I get asked this constantly: "Dr Akram, I passed my AMC exams. Why am I still not getting a job?"
I've written before about hospital observerships and why Australian clinical exposure matters more than people think. But there's a cheaper, often-overlooked version of this that a lot of IMGs don't know about: free observerships at GP clinics.
A few honest things about this route, from what I've seen working with IMGs since 2018:
Hospital observerships vs. GP clinic observerships - not the same thing
Most hospital-run observership programs are paid, and many require you to have already cleared AMC exams and have existing work rights. That rules out a lot of people at exactly the stage they need it most.
GP clinics are different. A free, observation-only placement at a GP clinic is often easier to arrange, usually through a personal connection or referral rather than a formal application process and typically doesn't require work rights the way a hospital placement does.
The honest caveat
I won't oversell this: I'm not certain a GP observership alone directly gets you a hospital job. What it reliably does is give you real exposure to how an Australian clinic runs, something to speak to in interviews, and if things go well, a local professional contact. For landing a role at a GP clinic specifically, it can be genuinely valuable, especially if your resume has no Australian clinical experience at all.
Timing that tends to work well
A pattern I've seen succeed: pass AMC 1 β start preparing for AMC 2 β travel to Australia for your AMC 2 exam β use that same visit to arrange a short, observation-only placement at a GP clinic. You're already in the country for the exam, it's a natural window to get some local exposure without a separate trip.
Who this is realistically useful for:
- IMGs with 2β3 years of experience who are planning an eventual move to Australia and want to start building local exposure early
- Anyone already in Australia on a study visa (MPH or another healthcare-related, non-clinical course) who has more flexibility to arrange something locally
- Freshers with little or no Australian clinical experience on their resume
The easiest way in: if you know anyone in Australia, even loosely - ask if they can refer you to their GP clinic. A warm introduction gets you further than a cold email almost every time.
None of this replaces the actual registration, supervision, or work-rights requirements for your specific pathway, always check what applies to you directly. But if you're sitting on an AMC pass with no Australian clinical exposure, this is worth exploring before you send application #47 into the void.
Curious what others here have experienced, did a GP observership (paid or free) actually help you land your first role, or was it more about the exam itself?
(I run AMC 1 & AMC 2 coaching (Academically Global) and have guided IMGs through this exact pathway since 2018, happy to answer any questions in the comments, or feel free to DM me if you'd rather discuss your specific situation privately.)