AMC Clinical exam at a glance
Each clinical station gives you two minutes to read and eight minutes to perform the tasks. The circuit has 16 assessed stations and four rest stations; your result is based on 14 scored stations. You need to pass at least nine. Start your preparation by practising what you will actually have to do and say within that time.
Official exam information checked: 11 October 2026. This guide is for doctors planning an AMC Clinical attempt in 2027. Booking notices and fees can change, so check the linked AMC pages before making arrangements.
You can know the diagnosis and still leave part of a station unfinished. A focused history, a clear explanation and a safe plan need to be demonstrated within the tasks you have been given. Reading another case is useful, but it does not tell you whether you can do that in eight minutes.
Here is how I would organise preparation: understand the format, practise each task to time, and use feedback to decide what to work on next.
- Exam format and station types
- How stations are marked
- Using the reading time
- A worked practice station
- A flexible 12-week plan
- 2027 bookings and current fees
- Frequently asked questions
What is the AMC Clinical exam format?
The AMC Clinical examination assesses clinical skills and communication across medicine, surgery, women's health, paediatrics and mental health, in hospital and community settings. You must have passed the AMC CAT MCQ examination to be eligible. The AMC clinical examination page sets out the current requirements.
A station lasts ten minutes: two minutes of reading time followed by eight minutes of assessment. The 16 assessed stations include two pilot stations. Usually these pilots do not contribute to the result, although the AMC may substitute a pilot if there is a problem with another station. The result is still based on 14 stations.
The AMC groups stations by four predominant assessment areas. A station can include more than one task, so use the actual instructions to decide what is required.
| Predominant area | How I would practise it |
|---|---|
| History taking | Gather relevant information, follow the patient's answers and leave time to complete any additional task. |
| Examination | Practise the sequence, consent, positioning and explanations. Use a partner when appropriate so the physical steps become familiar. |
| Diagnostic formulation | Summarise the findings, give a prioritised differential and explain why the important possibilities fit. |
| Management, counselling or education | Explain the problem in plain language, agree on next steps and check the person's understanding. |
These practice suggestions are teaching advice. The official scope and requirements are in the AMC Clinical examination specifications.
How are AMC Clinical stations marked?
The examiner gives each station a global rating informed by the relevant assessment domains, key steps and overall performance. The overall exam result depends on the number of stations passed: nine or more of the 14 scored stations is a pass.
When reviewing a practice station, I would ask four questions: how did I approach the person, how did I gather information, how did I reason, and how did I explain? This is a way of organising feedback, rather than a replacement for the AMC marking criteria.
“I knew that” is not enough feedback. Ask which important action was missed or which explanation was unclear. Then repeat that part of the station. If you repeatedly leave the management task unfinished, extra reading may help less than practising an earlier transition from history to the plan.
How to use the two minutes of reading time
- Identify the setting and your role. Who are you seeing, and what has already happened?
- Underline each task. Notice whether you are speaking to the patient, demonstrating an examination or reporting to the examiner.
- Choose a time split. Give every requested task a place in the eight minutes.
- Choose a starting structure. Note the important issues you need to explore without deciding the diagnosis before hearing the patient's story.
The aim is to enter knowing what you need to accomplish. Avoid filling the reading time with a memorised speech that may not suit the person or the task.
A worked example: practising one station to time
Imagine an original practice station about a 62-year-old with persistent tiredness and weight loss. The tasks are to take a focused history, discuss your differential diagnoses with the examiner and outline initial investigations. This is a teaching example, rather than a recalled AMC station.
One possible split is five minutes for history, 90 seconds for the differential and 90 seconds for investigations. It is a practice choice for this task combination; it is not a timing rule for every station.
- History: establish the presenting concern and its course, then gather information that helps distinguish important causes. Respond to what the patient tells you rather than working through an unrelated checklist.
- Differential: give the examiner a short summary and a prioritised explanation. State the important possibilities and the findings supporting or weakening them.
- Investigations: explain which uncertainties your initial tests would address. Keep recommendations appropriate to the information given and the clinical setting.
After the timer stops, your partner should describe what they actually heard and observed. Did you complete all three tasks? Was the reasoning understandable? Which questions changed your differential? Repeat the weakest part before moving to a new case.
For a real clinical presentation, investigation and management depend on the patient's findings and current Australian guidance. A practice time split does not replace clinical judgement.
A flexible 12-week AMC Clinical preparation plan
Twelve weeks can be a useful planning framework for someone balancing study with work. It is my suggested structure, not an AMC requirement or a guarantee of readiness. Adjust the pace to your starting skills, available time and feedback.
Weeks 1–4: build task-specific foundations
Review the official specifications and your Australian clinical references. Practise the four predominant assessment areas, including examination and counselling. Start with a manageable schedule, such as one timed station on each study day, followed by a focused review.
Keep a short record: task completed, time used, important omission and the next improvement. Reading cases can support this work, but include practice in which you speak or perform the task.
Weeks 5–8: practise with a partner and use feedback
Use a partner or role player for varied stations. Ask for feedback on specific actions and explanations. If your partner can only say “good” or “bad”, agree on a few observable points before you start.
Return to weak tasks after feedback. For example, if your explanations are too technical, practise the same explanation in plain language and ask the role player to tell you what they understood.
Weeks 9–12: practise circuits and review the pattern
Put stations together so you practise changing topics and continuing after a difficult encounter. Review whether a repeated problem affects several station types: an unfocused opening, incomplete tasks or explanations that leave no room for questions.
Choose one of those problems for the next study block. Progress is more useful when you can describe what has improved, rather than only count the number of cases you have read.
Common preparation mistakes to watch for
- Preparing for a familiar topic but overlooking the task written in the stem.
- Using most of the station on history when an explanation or management task is also required.
- Keeping the reasoning in your head when the task asks you to discuss it.
- Delivering a memorised counselling script without checking the person's concerns or understanding.
- Practising only the areas you already find comfortable.
Use original teaching cases and legitimate preparation resources. The AMC requires candidates to follow its examination conduct and security rules.
Planning for 2027: bookings and current fees
On 11 October 2026, the AMC says the next release of in-person Clinical examination places is anticipated in November 2026 for 2027 dates. This is an expected release window, not a confirmed booking day. Its notice also says that no further online examination dates will be released for the remainder of 2026.
The listed Clinical examination fees are currently AUD $3,000 in person and AUD $3,400 online. Check the AMC fees and charges and scheduling notice before paying or arranging travel.
For related planning, see our AMC Clinical dates guide and AMC exam and pathway costs guide. Confirm any changing figures against the AMC's current fee schedule.
AMC Clinical exam: frequently asked questions
Do I have to pass every station?
No. The current pass requirement is at least nine of the 14 scored stations. Keep working through the circuit after a difficult station.
Is every station a history-taking station?
No. Prepare for examination, diagnostic formulation and management or counselling as well. Read each stem for the tasks it actually asks you to perform.
Is 12 weeks enough preparation?
That depends on your starting point and how you use the time. Use timed performance and specific feedback to judge progress. The 12-week structure above is a planning suggestion.
Should I rely on recalled cases?
Build preparation around the official specifications, clinical knowledge and varied practice. Memorised answers can fit poorly when the task or patient differs, and candidates must respect examination security rules.
Are 2027 dates confirmed?
Use the AMC's live scheduling notice for confirmed dates and booking instructions. The November release window described above is provisional.
Where can I get structured practice?
At LearnMedicine, we work through clinical cases, discuss the reasoning and practise the tasks. See the course catalogue to decide whether the AMC Clinical course suits your preparation needs.