AMC Standard Pathway Step by Step for Pakistani Graduates: MCQ, Clinical or WBA, Certificate

Pakistani graduates are not eligible for Australia's Competent Authority Pathway, which is reserved for graduates of specified countries' systems, so the route to general registration runs through the AMC Standard Pathway. The AMC's page lays the pathway out as a sequence of steps; the useful thing for a candidate is to see where the decisions fall and how long each step takes. This guide follows the AMC's order.

Step 1: confirm eligibility

The Standard Pathway is for doctors seeking general registration with the Medical Board of Australia who hold an eligible medical degree, described by the AMC as a "final medical diploma/primary qualification in medicine and surgery", and who are not eligible for the Competent Authority Pathway. The AMC provides an eligibility tool for checking the school and degree and a self-check tool for the pathway. Primary-source verification of the qualification is part of establishing the AMC portfolio.

Step 2: create an AMC account and portfolio

"To apply to the AMC you need an AMC account, and establish an AMC portfolio." The portfolio holds identity and qualification documents and follows the candidate through the pathway.

Step 3: pass the AMC CAT MCQ examination

150 questions in 3.5 hours, computer-adaptive, blueprinted across six patient groups, reported on a 0–500 scale with a pass at 250; from 2026 the cut score is slightly higher within the same scale. The exam is delivered at test centres internationally, so this step can be completed from Pakistan.

Step 4: pass a clinical assessment

Two options lead to the certificate:

• The AMC Clinical Examination: 16 assessed stations (14 scored, pass at 9 of 14), 10 minutes each, in person or online; fees reduced in 2026 to 3,000 in person and 3,400 online.
• A workplace-based assessment (WBA): "Instead of completing the clinical examination, you can apply to complete a workplace based assessment program", run over 6 to 12 months in an accredited Australian setting. Places depend on the programme and usually on holding a position in Australia.

The decision is practical: candidates still in Pakistan generally sit the clinical examination; those who have secured an Australian post with a WBA provider may prefer the workplace route.

Step 5: receive the AMC Certificate

The certificate is issued after the MCQ and the clinical assessment are passed and the portfolio requirements are met.

Step 6: register with the Medical Board through AHPRA

General registration is sought from the Medical Board of Australia through AHPRA, with English-language proficiency and the Board's other requirements applied at this stage. The AMC page links to the Board's registration information rather than describing the steps.

Timelines and planning

1. Verification and portfolio: weeks to months; start first.
2. MCQ: three to six months of preparation for most candidates.
3. Clinical examination: booking lead times apply; the WBA alternative is 6 to 12 months.
4. English: OET or IELTS results have validity periods; time the test so it is valid at registration.

What this means for you

The pathway rewards candidates who run its administrative and academic tracks in parallel: portfolio and verification while preparing for the MCQ, English test timed for registration, and the clinical-assessment decision made early. FAME's AMC-1 plan covers the MCQ step with blueprint-weighted questions, and its clinical resources cover the station formats.

Two questions candidates ask

Is the Competent Authority Pathway open to Pakistani graduates? No. That pathway is for doctors whose qualifications and training come from the specified competent-authority systems, and Pakistan's is not among them. The AMC's self-check tool confirms the pathway for your qualification.

Can the MCQ be taken in Pakistan? The CAT MCQ is delivered at test centres internationally; the current list of locations and the booking rules are on the AMC's examination pages. Check availability early, because centres and dates are limited.

Sources and references

• AMC: Standard Pathway (eligibility, account and portfolio, MCQ, clinical examination or WBA, certificate, registration)
• AMC: Clinical examination
• AMC: CAT MCQ specifications