Australian Medical Exam Questions, Answered

Pass rates, costs, format, dates and study timelines for all 23 Australian and New Zealand medical examinations supported by PRIMEX. Each page is rendered from a web-verified fact layer and links to the examining body's own page for confirmed figures, then translates the format into a practical preparation strategy.

Six questions, 23 exams

Every exam supported by PRIMEX has six dedicated answer pages:

• Pass rate - the verified figure the examining body publishes, or an honest statement where it publishes none.
• How long to study - realistic timelines and weekly hour ranges.
• How hard is it - honest difficulty calibration with no fabricated percentages.
• Format explained - components, structure and what they mean for preparation.
• Cost and fees - where to find official figures and the indirect costs to budget for.
• Dates 2026 and 2027 - confirmed dates and how to plan around them.

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Exam format glossary

Key assessment formats used across the Australian and New Zealand medical examinations PRIMEX supports, defined.

Multiple Choice Question (MCQ)

A written item that presents a clinical or factual stem with several answer options, of which one or more are correct, marked automatically against a key.

Single Best Answer (SBA)

A multiple-choice format in which several options are plausible but the candidate must choose the single best answer for the scenario.

Extended Matching Question (EMQ)

A themed multiple-choice format in which several stems are matched against one longer option list, testing discrimination between related diagnoses or management choices.

Short Answer Question (SAQ)

A written question that requires a structured free-text response, marked by examiners against a model answer or rubric rather than by machine.

Modified Essay Question (MEQ)

A written question built around an evolving clinical case, released in stages, with each stage requiring its own structured written response.

Key Feature Problem (KFP)

A short clinical case that tests only the critical decision points, or key features, of diagnosis and management, rewarding clinical judgement over recall.

Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

A circuit of timed stations, using real or simulated patients, that assesses clinical, procedural and communication skills against a standardised marking scheme.

Viva voce

A structured oral examination in which examiners question the candidate in real time, assessing reasoning, justification and depth of understanding under pressure.

StAMPS (Structured Assessment using Multiple Patient Scenarios)

A structured oral examination used in rural-generalist training, in which the candidate works through a series of timed patient scenarios with examiners.

Long case

A clinical examination in which the candidate independently assesses a real patient, then presents and defends the history, findings and management plan to examiners.

Short case

A focused clinical examination of one or more patients that tests examination technique, sign elicitation and interpretation under time pressure.

Hot case

An unseen, time-pressured bedside assessment of a real and often critically ill patient, used in intensive-care examinations to test rapid clinical assessment.

Spot test

A rapid-identification format in which candidates answer brief questions on images, specimens or anatomy within a short fixed time per item.

Digital slides (virtual microscopy)

Whole-slide pathology images interpreted on screen, replacing the glass-slide microscope station in modern pathology examinations.

Frequently asked questions