I'm a hospital physician in Sydney, writing this without my name on it. In November 2022 I was a GP in Tehran with a 14-month-old daughter and an AMC application open since the year before. This is the timeline of how that became this — and what I would do differently.
The first realisation: AMC isn't just a knowledge exam
I sat AMC CAT (the MCQ) in February 2022 and passed first attempt. I thought the Clinical exam (16-station OSCE) would feel similar — wrong. The Clinical grades you on the system you use, not what you know. Australian rotations follow ISBAR strictly; I had to retrain myself out of the Iranian habit of starting with the chief complaint.
What I'd change
If I could rewind to month one of prep, I'd start with mock OSCEs from week one — not after I'd "finished" the content review. The content was already in me. The performance wasn't.
I rebooked the Clinical for December 2022 after a fail in October. Eight weeks of focused mock days with a coach in Sydney over Zoom. Passed.
The move with a toddler
The visa pathway (subclass 482 sponsored) was finalised before we left Tehran. The hospital sponsored me directly. We landed in Sydney February 2023; childcare took six weeks to find. Don't underestimate that gap — I lost a month of orientation prep.
What I'd tell anyone in my old position
Three things: (1) start mock OSCEs from week one, (2) line up childcare via Australian-side networks before you fly, (3) the AHPRA portal is buggy on Safari — use Chrome.
I work in a Sydney hospital now. The first ward round on day one was the easiest part of the whole process.
One reader's account, published without identifying details. It is one person's experience, not a typical or expected outcome — exam results depend on your own preparation and circumstances.
About this article. RxApply is an independent education provider. It is not affiliated with, approved, endorsed by, or connected to AMC or AHPRA.
