10 Differences between PESCI and AMC Clinical

Our Team at People Medical Consulting love to provide information to our People (that’s you!). We don’t know everything though, so we invite other Experts to share their knowledge. 

Our Expert today is Dr Mathew Fayez, who is telling us ‘10 Differences between PESCI and AMC Clinical’. Dr Mathew writes:

1) AMC clinical is an exam, PESCI is an interview: they will judge you on what you do more than how you do it e.g: To say ‘I’m sorry you have cancer’, regardless of your tone if natural or show a real sympathy, whereas in a PESCI, you have to show a real sadness.

2) In AMC your position changes from one station to another: GP in rural area, GP in urban area, RMO-ED, HMO, registrar (different facilities, responsibilities and authorities) however; in PESCI you are always a GP in a particular GP clinic within a specific distance from a specific hospital.

4) In AMC you have 16 stations, and you need to pass 10 so you can ignore a branch (this is not recommended). In PESCI, if you fail one station (out of 4 – 5) then you will fail the interview.

5) In AMC, they judge you on what investigation you missed, whereas in PESCI you will be marked on what you requested and what you should not request.

6) In AMC, you need to know international guidelines but not specifically. For PESCI, you will need to be specific, e.g. in AMC euthanasia is not allowed, in PESCI if your clinic is in VIC then it’s allowed with some conditions.

7) In AMC you take student attitude, in PESCI you take doctor attitude.

8) In AMC they judge your exam performance, in PESCI your social media, body language, your clinic, Supervisors, level of risk, and working hours will be taken into consideration.  

9) In AMC, you have 16 different examiners in different stations, so you can say the same canned answer but in PESCI, you have to change to avoid reiterating the same case. 

10) In AMC you can prepare from a handbook, course notes and international texts like John Murtagh.  In PESCI from John Murtagh, RACGP’s Check Magazine and Australian guidelines. 

In other words, preparation for one will be failing reason for the other one as they are the opposite to what candidates think. 

Good luck,

Dr Mathew