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You Passed AMC MCQ 1. Now What?

A scannable map of every legal route into Australian practice, the registration types that gate them, and the gotchas that quietly derail IMGs.

5/6/2026 · 12 min read

Tags: AMC MCQ, IMG, AUSTRALIA, STANDARD PATHWAY, WBA, LIMITED REGISTRATION, INTERNSHIP

Congratulations. You are now in the 51% who passed the AMC Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) exam in the most recent reporting cycle. The hardest part is supposedly behind you.

It is not.

The post-MCQ phase is where most international medical graduates (IMGs) lose months, sometimes years, because nobody handed them a map. The exam was a single number. What comes next is a fork in the road, four registration categories, eight different job titles, and a handful of small print rules that can quietly invalidate paperwork you already paid for.

This article is that map. Skim it once, bookmark it, come back when a recruiter says a word you don't recognise.

1. The 30-Second Picture

To practise medicine in Australia under the Standard Pathway, you need three things:

  • Pass AMC MCQ 1. Done.
  • Either pass the AMC Clinical Exam, OR complete a Workplace Based Assessment (WBA). Pick one.
  • Complete 12 months of supervised practice in a Medical Board approved hospital position (47 weeks full-time minimum). For WBA candidates, the WBA period itself usually counts.

After all three, you apply for General Registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and you are an unrestricted Australian doctor.

Until then, every job you hold runs on a temporary registration type called Limited Registration, granted by AHPRA only after a hospital has offered you a position.

That last sentence is the one most candidates underestimate. No job offer, no Limited Registration. No Limited Registration, no job. You break the loop by applying for many positions at once and letting the hospital sponsor your registration.

2. The Fork: AMC Clinical Exam vs WBA

This is the single biggest decision after MCQ 1. You only need one of them, not both.

| | AMC Clinical Exam | Workplace Based Assessment (WBA) | |---|---|---| | What it is | A 16-station OSCE-style exam testing clinical skills | A 6 to 12 month supervised position at an AMC-accredited hospital where senior doctors assess your real clinical work | | What it costs you | AUD 3,000 in-person or AUD 3,400 online in AMC fees (2026 schedule). You are not paid while sitting the exam. | Net positive. You are employed at Resident Medical Officer (RMO) level on the state's industrial agreement (typically AUD 80k+ base, plus penalties), but you pay the host hospital a program fee of AUD 12,000 to 15,000 for the year (2025-26 range across providers), plus a one-off AUD 1,070 to the AMC (2026 fee). | | Typical wait | A few months between exam sittings | Often 12 to 18 months from application to start, due to limited hospital spots | | Pass rate | ~24% (2023-24) | High, because assessment is continuous and remediable | | Where it can be done | A handful of testing centres, including online | Only at AMC-accredited WBA sites (~50 hospitals across ~30 providers). Concentrated in NSW, QLD, WA | | Counts as supervised practice? | No. You still owe a separate 12 months. | Usually yes. The WBA period is normally accepted as the 12 months. | | Best for | Candidates who want the choice over fast, willing to take exam risk | Candidates who already have, or can get, a job at a WBA hospital |

A candidate who lands a job at an AMC-accredited WBA hospital almost always picks WBA. Lower fees, you are paid throughout, the assessment and the supervised practice are bundled, and the pass risk is spread across months of real work rather than concentrated in one OSCE day.

A candidate who cannot get into a WBA hospital, or who wants to start in any random Australian hospital, sits the AMC Clinical Exam instead.

Gotcha: WBA spots are not nationally advertised in one place. Apply directly to the WBA coordinator at each accredited provider. The list of accredited providers lives on the AMC website; the application route is per provider.

3. The 12 Months of Supervised Practice (Clarified)

Whichever side of the fork you take, you owe Australia 12 months of paid, supervised, hospital-based work, performing at the level of an Australian intern at the end of their intern year. Specifically:

  • Minimum 47 weeks full-time equivalent. Part-time counts pro rata.
  • Approved position. The Medical Board must agree that the role and your supervision arrangement meet their requirements. Not every hospital, and not every rotation, qualifies.
  • Performance standard. "At least the standard of an Australian intern at the end of their internship." Practically, this means rotations across medical, surgical, and emergency disciplines, with documented satisfactory reports from supervisors.
  • WBA candidates: the WBA period normally satisfies this. Clinical Exam candidates: the 12 months is separate and follows after passing the exam.

Gotcha: Many IMGs assume their job back home counts. It does not. Supervised practice for general registration must be inside an Australian Medical Board approved position.

Yes, you are paid for it.

Whichever route you take, the 12 months of supervised practice is paid hospital employment, not unpaid training. IMGs on Limited Registration are paid the same base salary as Australian-trained doctors at the equivalent level. Approximate 2026 base salaries (before penalties, overtime, on-call):

| Level | Salary range across states | |---|---| | Intern / PGY1 | AUD 76,000 (NSW, Feb 2026) to AUD 94,670 (QLD, 2025-26 award) | | RMO / PGY2+ (typical WBA level) | AUD 80,000 to AUD 105,000 base (PGY2 entry to upper-band PGY3+) |

Penalties commonly add 10 to 30% on top. Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory pay the highest base rates; New South Wales is the lowest.

For WBA candidates specifically, you also pay a program fee back to the hospital running your assessment (AUD 12,000 to 15,000 per year across providers, 2025-26), so net pay is the salary minus that fee minus the AUD 1,070 AMC WBA fee (2026). Still solidly positive.

4. Why the mainstream intern match isn't your main route

When most candidates picture "applying for an Australian internship", they picture the centralised state intern recruitment process: HETI in New South Wales, PMCV in Victoria, Queensland Health, MedCareersWA, SA MET in South Australia, plus the smaller streams in Tasmania, Northern Territory, and ACT. That is how Australian-trained interns get their PGY1 jobs. Each state runs one large match per year, sized to absorb the cohort of Australian medical school graduates the Commonwealth has effectively guaranteed an internship to.

The structural reality: those positions go to domestic graduates first. International medical graduates (IMGs) sit in the lowest priority category, where one exists at all. Submit an application and many states are courteous about accepting it, but the historical offer rate is small to zero.

State by state:

| | Mainstream stance toward traditional IMGs | What actually happens in numbers | |---|---|---| | NSW (HETI) | Closed | 0 traditional-IMG offers in the 2024 mainstream match | | VIC (PMCV) | Limited (Category C) | Open in name, low historical acceptance | | QLD (Queensland Health) | Open at lowest priority (Group D) | A handful of offers per cycle | | WA (MedCareersWA) | Limited, varies per hospital | Per-hospital assessment, not a uniform yes | | SA (SA MET) | Open at lowest priority (Category 5) | 2024: 30 offers made, only 2 accepted (offers landed in places the candidates couldn't take) | | NT (NT Health) | Closed | IMGs explicitly redirected to the off-cycle Resident Medical Officer (RMO) route at HospitalDoctors.THS@nt.gov.au (Top End Health Service) | | TAS (THS) | Closed | Single statewide stream, AMC-accredited graduates only | | ACT (CHS) | Closed | Citizens or permanent residents only |

So 4 of the 8 states are functionally closed at the mainstream level. 2 keep mainstream technically open at the lowest priority with very low yield. 2 are limited or per-hospital. None of this means you cannot become an Australian doctor. It means the centralised mainstream match is the wrong place to concentrate your application energy.

Where you actually focus

Treat the mainstream match as a long-shot you submit anyway in QLD and SA. Treat the rest as the real plan:

  • WBA-accredited hospitals. ~50 hospital sites across ~30 accredited providers in NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, NT, and TAS. This is the highest-confidence "yes, IMGs welcome here" signal in the Australian system. A position here is built for IMGs by design: the WBA replaces the AMC Clinical Exam, and the period normally counts as the 12 months of supervised practice. AMC Hero's Hospital Internship Map flags every WBA site for subscribers.
  • Area of Need (AoN) positions. A large channel for IMGs, mostly rural or outer-metro general practice plus a smaller hospital component. Different registration category (covered in Section 6.2). The hospital or practice has formally demonstrated the role could not be filled by a doctor with General Registration; that is precisely the door an IMG walks through.
  • Direct hospital postings off the central match. RMO, JMO, HMO, service registrar, and CMO roles advertised individually by hospitals on platforms like iworkfor.nsw.gov.au, medcareerswa.health.wa.gov.au, jobs.nt.gov.au, or directly on the hospital website. These bypass the mainstream match and are often more responsive to IMGs with prior specialty experience.

Realistic framing: the mainstream intern match is a small chance you take, not the path you plan around. WBA is where most IMGs end up. AoN is the parallel channel for IMGs heading toward general practice. Direct hospital postings catch the IMG with prior specialty experience. Apply across all four; let the offers shape your year, not the assumption that mainstream will be your route.

5. The Job Titles You'll See (And What They Actually Mean)

Recruiters and state portals use a confusing mix of acronyms. Here is the decoder, in increasing order of seniority within the Standard Pathway window.

| Title | Long form | What it is | Realistic for fresh MCQ 1 passer? | |---|---|---|---| | Intern (PGY1) | Postgraduate Year 1 | First year out of medical school. Entry level. | Limited. Mainstream intern recruitment is functionally closed to traditional IMGs in 4 states (NSW, NT, TAS, ACT) and a long-shot in 2 more (QLD Group D, SA Category 5). For IMGs, the realistic intern-grade route is the WBA candidate position below, not the centralised state match. See Section 4. | | WBA candidate | Workplace Based Assessment candidate | A junior doctor on the WBA program at an accredited hospital. Often paid as a PGY1 or PGY2. | Yes, this IS the WBA route | | RMO | Resident Medical Officer | NSW and QLD term for PGY2+ junior doctor. | Yes, after intern year, or directly if you have prior experience | | JMO | Junior Medical Officer | NSW umbrella term. Covers Intern + RMO. | Yes | | HMO | Hospital Medical Officer | Victorian term for PGY1+ junior doctor. | Yes | | Service registrar | a.k.a. unaccredited registrar, non-training registrar | Registrar-level work in a specialty (surgery, ED, ICU, psychiatry...) without being on a college training program. Common IMG entry if you have specialty experience overseas. | Sometimes, depends on hospital and specialty | | CMO | Career Medical Officer | Long-term hospital doctor outside any training program. Stable. | Yes, less common for fresh IMGs | | SMO | Staff / Senior Medical Officer | Variant terminology, similar to CMO depending on state. | Yes, less common for fresh IMGs | | Locum | (not an acronym) | Short-term cover. Casual or short-term hospital cover. | Usually no, locum agencies typically require existing Limited Reg already in place | | Area of Need GP / RMO | AoN | Role in a region or specialty AHPRA has formally declared as workforce-short. | Different registration category (see Section 6.2). Yes, big channel for IMGs |

The labels matter less than two questions: What is the registration type? and Is this position approved by the Medical Board for supervised practice? Without "yes" to both, the role does not move you toward General Registration even if the salary is fine.

6. Limited Registration: The Four Categories That Gate Everything

AHPRA grants Limited Registration in four flavours. Each unlocks different jobs.

6.1 Limited Registration: Postgraduate Training or Supervised Practice

The default, and the one most readers will use. Covers Intern, RMO, JMO, HMO, service registrar, CMO. Granted only after a hospital offers you a position with an approved supervisor. Time-limited; AHPRA expects you to keep moving toward General Registration. You cannot sit forever at PGY2 without sitting (or completing) the clinical assessment.

6.2 Limited Registration: Area of Need (AoN)

A separate channel. The position itself, not the doctor, must be declared an Area of Need by the relevant state department. Used heavily for:

  • Rural and outer-metro general practice (the largest IMG channel by volume)
  • Some hospital roles that have failed labour-market testing

The state's AoN position declaration is valid for up to 3 years and can be re-declared. The doctor's Limited Registration itself is granted in 12-month blocks, renewable. The employer has to demonstrate the job could not be filled by a doctor with General Registration.

6.3 Limited Registration: Teaching or Research

Niche. For an IMG with a university or research appointment that includes incidental clinical work. Not a normal entry route into Australian clinical practice.

6.4 Limited Registration: Public Interest

Rare. Short-term, narrow scope, used in emergencies (pandemics, natural disasters). Not something to plan around.

6.5 Provisional Registration (a different beast)

Once you have both AMC exams passed (or have completed WBA) but have not yet finished 12 months of supervised practice, AHPRA upgrades you from Limited to Provisional Registration. Same as a fresh Australian medical graduate doing intern year. After 12 months satisfactory practice, you apply for General Registration.

7. The Gotchas That Quietly Derail IMGs

These are the items that show up in week 6 of an application and cost a cycle.

7.1 English Language Test Expiry

AHPRA accepts IELTS, OET, PTE Academic, and TOEFL iBT. Test results are typically valid for 2 years from the test date. Many IMGs sit IELTS during MCQ prep, then watch it expire while they are studying for the clinical exam.

Score thresholds were updated on 23 April 2026. If your test was taken on or before 22 April 2026, the previous thresholds apply. If taken on or after 23 April 2026, the new thresholds apply. Check the current minimums on the AHPRA website before booking a re-sit; the moving target has caught a lot of candidates.

Action: Book your English test so it is fresh when you apply for Limited Registration, not when you sit MCQ 1.

7.2 Recency of Practice

To register, you must show recent clinical practice. The bar AHPRA applies is that you have been practising medicine recently enough to be safe; long absences (a year or more) raise questions and may need a return-to-practice plan. If you have been out of clinical work for more than a year while preparing for AMC exams, raise this with AHPRA early; they may want a structured re-entry.

7.3 The AMC Certificate Lifecycle

After you pass MCQ 1 + AMC Clinical Exam (or complete WBA), the AMC issues you an AMC Certificate. The Certificate has no expiry, but AHPRA registration applications based on it are time-sensitive in combination with the recency rule above. Don't sit on it for years.

7.4 Visa and Employer Sponsorship

Limited Registration is not a visa. You need a separate work visa. The employer offering the job typically sponsors a temporary skilled visa (subclass 482, sometimes 494 for regional). Visa processing adds weeks to months on top of the AHPRA timeline. Start visa conversations the moment you receive a verbal offer.

7.5 Geography

WBA spots cluster heavily in NSW, QLD, and WA. ACT runs no WBA program. Tasmania is small, statewide, and competitive. Where you choose to apply is as strategic as which exam you choose to sit. A candidate with no geographic constraint has dramatically more options. (See Section 4 for the state-by-state mainstream picture.)

7.6 Approved Position Means Approved by the Board

A friendly hospital saying yes is not the same as the Medical Board agreeing the position counts. Confirm in writing, before you sign, that the role and the named supervisor satisfy AHPRA's approved position requirements. If they don't, your 12 months of "supervised practice" may not count.

7.7 The Two Year WBA Timeline Misconception

The AMC's WBA period is 6 to 12 months. The frequently cited "2 to 3 years" figure includes time waiting for a spot at an accredited hospital (often 12 to 18 months) and any rotational requirements the hospital lays on. Plan for the realistic 18 to 30 month total from application to General Registration via WBA.

8. The Cheat Sheet

If you remember nothing else:

  • Pick a side of the fork. AMC Clinical Exam or WBA. Most candidates who can get into a WBA hospital pick WBA.
  • Apply broadly. State intern recruitment (where IMGs are accepted), every WBA hospital you qualify for, AoN roles that fit your geography, and direct hospital postings off the central match. The job offer triggers Limited Registration, not the other way round.
  • Confirm the position is Medical Board approved for supervised practice in writing, before signing.
  • Keep your English test fresh (2 years validity, scores updated April 2026), and run the visa in parallel (typically subclass 482, sometimes 494 for regional).

9. Where AMC Hero Helps Next

AMC Hero started as a Stage 1 product: an MCQ practice and exam-simulator companion to get IMGs through the gate.

Once you are through the gate, the next problem is the one this article describes: where do I apply, when, how, and to what?

The Hospital Internship Map (subscriber feature) shows every accredited intern-employer hospital across all 8 Australian states and territories on a single map, with the WBA-accredited sites clearly flagged, application windows live, and direct links to the right place to apply. It is the same subscription as Practice and Exam Simulator. If you are at the "now what" moment this article describes, that map is the next tool you'll want.

Once you have General Registration and start thinking about specializing, the companion piece picks up from there: Becoming a Specialist in Australia (For IMGs). Australia's college-led specialty training is structured very differently from most other countries, and which of the three IMG pathways applies to you (Standard, Standard Specialist Assessment, or the new Expedited Specialist Pathway from October 2024) makes a multi-year difference.

Bottom line: MCQ 1 was a single decision point. The post-MCQ phase is a coordinated campaign across exams, registrations, hospitals, geography, and a visa. Treat it like one. Apply early, apply broadly, keep your paperwork fresh, and keep moving.

You are closer to Australian practice than you think. Next step.

10. References

The canonical sources for the rules in this article are the Medical Board of Australia, AHPRA, and the AMC. Treat everything else (this article included) as a reading aid. If a fact matters for a paid application or a contract you are about to sign, verify it on the source below.

Registration and pathway rules

  • Medical Board of Australia, Standard Pathway. The official map of MCQ 1, Clinical Exam or WBA, and the 12 months of supervised practice.
  • Medical Board of Australia, Limited Registration overview. Lists all four Limited Registration categories.
  • Medical Board of Australia, Limited Registration for Postgraduate Training or Supervised Practice. Covers Intern, RMO, JMO, HMO, service registrar, CMO.
  • Medical Board of Australia, Limited Registration for Area of Need. The AoN channel rules and the 3 year cap per declaration.
  • Medical Board of Australia, Provisional Registration. What kicks in after both AMC exams, or after completed WBA.

English language and recency of practice

  • AHPRA, English language skills registration standard. Accepted tests, current minimum scores. Updated 23 April 2026.
  • AHPRA, Accepted English language tests. The list of tests AHPRA actually recognises.
  • AHPRA, Recency of practice. What counts as recent enough clinical work.

Exams and assessment

  • AMC, Pathways overview. Standard, Competent Authority, and Specialist pathways at a glance.
  • AMC, Workplace Based Assessment. How WBA works, who runs it, current fees.
  • AMC, Eligibility and how to apply for WBA. The eligibility brochure (note: this is an info page, not where you apply; apply via the per-provider hospital page).
  • AMC, Annual Reports. The source for the MCQ and Clinical Exam pass rate statistics quoted in this article.

Salaries

  • Junior Doctor Salary in Australia 2026, Academically. Base pay by state for PGY1 onward.
  • Intern Salary by State 2025-26, AussieClinicians. State-by-state comparison and net-of-tax estimates.

WBA program pages (for the program fee figures cited in Section 2)

  • WA Country Health Service WBA program. AUD 15,000 per year fee (most recent published, 2025).
  • Gold Coast Health WBA program. AUD 12,500 per year fee (2026 schedule, subject to change).
  • West Gippsland Healthcare Group WBA program. AUD 12,000 per year fee (plus GST).