Process of a Clinical Examination
Before the examination
Ensure your contact telephone number and emergency number is up to date.
Candidates must arrive at the venue by the time specified for the examination. Note the venue may be the NTC, or online at the candidate’s premises and logged in to the designated link. (All are referred to as the “venue”.) Candidates who are not present as required by the time indicated will not be permitted to commence the examination.
The required dress standard for candidates is professional attire.
Candidates who may require special assistance during the examination should inform the AMC as early as possible prior to their examination. This may include medication requirements or food intake due to a medical condition.
Starting the examination
On logging into the examination link provided by the AMC, candidates will be welcomed by the examination Coordinator. The Coordinator will perform an ID, security and environment check and provide the exam guidelines and a candidate briefing video about the examination process.
Candidates will be moved to their starting station where an invigilator will inform the candidate when the examination will commence. A notification will indicate the start of the two-minute reading time of the candidate’s first station.
A second notification will indicate the start of the examination and candidates will then commence the station. In most stations there are eight minutes to complete the tasks. In some stations, e.g. physical examination stations, there may be four minutes to complete the tasks. This will be clearly indicated in the candidate information for the particular station.
A Final notification will conclude the first station.
Candidates will be moved to a rest/breakout station until the next station starts. The candidate will be rotated in and out of stations by the Examination Coordinator.
Some candidates will start at a rest station and will be required to stay in the rest station for the first 10 minutes. The invigilator will advise if this is the case.
During the reading time
During the reading time candidates evaluate the given information and plan their approach to the assessment phase. They should plan their time, taking into account the number and type of tasks, including any given time guidelines.
Candidates should pay close attention to the time guidelines provided.
During the station
During the assessment time the candidates conduct the interaction as required and perform the designated clinical tasks.
The examination will proceed through all stations in this manner.
Finishing early
If candidates finishes a station early, this does not mean that they have done well or failed. It merely means the task has been completed ahead of the allotted time.
Candidates who complete a station before the allocated time are required to wait in the station until the conclusion of the 8 minutes. They may return to the tasks at any time before the assessment time is completed.
Station content and equipment
Stations may use actual patients, simulated patients, or video patient presentations. Other relevant materials, such as charts, digital images and photographs may also be used in the examination.
Physical examination stations
The format of examination stations has been developed for online delivery. The assessment blueprint and criteria remain the same as the in-person examination with the exception of hands-on components of physical examination.
Physical examination stations online will be of 5 or 10 minutes total duration. The time will be clearly stated. There will be two minutes reading time for an eight minute station, and one minute reading time for a four minute station. Candidates should follow the station tasks exactly as they are described.
Rest stations
Candidates are permitted to leave the rest station to attend the bathroom. Candidates must advise the invigilator should they wish to attend the bathroom. If candidates do not require use of the bathroom, they are required to remain in the room and will continue to be supervised by the invigilator.
Candidates may finish their examination at a rest station and will be required to wait until the final notification sounds before being allowed to conclude their examination.
The final notification
When the examination has finished, a notification will advise candidates that the examination has concluded and they can log out of the examination.
Prohibited materials
No books, textbooks, notes, items of jewellery, tie pins or other materials are allowed into the examination room, including recording devices, watches (smart, digital and analogue) or handbags. Candidates are not permitted to write any prompting material on their skin before or during the examination.
In order for candidates and the AMC to communicate with each other in the event of a technical issue, candidates will be permitted to have their mobile phone switched to silent in the same room. Candidates will be required to show the invigilator that their phone is switched to silent. Only one phone is to be in the examination room.
The invigilator may request to view any items or the examination room itself prior to, during, or after the examination if necessary.
If candidates may require any medications during the examination, they should bring this to the attention of the AMC prior to the examination day and the invigilator before the examination starts. Medication must be approved.
Clinical examination scheduling
Candidates who were scheduled in the postponed examinations between March and June 2020 will receive priority scheduling based on the date and chronological order of their originally scheduled examination. To be eligible, candidates must not have withdrawn their position and must still be residing in Australia. Scheduling will be offered based on the order of the originally scheduled examinations.
The AMC will shortly commence contacting these candidates with newly available examination dates, determine if the date is at a suitable time, and agree acceptance with the candidate (or not). The AMC will reschedule the candidate to the new examination date which will then appear on their candidate portal.
If candidates are unable to attend the offered examination date, these candidates will continue to receive priority for upcoming examinations as they are made available and until a suitable date can be found. This will continue until scheduling returns to normal when these candidates have been offered an opportunity to attempt the examination and scheduling becomes more broadly available to other candidates.
Withdraw from clinical examination
Once candidates have been scheduled in the clinical examination and then subsequently withdraw, there will be no refund – except in an exceptional circumstance as determined by the AMC Chief Executive Officer or nominee.
To withdraw, a candidate must submit a Withdrawal Form.