The Australian Medical Council is currently experiencing technical difficulties with it's phone system. Currently when calling the AMC you may experience unexpected call dropouts. This is being looked at with a matter of urgency. In the meantime, you may prefer to contact the AMC via email with your enquiry: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

We apologise for any inconvenience.

The following advice is provided to AMC candidates on proposed changes to the AMC Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) examination, commencing with the 2011 MCQ examination series. The change in the examination process has been approved after extensive trial tests with Australian University students and will come into effect commencing with the February 2011 MCQ examination. Trial examinations were used to test the examination delivery system and blueprint (content) requirements, and to ensure the AMC standard is maintained.

A new paper about Competence-Based Medical Education has been released for consultation.

The Australian Medical Council is conducting a follow-up assessment of the four-year graduate entry course offered by the University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney School of Medicine. This assessment forms part of the cycle of AMC accreditation of this new medical program, which took its first students in 2007.

Click here to download the full media statement.

The Medical Board of Australia has developed a Proof of Identity Framework and Requirements document for the purposes of applicants seeking medical registration in Australia. These new requirements have come into effect from 1 July 2010. The AMC has always maintained identification requirements consistent with those set by medical boards in Australia. Because the AMC is aware that applicants applying directly from overseas cannot meet some of the new requirements set by the Medical Board of Australia, the AMC has developed its own proof of identity requirements that must be met when applying under the AMC assessment pathways. Applicants will still be expected to meet the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) identification requirements as set by the MBA when they seek medical registration with the MBA.  

In addition to this, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) have recently advised the Australian Medical Council (AMC) that Australian Embassies and Consulates overseas will no longer provide the service of certifying photographs. DFAT have confirmed that they will be able to continue certifying copies of original documents, for example a person’s passport.

Upon review of its policy on certification of photographs, the AMC has decided that candidates will no longer be required to have photographs certified before submitting their application to the AMC. The AMC is satisfied that proper identification will continue to be confirmed by passport and other similar documentation that contains a photograph of the candidate.

All documentation apart from photographs will continue to be required to be certified before submission to the AMC.

Please click here to access the new Proof of Identity Requirements for the AMC Assessment Pathways (including photograph requirements).

Note: Original documents are not to be submitted in place of photocopies.  If original documents are submitted, the AMC will take no responsibility for the original documents.

The Australian Medical Council (AMC) is today launching a definitive 25-year history, on the eve of national medical regulation and accreditation reform.

Click here to download the full media statement.

The AMC, for many years, has been a strong advocate for bridging courses for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) preparing for the AMC examinations. As part of its support for bridging programs, the AMC agreed to provide scheduling priority for clinical examinations for AMC candidate who had registered with established bridging programs.

Recently, the numbers of IMGs presenting for the clinical examinations have increased to the point where the ratio of applicants to available clinical examination places now exceeds three to one. In order to address the demand for clinical examination places the AMC is currently developing a number of initiatives to increase capacity for clinical assessment. These include:

• Delivery of the AMC clinical examination in multiple venues on the same day. This has increased the capacity of the AMC clinical examination from approximately 1000 places to 1,500 places per year.
• Trial testing of the COAG Workplace-based assessment pathway, as an alternative to the AMC clinical examinations. Currently three trial examination sites are being developed and a fourth site is under consideration.
• Negotiations with Medical Schools to conduct AMC clinical examinations outside the current AMC cycle of examinations. 
  

In the meantime, in the face of the increased demand for clinical examination places and the extended delays in placement in clinical examinations, the AMC, with considerable regret, is obliged to temporarily halt the scheduling priority for bridging course candidates. All candidates for the AMC clinical examination, including bridging course candidates, will be scheduled strictly according to the published AMC scheduling criteria.

As soon as the clinical examination capacity has been increased, as a result of the initiatives outlined above, the AMC will again review the situation regarding scheduling priority for bridging course candidates.

In June 2009, the Australian Medical Council (AMC) recognition review group began a detailed assessment of the case for recognition of cosmetic medical practice as a medical specialty. Before undertaking a program of site visits, the review group requested that the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery (ACCS) provide supplementary information.

Due to a number of extenuating factors, the AMC granted the ACCS extensions to the original deadline. The supplementary information was received by the AMC in late March 2010. With the receipt of this information, the recognition review group will resume its Stage 1 assessment of the application. 

During Stage 1 of the recognition process, the AMC assesses the case for recognition of a medical specialty against the four recognition criteria, as described in the Guidelines; The Recognition of Medical Specialties: Policy and Process.

The Australian Medical Council (AMC) today announced the appointment of internationally recognised obstetrician, Professor David Ellwood, as chair of the AMC’s Medical School Accreditation Committee.

Click here to download the full media statement.

The Annual Report of the Australian Medical Council (AMC) provides detailed reports on the operations and activities of the AMC.

A copy of the 2008 Annual Report has been sent to many individuals and organisations associated with the work of the AMC.

The full Annual Report is available for download: Annual Report 2008 (PDF – 2.3 MB).

After mailing a printing error was discovered on page 32 where the colours in the legend for Table 8 have been reversed. If you have received the Annual Report in the mail and would like a corrected copy or if you have not received a copy of the Annual Report and would like one please contact the AMC.

The Australian Medical Council has reviewed its schedule of examination and assessment fees and charges, which were last changed in 2005/06. In order to accommodate increased costs associated with the scheduling and delivery of examinations, the AMC is obliged to increase a number of fees and charges associated with the AMC Examination and other assessment pathways effective for examination and assessments conducted after 1 July 2010.

Click here to view the fees & charges.

All International Medical Graduates (IMGs) applying for registration in Australia and for assessment through the Australian Medical Council (AMC) or Specialist Pathways must complete primary source verification as a prerequisite for assessment and registration.

Based upon the experience of the AMC with processing primary source verification (EICS) requests of medical qualifications for IMGs, the AMC has developed a list of overseas institutions that have not responded to primary source verification requests or have been particularly slow to respond.

In June 2009, the Australian Medical Council (AMC) recognition review group began a detailed assessment of the case for recognition of cosmetic medical practice as a medical specialty. Before undertaking a program of site visits, the review group requested that the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery (ACCS) provide supplementary information.

Due to a number of extenuating factors, the ACCS has requested extensions to the original deadline. The ACCS has recently informed the AMC that it expects to provide the additional information by mid-December 2009. Should this be the case, it is expected that the recognition review group will resume its assessment of the application in February 2010.

After a comprehensive review, the Australian Medical Council (AMC) has extended the accreditation of the education and training programs of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists to December 2011.

Click here to download the full media statement.

Click here to download the Executive Summary.

Following on the advice received from the Australian Medical Council (AMC), the Commonwealth Minister for Health and Ageing has announced that she has decided to recognise addiction medicine and sexual health medicine as medical specialties for the purpose of inclusion in the AMC List of Australian Recognised Medical Specialties.

Click here to download the full media statement.

Click here to download the Executive Summary.