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Are you dreaming of building a medical career in the USA or Australia but still unsure which path to choose? You’ve probably heard about the USMLE and AMC. However, if you’re not, don’t worry. This guide will help you understand both clearly, clear your doubts, and choose the option that fits your goals best.
When USMLE Is the Better Choice
If you lean a lot towards having a medical career and subsequent life in USA, then USMLE is a better choice. Additionally, there are a few more factors why looking to pass the USMLE is a good move for you:
- You will get to live long-term in the USA and build a career there.
- Best choice if you’re looking for structured residency programmes with clear, competitive timelines, exams, and licensing.
- Best of someone looking for basic-science-heavy exams and high-stakes testing.
- You can commit to 2–4 years of preparation, observerships, possible research, and the residency match process.
When AMC Is the Better Choice
AMC is a great to choice to the aspirants who are looking to practice medicine in Australia and settle down in the country. Moreover, choosing AMC is a smart choice if:
- You want to live and work in Australia with strong work-life balance and a regulated, stable public healthcare environment.
- You prefer clinical reasoning, practical diagnosis and management, communication skills, and OSCE-style assessments over heavy basic-science exams.
- You want a quicker, more flexible pathway into paid medical work.
- You plan to prepare from your home country, since exam centres are globally available.
- You appreciate that AMC allows repeated attempts if needed, giving some flexibility compared to USMLE’s limited attempts.
Core Differences at a Glance
| Aspect | USMLE (USA) | AMC (Australia) |
| Main purpose | Licensing pathway for residency and independent practice in the USA. | Assessment for standard-pathway registration and practice in Australia. |
| Eligibility requirements | Must be from a medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools; ECFMG criteria apply. | Must hold a recognised medical degree (MBBS/MD/MS) from an institution listed by AMC. |
| Structure | Three Steps: Step 1 → Step 2 CK → Step 3. Step-1 covers basic sciences; Step-2 and Step-3 cover clinical and patient-management knowledge. | Two-part exam: AMC Part 1 (MCQ) + AMC Clinical Exam (AMC Part 2). The clinical part may be a workplace-based assessment alternative. |
| Passing / scoring | For Step 1: pass mark 196; Step 2: 214; Step 3: 198 (approx.). | AMC Part 1: 250; AMC clinical: pass typically by clearing 10 out of 14 OSCE-style stations. |
| Attempts allowed | Maximum of 4 attempts per Step. | No fixed limit on number of attempts for AMC exams. |
| Exam centres / logistics | Worldwide Prometric centres. Step 3 generally needs to be taken in the USA. | AMC Part 1 via global Pearson VUE centres; clinical exam is scheduled by AMC, often in Australia or designated hubs. |
Final Thoughts
So, what do you think is the best for you, USMLE or AMC? Both pathways can lead you to a strong medical career abroad.
If you’re planning to take the USMLE, StudyUSMLE can guide you every step of the way.
You can also boost your preparation with the free learning resources available on the StudyMEDIC LMS 3.0.
Authored By: Varun Mohandas
By : patrick
