3
Computer-administered MCQ examination ..................................................................4
TOPICS COVERED IN THE MCQ EXAMINATION ..............................................................4
Systems, regions and disciplines .................................................................................5
Glossary of medical terms used in multiple choice questions ......................................6
Reference range for laboratory investigations used in multiple choice questions........6
SCORING AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ......................................................................6
Variation in examination difficulty and candidate group abilities ..................................6
The scoring system ......................................................................................................7
Comparison with local graduates .................................................................................7
The AMC scale .............................................................................................................8
SCORING OF ANSWERS ....................................................................................................9
CANDIDATE NUMBER .........................................................................................................9
PREPARING FOR THE MCQ EXAMINATION .....................................................................9
Review of topics ...........................................................................................................9
AMC publications .......................................................................................................10
AMC Annotated Multiple Choice Questions ..............................................................10
AMC Anthology of Medical Conditions .......................................................................10
Reconstructed AMC papers .......................................................................................10
GENERAL PREPARATION FOR THE MCQ EXAMINATION .............................................11
E X A M I N AT I O N
S P E C I F I C AT I O N S
A u s t r a l i a n M e d i c a l C o u n c i l
“The purpose of the Australian Medical Council is to ensure that standards of education, training
and assessment of the medical profession promote and protect the health of the Australian Community.”
,“The purpose of the Australian Medical Council is to ensure that standards of education,
training and assessment of the medical profession promote and protect the health of the
Australian community.”
© September 2008
Edition 7 – First Printing
ABN 97 131 796 980
ISSN 1325-426X
Copyright for this publication rests with the Australian Medical Council Limited
Australian Medical Council Limited
PO Box 4810
KINGSTON ACT 2604
Email:
Home page: www.amc.org.au
Telephone: 02 6270 9777
Facsimile: 02 6270 9799
, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL COUNCIL
L I M I T E D
SPECIFICATIONS AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR
AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL COUNCIL EXAMINATIONS
IMPORTANT NOTE
As the information contained in this booklet replaces that in previous editions of the Examination Specifications
Booklet, candidates are advised to study this booklet closely before presenting for AMC examinations.
Candidates should note that the AMC is not involved in the administration of Medicare. Any questions
concerning the restrictions on Medicare Provider Numbers applying to international medical graduates
should be directed to the General Practice Branch of the Australian Government Department of Health and
Ageing. Nor is the AMC involved directly in aspects of registration to practise, which are the responsibility of
state and territory medical practitioner boards/councils.
Examination requirements may change. All matters concerning the AMC examination, including any
changes in the format and content or associated procedures, will be conveyed to candidates in writing by the
Secretariat. Candidates are recommended to regularly check the AMC website for updates.
STATEMENT ON PRIVACY
The AMC is required to observe the provisions of the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 (effective
from 21 December 2001) which sets out the requirements for the collection and use of personal information
collected before and after that date.
Each of the application forms required by the AMC includes a statement relating to the AMC’s privacy
procedures. Each must be signed by the applicant to give formal consent for the AMC to collect and hold
personal information.
If the consent is not provided, the AMC will not be able to process the application.
, Table of Contents
GUIDELINES AND SPECIFICATIONS ............................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................1
ASSESSMENT AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................................1
STRUCTURE OF THE AMC EXAMINATION .......................................................................1
STANDARD OF THE AMC EXAMINATIONS........................................................................2
FORMAT ...............................................................................................................................2
MCQ examination ........................................................................................................2
THE MCQ EXAMINATION .................................................................................. 3
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MCQ EXAMINATION ................................................................3
FORMAT OF THE MCQ EXAMINATION ..............................................................................3
Computer-administered MCQ examination ..................................................................4
TOPICS COVERED IN THE MCQ EXAMINATION ..............................................................4
Systems, regions and disciplines .................................................................................5
Glossary of medical terms used in multiple choice questions ......................................6
Reference range for laboratory investigations used in multiple choice questions........6
SCORING AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ......................................................................6
Variation in examination difficulty and candidate group abilities ..................................6
The scoring system ......................................................................................................7
Comparison with local graduates .................................................................................7
The AMC scale .............................................................................................................8
SCORING OF ANSWERS ....................................................................................................9
CANDIDATE NUMBER .........................................................................................................9
PREPARING FOR THE MCQ EXAMINATION .....................................................................9
Review of topics ...........................................................................................................9
AMC publications .......................................................................................................10
AMC Annotated Multiple Choice Questions ..............................................................10
AMC Anthology of Medical Conditions .......................................................................10
Reconstructed AMC papers .......................................................................................10
GENERAL PREPARATION FOR THE MCQ EXAMINATION .............................................11
