MCQ Examination Formats

MCQ Examination Format PDF Print E-mail

The MCQ consists of two three and a half hour examinations administered in morning and afternoon sessions on the same day.

Questions are multiple choice, with one correct answer to be selected from five.

The multiple choice question (MCQ) examination is fully integrated. Questions in each of the major component subjects are not grouped according to subject but are placed throughout the examination. 60 of the 300 questions are pilot items which are used to test and calibrate new questions for possible use in future examinations and are not counted towards the candidate’s overall score.

Range of topics
The MCQ examination includes questions about general practice, internal medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry and surgery. The Examination Specifications Booklet sets out the range of topics.

Around one third of the questions deal with conditions and issues that are critical to the life, safety or clinical outcome of the patient, or that are important in the Australian community. These ‘key issues’ questions are identified in the examination. The required standard of performance reflects the level of attainment of medical knowledge, clinical skills and attitudes required of newly qualified graduates of Australian medical schools who are about to commence intern training. A candidate’s result is determined on the basis of the overall result in the scored questions and the score of correct responses in the identified ‘key issues’ questions, which are part of the scored questions.To pass the examination, a candidate must correctly answer 50% or more of the scored questions and not less than 65% of the ‘key issues’ questions.A candidate must complete both examinations to obtain an overall score and satisfy the requirements of the MCQ examination.