AMC Part 1 Eligibility Requirements

Who Can Apply for AMC Assessment

The Australian Medical Council (AMC) assesses International Medical Graduates whose qualifications are not automatically recognised in Australia. The AMC's Standard Pathway — which includes the AMC Part 1 MCQ and AMC Part 2 Clinical examinations — is the route for most IMGs seeking medical registration.

To enter this pathway, you must hold a primary medical qualification from a recognised institution and complete the AMC's eligibility assessment process. The full process from eligibility through to registration can take several months, so it is important to begin well before your intended exam date. For a big-picture overview of the full journey to registration — including where eligibility and AMC Part 1 fit in — see the Pathway to Medical Registration in Australia.

Basic Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for AMC Part 1, you must:

• Hold a primary medical qualification from a medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. Your medical school, degree title, and graduation year must all be eligible — this can be checked on the AMC website.
• Have completed your medical degree — you cannot apply as a current medical student.
• Have completed a minimum period of supervised clinical practice — the AMC typically requires at least 12 months of supervised clinical experience (internship or equivalent) after graduation.
• Complete primary source verification — your qualifications must be verified directly with your medical school through the ECFMG's EPIC system. See the primary source verification section below.

English Language Requirements

English language proficiency is not required to sit the AMC MCQ examination itself. You can apply for the exam, receive your authorisation, and sit the AMC Part 1 without having completed an English language test.

However, English proficiency is required for AHPRA registration — the step that allows you to actually work as a doctor in Australia. This means you will need to complete an approved English test before you can apply for limited or general registration, even if you have already passed both AMC exams.

Many candidates choose to complete their English requirement early in the process so it does not become a bottleneck later. The accepted tests and minimum scores for AHPRA registration are:

• IELTS Academic — minimum 7.0 in each of the four bands (Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing)
• OET (Occupational English Test) — minimum Grade B in each of the four components (minimum 350/500)
• PTE Academic — minimum 65 in each communicative skill

Exemptions may apply if you completed your primary medical qualification entirely in English at a medical school in a recognised English-speaking country (United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, Canada, New Zealand, or South Africa). Check the Medical Board of Australia's English language registration standard for the current list of exemptions and conditions.

Scores must be current at the time of your AHPRA application (typically valid for 24 months). Check the AHPRA and Medical Board of Australia websites for the latest requirements, as these can change.

Primary Source Verification

The AMC requires independent verification of your medical qualification before you can register for the exam. This is not simply uploading your documents — the AMC confirms your qualifications directly with your medical school through a process managed by the ECFMG's EPIC (Electronic Portfolio of International Credentials) system.

The process involves:

1. Creating an EPIC account
2. Nominating the AMC to receive your verification status
3. Providing identity documents (colour photograph, scanned passport, EPIC Identification Form)
4. Uploading your qualifications when advised by ECFMG
5. ECFMG contacting your medical school directly for verification
6. Once verified, the EPIC report is sent to the AMC

PSV can take several months depending on how quickly your medical school responds to ECFMG's verification request. Some institutions respond within weeks; others take considerably longer. This is the single most common source of delay in the AMC application process, and you have limited control over the timeline once your documents are submitted.

For the full step-by-step process, required documents, and tips for avoiding delays, see the AMC Primary Source Verification guide.

Recognised Qualifications

Graduates from medical schools listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools are generally eligible to apply for AMC assessment. However, the AMC may have specific requirements or restrictions for graduates of certain institutions, and not every listed school is automatically accepted — the AMC checks your school, degree title, and graduation year against their records.

If you graduated from a medical school in the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, Canada, or New Zealand, you may be eligible for the Competent Authority Pathway instead of the Standard Pathway. This pathway involves a Pre-Employment Structured Clinical Interview (PESCI) rather than the AMC MCQ and Clinical examinations, and leads to provisional registration. Check the AMC website for details on whether your qualification qualifies for this alternative route.

IMGs with a primary residency in a country sanctioned by the US Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) should be aware that scheduling at Pearson VUE test centres may be restricted, as Pearson VUE is a US-registered company. Contact the AMC for guidance if this applies to you.

Next Steps

Once you have confirmed your eligibility and begun the primary source verification process, the next step is to formally register with the AMC and apply for your exam authorisation. See the AMC Registration Guide for a step-by-step walkthrough of the application process.

After registering, begin your preparation with the AMC Part 1 Exam Guide and the 6-Month Study Plan or 3-Month Study Plan.