What Is the AMC Exam?
The AMC exam (Australian Medical Council examination) is the licensing test every international medical graduate, including Indian MBBS doctors- must clear to register and practice medicine in Australia. It has two parts: AMC Part 1, a computer-based MCQ test of medical knowledge, and AMC Part 2, a hands-on clinical skills exam (OSCE format) held only in Melbourne. Pass both, and you're on the path to full Australian medical registration.
Why Indian Doctors Are Looking at Australia
If you're a resident in an Indian government hospital, you already know the math: brutal duty hours, a salary in the ₹10–14 lakh range, and a PG seat crunch that leaves thousands of MBBS graduates without a specialization path. Compare that to Australia, where an entry-level Junior Medical Officer/Resident Medical Officer (RMO)- doing the same career-stage work - earns roughly ₹50-70 lakh a year, with actual work-hour limits and overtime pay for anything beyond that. The gap isn't marginal. It's structural.
AMC Exam Eligibility: Do You Qualify?
- Your MBBS college must be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS) - most recognized Indian medical colleges are.
- There is no upper age limit.
- You'll eventually need IELTS (7.5 overall, 7.0 per band) or OET (Grade B), not required to sit the AMC exam, but mandatory before registration and employment.
The AMC Exam Structure
| AMC Part 1 (MCQ) | AMC Part 2 (OSCE) | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | 150 MCQs, computer-adaptive | 16 clinical stations |
| Duration | 3.5 hours | 8 min/station + 2 min reading |
| Location | Pearson centers, 15 Indian cities | Melbourne, Australia only |
| Fee | AUD 2,920 | AUD 3,000 |
| Pass rate | ~45-51% | ~21-24% |
The clinical OSCE (Part 2) is the real bottleneck, a sub-25% pass rate means most candidates need more than one attempt, and slots in Melbourne book out months in advance. Budget your timeline accordingly.
Your Step-by-Step AMC Pathway
- Complete MBBS and confirm your college is WDOMS-listed
- Create your AMC account and verify credentials via EPIC (primary source verification, takes a few weeks)
- Clear AMC Part 1 (MCQ)
- Meet the English proficiency requirement (IELTS/OET)
- Clear AMC Part 2 (OSCE) in Melbourne
- Secure an Australian work visa (typically employer-sponsored TSS visa)
- Apply for an RMO position, a strong CV and references matter more than most candidates expect
- Complete 12 months of supervised practice
- Get full general registration, you can now practice independently
- Apply to a specialty college (RACP, RACS, RACGP, etc.) for residency training
What This Actually Costs
| Item | Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| AMC account + verification | 642 |
| AMC Part 1 | 2,920 |
| AMC Part 2 | 3,000 |
| Workplace-based assessment | 1,070 |
| Registration | 1,594 |
| English test | 500 |
| Travel/stay for OSCE + interviews | 7,000–8,000 |
| Total (excluding prep) | ~17,000–18,000 (₹10–11 lakh) |
Add ₹2-3 lakh for structured exam preparation, and plan for ₹15 lakh total as a realistic all-in budget.
The Real Salary Timeline (No Exaggeration)
This is where most articles either oversell or undersell the numbers. Here's the honest trajectory:
- JMO/RMO (first 1-2 years): AUD 85,000-105,000 (₹54-67 lakh)
- Registrar / training years: AUD 110,000-300,000 (₹96 lakh-1.9 crore), you're paid while you train for your specialty
- Consultant / Fellow specialist: AUD 280,000-600,000+ (₹1.9-4 crore+), depending on specialty and private practice
Surgeons and anaesthetists sit at the top of Australia's income tables, with senior specialists in these fields regularly clearing AUD 450,000–750,000. So yes, ₹2 crore is real, but it's a specialist-level outcome, roughly 8-12 years down the pathway, not a fresh-graduate starting salary. Anyone promising you that number in year one is selling something.
Shortcut: Can You Skip the AMC Exam?
Yes, via the Competent Authority Pathway, if you already hold ECFMG certification (USA), GMC registration after PLAB (UK), LMCC (Canada), or NZREX (New Zealand), you may bypass AMC Part 1 and Part 2 entirely. Given the AMC's low pass rates, some Indian graduates strategically clear USMLE or PLAB first, since both offer better odds and open Australia as a secondary option.
Have questions about your AMC eligibility or want a personalized roadmap? Book a 1-on-1 counselling session to map out your pathway.
