AMC MCQ exam tips

AMC MCQ (CAT) — concise, high-yield tips

Core approach

• Read the last sentence first; then scan stem for red flags and discriminators.

• Aim for the safest, least invasive, guideline-concordant option that addresses the immediate risk.

• Prefer single, sufficient next steps over shotgun testing.

• If you feel “two answers seem right,” choose the one that confirms or treats the most dangerous diagnosis first.

Elimination heuristics

• Discard options that are unavailable/unsafe in typical Australian GP/ED contexts.

• Be wary of routine antibiotics, unnecessary imaging, or overtesting without indications.

• Avoid options that contradict the stem (e.g., allergy present, pregnancy, anticoagulation).

• “Always/never” style extremes are rarely correct unless a clear contraindication exists.

Time & risk management

• Allocate a strict pace; flag and move if >60–75 seconds on a puzzler.

• Always answer before flagging; there is no penalty for guessing.

• Revisit flagged items late; often a later question jogs recall.

Clinical reasoning cues common in AMC

• Emergencies first: airway, breathing, circulation, sepsis bundles, ectopic pregnancy, ACS, stroke.

• Most likely diagnosis over rare zebras when vitals are stable.

• Definitive test vs screening: pick the diagnostic test that changes management now.

• Paediatrics/OB: dose safety, safeguarding, antenatal red flags, PPH, eclampsia, neonatal sepsis.

• Public health/Ethics: consent, capacity, privacy, mandatory reporting, culturally safe care (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health).

• Antibiotic stewardship: local first-line choices; narrow spectrum; duration discipline.

Practice strategy

• Use timed, mixed blocks; review every wrong answer: Why is mine wrong? Why is the key right?

• Build a one-page error log (topic, misconception, correct rule). Revisit it daily.

• Drill normal ranges & cut-offs (pregnancy tests, electrolytes, ABG patterns, paediatric vitals).

• Rehearse diagnostic triads and first-line treatments (e.g., CAP, DKA, cellulitis, asthma).

• Simulate exam conditions (quiet room, no pauses).

Exam-day checklist

• Sleep, hydrate, light meal; arrive early.

• Start with a confidence pass to gain momentum.

• Trust first impressions unless you later find hard contradicting data in the stem.