AMC Recalls
Is the AMC Valid in the UK and New Zealand? Where an AMC Pass Counts
By the AMC Recalls team. Updated .
Yes for the UK, with conditions, and not on its own for New Zealand. The GMC lists the AMC CAT MCQ and the AMC Clinical Examination together as an acceptable overseas registration exam, so a doctor who has passed both and completed an internship can apply for full UK registration without PLAB; a clinical pass after 5 March 2020 counts only if it was a face-to-face OSCE. New Zealand registers AMC candidates only after 12 months of supervised practice in Australia has led to general registration, and then in a provisional general scope.
Is the AMC exam valid in the UK?
Yes. The General Medical Council keeps a short list of acceptable overseas registration exams, and the AMC exam, meaning the AMC CAT MCQ together with the AMC Clinical Examination, is on it, next to the USMLE and Canada's MCC Qualifying Examination. If you have passed both AMC exams, you can apply for full registration through the GMC's route for international graduates who have passed an acceptable overseas registration exam, instead of sitting PLAB 1 and PLAB 2.
| GMC condition | What it means for an AMC candidate |
|---|---|
| Both exams passed | The AMC MCQ alone is not enough; you need the AMC Clinical too |
| Each part passed in four attempts or fewer | Attempts at each AMC exam are counted separately |
| Clinical exam passed by 5 March 2020, or | Sitting the AMC Clinical in Melbourne, in person, meets this |
later as a face-to-face OSCE
| Internship completed | Your house job or internship certificate |
|---|---|
| Clinical pass more than two years old | Three of the last five years in medical practice, including six of the last 12 months |
| No PLAB failure after an AMC pass | Failing PLAB 1 or PLAB 2 after passing any part of the AMC exam makes you ineligible for this route |
The GMC's usual requirements apply on top: an acceptable primary medical qualification and evidence of your English.
The catch with the online AMC Clinical
The AMC runs its clinical exam in two formats: face to face at the AMC's National Test Centre in Melbourne, and online for doctors who work in MMM 2 to 7 areas of Australia. The GMC's condition for any pass after 5 March 2020 is a face-to-face OSCE, and on that wording an online AMC Clinical pass doesn't meet it. If the UK is your back-up plan, sit the AMC Clinical in Melbourne, and confirm with the GMC before you apply.
Is the AMC exam valid in New Zealand?
Not on its own. The Medical Council of New Zealand has a registration pathway for AMC candidates, but it starts after a year of work in Australia. You need:
a primary medical degree from a medical school in the World Directory of Medical Schools;
a pass in the AMC MCQ;
a pass in the AMC Clinical, or a completed AMC-approved workplace-based assessment;
a year of supervised practice in Australia that led to general registration with Ahpra;
an offer of a job in New Zealand that includes supervision, plus MCNZ's fitness and English requirements.
You are then registered in a provisional general scope, with a supervision endorsement on your practising certificate, and moving to the general scope is not automatic. Without Australian general registration, New Zealand's own route for international graduates is NZREX Clinical.
What about the USA and Canada?
Neither accepts the AMC exam. ECFMG certification for the USA needs USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK, and Canada assesses international graduates through the Medical Council of Canada's MCCQE Part I. For any other country, check that regulator's own list of accepted exams: this guide covers what the GMC and MCNZ publish.
AMC or PLAB, if you want to keep both doors open
| Your aim | The exam that fits |
|---|---|
| The UK only | PLAB: cheaper, and built for the UK |
| Australia, with the UK as a back-up | The AMC exam, with the AMC Clinical sat in person in Melbourne |
| Australia, then New Zealand | The AMC exam, then 12 months of supervised practice in Australia |
| New Zealand only | NZREX Clinical |
One rule to remember: don't sit PLAB as a hedge after passing part of the AMC exam, because a PLAB fail at that point closes the GMC's AMC route. AMC vs PLAB vs USMLE for Indian and Pakistani doctors compares the exams themselves, including costs in rupees, and Australia PR after the AMC exam covers what comes after registration in Australia.
Every route starts with the AMC MCQ
Whichever country you end up in, the AMC MCQ comes first. AMC Recalls posts free AMC recall questions after every sitting, 100 at a time and aligned with the AMC blueprint, which makes practice the cheapest part of the whole route. Open the September 2026 set or browse all the free recalls.
Frequently asked questions
Is the AMC exam valid in the UK?
Yes, with conditions. The GMC accepts a pass in both the AMC CAT MCQ and the AMC Clinical Examination as an acceptable overseas registration exam, in place of PLAB.
Can I get GMC registration without PLAB if I pass the AMC exam?
Yes, if you have passed both AMC exams within four attempts each, completed an internship and, for a clinical pass after 5 March 2020, sat it as a face-to-face OSCE.
Is the AMC MCQ alone accepted in the UK?
No. The GMC needs both the AMC MCQ and the AMC Clinical.
Does the online AMC Clinical count for the GMC?
On the GMC's wording, no: passes after 5 March 2020 must be face-to-face OSCEs. Sit the AMC Clinical in Melbourne if the UK matters to you.
Is the AMC exam valid in New Zealand?
Not on its own. MCNZ registers AMC candidates after 12 months of supervised practice in Australia that has led to general registration, and then in a provisional general scope.
Can I work in New Zealand after passing the AMC?
Yes, once you hold general registration in Australia and have a supervised job offer in New Zealand.
Is the AMC exam accepted in the USA or Canada?
No. The USA requires the USMLE for ECFMG certification, and Canada uses the MCCQE Part I. Disclaimer. AMC Recalls is an independent study resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Australian Medical Council, and AMC trademarks are used only to describe the purpose of this resource. We have no access to the AMC question bank and we do not reproduce AMC examination papers. Our questions are written by us: after each sitting we take the topics candidates discuss, identify the teaching point underlying each one, and write a new question with our own explanation to examine that point. We make no claim that any question on this site has appeared in a past AMC examination. Articles reflect the authors' experience and opinions and are not official guidance; for eligibility, fees, dates, format and rules, the AMC's own materials are authoritative. Nothing on this site is medical advice. Use of this site does not guarantee a pass or any particular score, and content may contain errors; readers should verify important points against primary sources and are invited to report any mistake. Registration rules belong to each regulator and change; the General Medical Council's and the Medical Council of New Zealand's own guidance is authoritative.
