AMC MCQ High-Yield Topics: What to Prioritise in Your Study Plan

With 150 questions covering all of medicine, you can't study everything equally. Here's how to prioritise your preparation for maximum impact.

Understanding the AMC MCQ Blueprint

The AMC tests across multiple domains with varying emphasis:

Domain	Approximate Weight
Medicine	25-30%
Surgery	15-20%
Obstetrics & Gynaecology	10-15%
Paediatrics	10-15%
Psychiatry	8-12%
Public Health & Ethics	5-10%
Emergency Medicine	5-10%

High-Yield Medicine Topics

Cardiovascular (Must Master)

• Heart Failure - diagnosis, NYHA classification, management including ACEi, beta-blockers, diuretics
• Atrial Fibrillation - rate vs rhythm control, anticoagulation with CHA2DS2-VASc
• Acute Coronary Syndromes - STEMI vs NSTEMI management, troponin interpretation
• Hypertension - targets, first-line therapy, secondary causes

Respiratory

• Asthma - stepwise management, action plans, severe exacerbation
• COPD - GOLD classification, inhaler therapy, exacerbation management
• Pneumonia - CAP vs HAP, severity scoring (CURB-65), antibiotic choice
• Pulmonary Embolism - Wells score, D-dimer use, anticoagulation

Endocrine

• Type 2 Diabetes - HbA1c targets, medication stepwise, insulin initiation
• Thyroid Disorders - hyper vs hypothyroidism, sick euthyroid, management
• Adrenal Disorders - Addisonian crisis, Cushing's syndrome
• Diabetic Emergencies - DKA vs HHS management

Gastroenterology

• Liver Disease - hepatitis workup, cirrhosis complications, ascites management
• IBD - Crohn's vs UC, management differences
• Peptic Ulcer - H. pylori testing and treatment, PPI use
• GI Bleeding - upper vs lower, risk stratification, management

Renal

• AKI - pre-renal vs intrinsic vs post-renal, management
• CKD - staging, complications, when to refer
• Electrolyte Disturbances - hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia, hypocalcaemia

Neurology

• Stroke - ischaemic vs haemorrhagic, thrombolysis criteria, secondary prevention
• Headache - red flags, migraine management, temporal arteritis
• Seizures - first seizure workup, when to treat, driving restrictions

High-Yield Surgery Topics

Acute Abdomen

• Appendicitis - Alvarado score, imaging, management
• Cholecystitis - Murphy's sign, Tokyo guidelines, surgical timing
• Bowel Obstruction - small vs large, conservative vs surgical management
• Perforated Viscus - recognition, resuscitation, surgical emergency

Surgical Emergencies

• Ruptured AAA - recognition, immediate management
• Testicular Torsion - time-critical, clinical diagnosis
• Incarcerated Hernia - recognition, reduction attempts, surgery

Trauma

• ATLS Principles - primary and secondary survey
• Head Injury - GCS, CT criteria, observation vs discharge
• Abdominal Trauma - solid organ injury, operative indications

High-Yield O&G Topics

Obstetrics

• Antenatal Care - schedule, screening tests, routine bloods
• Gestational Diabetes - screening, diagnosis, management
• Pre-eclampsia - diagnosis, severity, magnesium sulfate
• Labour Management - stages, CTG interpretation basics, induction
• Postpartum Haemorrhage - causes (4 T's), immediate management

Gynaecology

• Abnormal Uterine Bleeding - investigation, management options
• Contraception - all methods, contraindications, counselling
• Ectopic Pregnancy - risk factors, diagnosis, management
• Ovarian Cysts - when to worry, when to operate
• Cervical Screening - Australian program, HPV testing, follow-up

High-Yield Paediatrics Topics

Development

• Developmental Milestones - gross motor, fine motor, language, social
• Red Flags - when to refer, autism screening

Common Presentations

• Fever in Children - age-based approach, serious bacterial infection
• Respiratory Infections - bronchiolitis, croup, pneumonia
• Gastroenteritis - dehydration assessment, rehydration
• Rashes - viral exanthems, meningococcal rash

Neonatal

• Jaundice - physiological vs pathological, phototherapy criteria
• Respiratory Distress - causes, management
• Congenital Conditions - heart defects, hip dysplasia screening

Immunisation

• Australian Schedule - know the key vaccines and timing
• Catch-up Schedule - overseas-born children

High-Yield Psychiatry Topics

Mood Disorders

• Depression - diagnosis, severity assessment, treatment algorithm
• Bipolar Disorder - recognition, acute vs maintenance treatment
• Suicide Risk Assessment - risk factors, management, when to admit

Anxiety Disorders

• GAD - diagnosis, CBT vs medication
• Panic Disorder - recognition, management
• PTSD - diagnosis, trauma-focused therapy

Psychosis

• First Episode Psychosis - workup, management, early intervention
• Schizophrenia - positive vs negative symptoms, antipsychotic choice

Substance Use

• Alcohol Use Disorder - screening (AUDIT), withdrawal management
• Opioid Use Disorder - overdose management, OST programs

Mental Health Act

• Involuntary Treatment - criteria, process (varies by state)
• Capacity Assessment - when and how

High-Yield Public Health & Ethics

Screening

• Cancer Screening - breast, cervical, bowel (Australian programs)
• Screening Principles - sensitivity, specificity, PPV

Infectious Disease

• Notifiable Conditions - know the list, how to notify
• Contact Tracing - TB, STIs, meningococcal
• Immunisation - schedules, contraindications, catch-up

Ethics

• Consent - capacity, informed consent, minors
• Confidentiality - breaching confidentiality, mandatory reporting
• End of Life - advance care directives, palliative care
• Resource Allocation - ethical principles

Study Priority Matrix

Must Master (Highest Yield)

1. Cardiovascular medicine
2. Respiratory medicine
3. Diabetes management
4. Acute abdomen
5. Antenatal care and labour
6. Paediatric emergencies
7. Depression and suicide risk

Important (Medium Yield)

1. Gastroenterology
2. Renal medicine
3. Neurology
4. Surgical emergencies
5. Gynaecological presentations
6. Childhood development
7. Anxiety disorders

Don't Neglect (Lower Yield But Tested)

1. Dermatology
2. Rheumatology
3. Ophthalmology
4. ENT
5. Geriatric medicine
6. Palliative care

Efficient Study Approach

For High-Yield Topics

• Dedicate 60-70% of study time
• Use multiple resources
• Do extra practice questions
• Understand deeply, not just memorise

For Medium-Yield Topics

• Allocate 20-25% of study time
• Focus on common presentations
• Know when to refer

For Lower-Yield Topics

• Use remaining 10-15% of time
• Know the basics and red flags
• Don't aim for expert level

Put Your Knowledge to the Test

GdayDoctor's question bank covers all high-yield topics with Australian context. Track your performance by topic to identify gaps.

Start Practicing High-Yield Questions

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Focus your preparation wisely, and you'll be well-prepared for the AMC MCQ.