AMC Clinical Examination: 16 Stations, 14 Scored, and the 2026 Fee Reduction

After the MCQ, most Standard Pathway candidates face the AMC Clinical Examination, an objective structured clinical examination assessing medical, surgical, women's health, paediatric and mental-health presentations in community and hospital settings. The AMC's page sets out the format and the pass rule precisely, and in 2026 it also announced a substantial fee reduction. Here is what a Pakistani candidate needs to know.

Eligibility

"To be eligible for the clinical examination, you must have passed the AMC CAT MCQ examination." The alternative route to the AMC Certificate, a workplace-based assessment programme of six to twelve months, is available in place of the clinical examination for candidates who secure a place.

The format

• 16 assessed stations and four rest stations.
• Two of the 16 are pilot stations, usually not scored; the result is determined by the 14 scored stations.
• Each station is 10 minutes: two minutes of reading time and eight minutes of assessment.
• Each station focuses on one of four areas: history taking, examination, diagnostic formulation, or management, counselling and education.
• Delivery: in person, or online using a desktop or laptop computer (tablets and mobile devices cannot be used).

The pass rule

A pass requires 9 or more of the 14 scored stations. Results are available to download at 4.00 pm on the Friday three weeks after the examination.

The fees

The AMC states that it has "reduced the fee of the AMC in-person clinical exam from $3,991 to $3,000", and the online examination from $4,391 to $3,400. The page does not specify a currency; AMC fees are set in Australian dollars. Candidates should confirm the current figure on the AMC fees page before paying.

Preparing for the station day

1. Build eight-minute routines for each of the four station types. A history station, an examination station, a diagnostic-formulation station and a management or counselling station each need a different structure; practise all four against a clock.
2. Use the two minutes of reading time. Identify the task, the setting and what the examiner is likely to be marking before you enter.
3. Learn Australian frameworks. Guidelines, referral pathways, Medicare and PBS terminology, and mental-health legislation differ from Pakistan; the examiner marks against Australian practice.
4. Rehearse the online format if you choose it. Camera framing, examination demonstrations on a simulated patient at a distance, and connection reliability are part of the performance.
5. Practise with a partner and a mark scheme. The clinical examination is marked on observable behaviour; a partner who plays the patient and ticks the scheme is the best rehearsal available outside Australia.

After a pass

The AMC Certificate follows a pass in the MCQ and either the clinical examination or the workplace-based assessment; general registration is then sought from the Medical Board of Australia through AHPRA, with English-language and other requirements applied at that stage.

What this means for you

Nine of fourteen is a majority, not perfection; a candidate can fail five stations and pass. The preparation that pays is structured, timed and Australian in its frameworks. FAME's AMC resources include station frameworks for the four areas and a checklist bank for partner practice.

Two questions candidates ask

Can I sit the online examination from Pakistan? The AMC offers the examination online using a desktop or laptop computer, with the scheduling and technical requirements set out when you apply. Check the current AMC guidance on where online candidates may sit and what equipment and environment are required before choosing the mode.

Do the pilot stations affect my result? Usually not. Two of the 16 assessed stations are pilot stations that are generally unscored; the pass or fail decision rests on the 14 scored stations, with 9 or more required to pass.

Sources and references

• AMC: Clinical examination (format, pass rule, delivery modes, fee reduction, results timing)
• AMC: Standard Pathway (MCQ, clinical examination or workplace-based assessment, certificate, registration)