AMC Part 1 Pass Rate, Pass Marks and Scoring

How AMC Part 1 Scoring Works

The AMC Part 1 (AMC CAT MCQ Examination) reports results on a scaled score from 0 to 500. Your score is not a simple count of correct answers — it is derived from a scaling process that takes into account the difficulty of the questions you were presented with, which varies between candidates because the exam uses a computer-adaptive format.

Of the 150 questions in the exam, only 120 are scored. The remaining 30 are unscored pilot items that the AMC uses for future exam development. You will not know which questions are pilot items, so every question must be treated as if it counts.

There is no negative marking. Only correct answers contribute to your score. An incorrect answer and an unanswered question produce the same outcome — so every question should receive your best answer, even if you are uncertain.

The pass mark is described as 250 on the 0–500 scale. However, this is not simply "50%" — the score of 250 is set through a standard-setting process that benchmarks the minimum acceptable performance against the level expected of a graduating medical student from an Australian medical school. From 2026, the AMC has introduced a slightly higher pass standard, integrated into the same 0–500 scale.

Pass Rate and Historical Context

The AMC does not publish official pass rates for the AMC Part 1. There is no publicly available data on what percentage of candidates pass on their first attempt, second attempt, or overall. Candidates and coaching services sometimes quote figures, but these are anecdotal and should not be treated as reliable benchmarks for your own preparation.

What is known:

• The pass standard is competency-based — It is set to reflect the minimum knowledge and clinical reasoning expected for safe medical practice in Australia. It is not a fixed quota, a curve, or a rank-based cutoff. Whether 20% or 80% of candidates meet the standard in a given sitting, the pass mark does not change to compensate.
• The standard is periodically reviewed — The AMC benchmarks the exam against the performance of graduating students at Australian medical schools. The 2026 update raised the pass standard slightly, reflecting this ongoing calibration.
• Preparation quality is the strongest predictor — Candidates who follow a structured plan aligned to the AMC content blueprint, complete substantial volumes of practice questions, and address weak areas systematically tend to perform better than those who study without a clear framework. This is consistent across candidate backgrounds and medical school origins.

What Affects Your Score

Your scaled score is determined by three factors:

1. Accuracy on scored items — Of the 120 scored questions, the number you answer correctly forms the basis of your result. Since you cannot identify which questions are scored and which are pilot, the practical implication is straightforward: answer every question as well as you can.

2. Difficulty of questions presented — Because the exam is computer-adaptive, question difficulty adjusts based on your performance. If you answer correctly, subsequent questions may be harder. Your scaled score accounts for this — two candidates who answer the same number of questions correctly can receive different scores if one was consistently answering harder items. For a full explanation of how this works, see AMC CAT Exam Format Explained.

3. Coverage across the blueprint — The exam spans six patient groups with defined weightings, the largest being Adult Health — Medicine (~30%) and Surgery (~20%). Significant gaps in any high-weight area can disproportionately affect your score because the adaptive algorithm will present questions from across the full blueprint. Use the AMC Part 1 Syllabus to understand the weighting of each patient group.

For full details on the exam structure and question format, see the AMC Part 1 Exam Guide.

Tips to Maximise Your Score

Your score is determined before exam day — by the months of preparation that precede it. The exam itself is simply the measurement. The most effective ways to maximise your result are covered in the dedicated preparation guides:

• AMC Part 1 Preparation Strategy — how to structure your study across reading, practice questions, and revision
• 6-Month Study Plan or 3-Month Study Plan — week-by-week schedules aligned to the exam blueprint
• Question Bank — exam-style practice with topic-level performance tracking
• Common Mistakes — the errors that most commonly hold candidates back
• Exam Day Guide — what to expect at the test centre so logistics do not become a distraction

On the day itself, the single most important principle is this: answer every question. There is no negative marking, and the adaptive format means you cannot go back. Commit to your best answer and move forward.

Understanding Your Results

Results are released at 4:00 pm on the Friday, three weeks after your examination event. You access them through your online AMC account — results are issued by the AMC, not by Pearson VUE.

Your result will show:

• A pass or fail outcome
• Your scaled score on the 0–500 scale

The AMC does not provide a breakdown of your performance by topic area or patient group. If you do not pass, your scaled score gives you a rough indication of how far you were from the pass mark, which can help guide the intensity and focus of your re-preparation.

If you need to reattempt, understand the AMC Part 1 Retake Policy before rebooking, and use the Preparation Strategy and Common Mistakes pages to adjust your approach rather than repeating the same study pattern.