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.

After a comprehensive assessment, the Australian Medical Council (AMC) has accredited new training programs of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) and its Faculty of Radiation Oncology.

Click here to download the full media statement.

Click here to download the Executive Summary.

The Australian Medical Council today launched three new initiatives to support International Medical Graduates (IMG's) as they prepare for Australia's medical screening exam.

The AMC Handbook of Multiple Choice Questions is a major publication designed to assist IMG's prepare for the AMC’s Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Examination. It contains almost 600 Multiple Choice Questions drawn from the AMC Examination banks. The handbook covers all disciplines and clinical categories and contains a complete multidisciplinary 150 question MCQ paper.

> Purchase the book
> Click here to download the full media statement

The AMC also launched a new on-line trial examination, which aims to provide prospective MCQ candidates with a responsive and up-to-date exam experience that significantly upgrades the previously available MCQ-trial facility. The new MCQ Trial Examination links to the AMC Handbook of Multiple Choice Questions, contains 50 questions in the format of the AMC MCQ Examination and gives users a detailed understanding of the format and presentation of the AMC MCQ Examination.

> Go to the MCQ Trial Examination

The AMC has also upgraded its On-line Store, where all AMC publications can now be purchased easily and efficiently.

> Go to the Online Store

The previously available Australian Medical Council (AMC) price discount of 25% off the combined purchase of AMC publications AMC Handbook of Clinical Assessment and AMC Anthology of Medical Conditions will expire on the 11th of December 2009. The AMC will continue to accept 25% discount coupons received by post at the AMC up to the 31st of December 2009. 25% discount coupons received after the 31st December 2009 will not be accepted.

Commencing with the release of the new AMC publication AMC Handbook of Multiple Choice Questions the new discounts on books will be 5% off the purchase of any two AMC books and 10% off the purchase of 3 or more books. The new discount measures apply to multiple copies of the same book. The new discounts are in line with the release of the new publication on 11th December 2009.

The AMC will adjust shipping rates for purchases from the 11th of December. The new scheme will be as follows:

Book Shipping Rates

The AMC will review shipping rates regularly, making adjustments as necessary to ensure that the fees cover costs and offer the best rates to customers.

The Australian Medical Council (AMC) is strong, flexible and ready for the introduction of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) in July 2010.

The AMC is an independent national standards body for medical education and training. It aims to ensure that standards of education, training and assessment of the medical profession promote and protect the health of the Australian community.

Click here to download the full media statement.

Following on the advice received from the Australian Medical Council, the Commonwealth Minister for Health and Ageing has announced that she has decided to recognise sport and exercise medicine as a medical specialty 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.