3 Core Skills You Need to Pass the AMC Clinical Exam
Are you an international medical graduate (IMG) preparing for the Australian Medical Council (AMC) Clinical Exam?
As someone who has gone through the process and successfully passed, I can tell you that there are three core skills you need to master in order to succeed: communication, time management, and physical examination. Don't you leave them until the last minute if you are aiming to pass amc exam. Here I'm going to share with you how to best make the amc exam preparation.
Let's get started.
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Communication Skills:
Even as someone who speaks English regularly, I still find mastering communication skills to be a challenge. However, strong communication skills are essential for passing the AMC Clinical Exam.
It's important to practice speaking in simple, plain English and avoid using medical jargon. Please do this in all of your role plays from now on-wards.
In the actual exam, you will be interacting with patient actors (SPA/RP) who have been trained to detect medical jargons and playing ‘dumb’ to basic medical terms. A friend of mine shared her experience during her clinical exam in April 2021 where she was asked ‘what is an ECG’?
It is important that you can communicate effectively using simple English with them. You need to be able to build rapport, gather information, and convey your findings clearly and concisely.
I'd like to share some tips and tricks for using simple English throughout the AMC Clinical Exam, which can help you improve your communication skills and reduce the use of medical jargon. Click the link here to obtain our sample answers for the AMC clinical exam questions.
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Time Management:
Next is time management. This is a no brainer to know. If you have done some role plays in your practice, you’ll soon learn that it can be very challenging to complete all the task in 8 minutes.
The AMC Clinical Exam is a time-pressured environment, and you need to manage your time effectively. 2 minutes reading and 8 minutes assessment time isn’t much time. You will have to interact with patients, gather information, and complete your tasks in every station.
The key here is to complete all your tasks! Never leave any task incomplete, at least attempt those tasks with every might you have.
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Physical Examination:
A key part of the AMC Clinical Exam is physical examination. This is definitely a core skill to prioritize from the beginning when you prepare for your amc clinical exam.
You need to be very comfortable and fast in doing the physical examination. The only way is to do multiple role plays of physical exam. I needed to do 8 role plays to just finish a physical examination on the 8 minutes time. Then from there an additional 4 role plays to be able to remember by experience.
Hence, you should practice your physical examination skills regularly to ensure you are comfortable and confident when it comes time to take the exam.
So, my friends there you have it. The 3 core skills!
These three core skills are essential for passing the AMC Clinical Exam. You can’t practice them last minute as it takes time to master these skills, regardless how seasoned you are in the medical field.
As you prepare for the clinical exam, focus on developing and refining these skills. Practice your communication skills with colleagues and patients, use time management techniques to optimize your study schedule, and practice your physical examination skills regularly. Aim to complete 500 role plays before your exam!
Remember, passing the AMC Clinical Exam is not just about knowing the medical content – it's about demonstrating your ability to apply that knowledge in a clinical setting. By mastering these core skills, you will be well on your way to success.
Good luck!
Written by Dr Aarons.
International Medical Graduate (IMG), Hospital Medical Registrar in VIC & IMG Member Advisor for the Australian Medical Council (AMC)
