AM VaultPossibly not, and it is worth finding out before you spend money on the AMC exams. Australia has a competent authority pathway for doctors who have been assessed by one of a short list of overseas medical authorities. The Medical Board's page says doctors on this pathway do not need to sit the AMC exams. But passing an exam such as PLAB is only half of what it asks for.
Which authorities count
The Board's page lists these competent authorities, with the assessment attached to each:
- General Medical Council, UK (PLAB)
- Medical Council of Canada (the LMCC)
- ECFMG, USA
- Medical Council of New Zealand (NZREX)
- Medical Council of Ireland (an accredited medical course)
- NBOME, USA (COMLEX-USA)
What you need besides the exam
The pathway is not "pass the exam and you are in". The Board sets out seven categories, labelled A to G. Each has two parts: an assessment part, which is a medical course or an exam, and an experience part.
In plain terms, you need:
- A primary medical qualification from a school recognised by both the AMC and the World Directory of Medical Schools
- To fit one of the seven categories
- To have been assessed by a competent authority and practised in a competent authority country
- To have sat any qualifying exam within the dates set in the criteria
The page gives examples of acceptable experience, such as 12 months of internship-equivalent training in the UK, or two years of accredited residency training in the USA. Experience gained in another competent authority country can sometimes substitute for the category experience, and Australian clinical experience can substitute for post-exam or post-training experience.
So a PLAB pass with no qualifying experience behind it may leave you short. The exact rules depend on the category you fit, so read the criteria for each before deciding.
What to do next
- Open the Board's competent authority page and read the categories carefully.
- Match your own training, exam dates and experience to one of them.
- If you fit, you can skip the AMC exams. Your degree still goes through verification, which is handled with the AMC.
- If you do not fit, the standard pathway applies, and the AMC MCQ comes first.
The Board consulted on its standard and competent authority pathways in 2026, so check the current page, not a summary from last year.
Questions people ask
I have passed PLAB 1 but not PLAB 2. Does that count?
The Board's page does not spell this out. Its criteria set what the assessment must include for each category, so read the category that matches you or ask the Board directly. Do not assume a part-pass counts.
I trained in Canada or the USA. Does the same idea apply?
The Medical Council of Canada, ECFMG and NBOME are all on the list. Each assesses differently, and the criteria set the experience you need, so check the category that matches your training.
Do I still need my degree verified?
Yes. Verification of your qualifications is still part of the process, and the AMC handles it with ECFMG.
If I am not eligible, what is my route?
The standard pathway: verification, an AMC portfolio, the MCQ, then the clinical exam or a workplace-based assessment. Our step-by-step guide walks through each stage.