Format at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 150 multiple choice, one best answer from five options |
| Time | 3.5 hours in one session, about 84 seconds per question |
| Delivery | Computer adaptive test at Pearson VUE test centres in Australia and overseas |
| Review | None: each question must be answered before the next, and answers can't be changed |
| Scoring | Scaled 0 to 500; 250 is a pass. No negative marking |
| Fee (2026) | A$2,920 per attempt (CAT MCQ authorisation) |
| Results | 4.00 pm on the Friday three weeks after the exam, in your AMC account |
The blueprint
Questions are also classified by clinician task: data gathering, data interpretation and synthesis, and management. Some include images such as X-rays, ECGs, scans and clinical photographs.
| Patient group | Share | About |
|---|---|---|
| Adult health: medicine | 30% | 45 questions |
| Adult health: surgery | 20% | 30 questions |
| Women's health (obstetrics and gynaecology) | 12.5% | 19 questions |
| Child health | 12.5% | 19 questions |
| Mental health | 12.5% | 19 questions |
| Population health and ethics | 12.5% | 19 questions |
How computer-adaptive scoring works
The first question is drawn at random. Answer correctly and the next one is harder; answer incorrectly and it's easier. Your score is an ability estimate on a 0 to 500 scale, not a percentage, so two candidates with the same number of correct answers can get different scores. That's also why your raw feel for the exam is a poor guide: a hard paper often means you were doing well.
From 2026 the AMC applies a slightly higher cut score built into the same scale. The reported pass mark is still 250, and the content, format and structure are unchanged. Results from earlier years aren't reassessed.
See where you stand in 10 minutes
Take the free AMC CAT MCQ practice test. 15 questions, every answer explained.
Pacing without review
Because you can't go back, the usual "flag and return" strategy doesn't exist. Read the last line of the stem first, decide, and move on. Bank time on recall questions so you have 2 minutes for the long vignettes. Answer every question: an incomplete exam may be recorded as "Fail - insufficient data to obtain result", and wrong answers cost nothing.
A 16-week plan
- Weeks 1-4: adult medicine (the largest block), with daily flashcards and topic question sets.
- Weeks 5-7: adult surgery and emergency presentations.
- Weeks 8-11: women's health, child health and mental health, one to one and a half weeks each.
- Weeks 12-13: population health and ethics, biostatistics and Australian screening programs; first full 150-question timed mock.
- Weeks 14-16: clear your mistakes bank, take a second full mock under no-review conditions, then light review only in the last two days.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the AMC MCQ?
150 multiple-choice questions, each with five options and one best answer, in 3.5 hours.
What is the AMC MCQ pass mark?
A scaled score of 250 on a 0 to 500 scale. From 2026 the AMC slightly raised the standard behind that score, but 250 is still the reported pass mark.
Can I go back and change answers?
No. You must answer each question before the next appears, and you can't return to change a response.
Can I sit the AMC MCQ online?
No. It's delivered only at Pearson VUE test centres, in Australia and overseas.
How much does the AMC MCQ cost?
A$2,920 per attempt in 2026, plus the A$642 initial portfolio fee when you first open your AMC portfolio.
Official sources
Practice tests for these certifications
This guide is general information, checked November 2026, not legal advice. the Australian Medical Council rules change; confirm with the Australian Medical Council before you apply.
