How women's health stations are set
The AMC Clinical is 16 assessed stations plus rest stations: 2 minutes of reading, then 8 minutes in the station. Fourteen stations are scored, and a pass needs a pass on 9 or more of them. Each station gets a global rating on a 7-point scale, informed by 2 to 5 key steps and 3 to 5 assessment domains. Read how the AMC Clinical is marked for the detail.
Stations are set in antenatal clinics, general practice, the emergency department and the birth suite. Many are counselling stations, where explaining a result or option clearly is the main task.
Obstetric stations
| Station | Key points |
|---|---|
| Booking visit | Dating, folic acid and iodine, bloods, screening options for aneuploidy, vaccines, lifestyle |
| Bleeding in early pregnancy | Haemodynamic status, ectopic risk, beta-hCG and ultrasound, Rh(D) status |
| Gestational diabetes | OGTT at 24 to 28 weeks, diet, monitoring, risks, postnatal OGTT |
| Hypertension in pregnancy | Pre-eclampsia features and urgent assessment, aspirin for high risk |
| Reduced fetal movements | Same-day assessment with CTG, never "wait and see" |
| Postnatal | Contraception, mood with EPDS, breastfeeding, the 6-week check |
Gynaecology stations
- Heavy menstrual bleeding: history, FBC and iron studies, pelvic ultrasound, LNG-IUD as first-line.
- Contraception: assess UKMEC criteria and recommend LARC, explaining effectiveness.
- Cervical screening: 5-yearly HPV test from 25 to 74, self-collection, results management.
- Postmenopausal bleeding: transvaginal ultrasound and biopsy if endometrium over 4 mm.
- Menopause: MHT benefits and risks, progestogen for women with a uterus.
Sensitive communication
- Explain why you are asking personal questions, and ask permission.
- Ask about family violence privately; never in front of a partner.
- Offer a chaperone for intimate examinations and document the offer.
- Use a professional interpreter, not a partner or child.
- Respect the woman's decisions, including about pregnancy options.
Worked station: bleeding at 7 weeks
Station walk-through · Women's health
Candidate brief: A 28-year-old woman is 7 weeks pregnant by dates and has vaginal bleeding and mild pain. Take a history and explain your management (8 minutes).
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 0:00 to 0:30 | Introduce, check she is stable, acknowledge her worry |
| 0:30 to 4:00 | Amount of bleeding, pain, shoulder tip pain, dizziness; LMP; previous ectopic, PID, IUD, IVF; blood group |
| 4:00 to 6:30 | Explain possible causes including miscarriage and ectopic; beta-hCG and transvaginal ultrasound; anti-D if Rh(D) negative per guidance |
| 6:30 to 8:00 | Address grief and fear; safety-net for heavy bleeding, pain or fainting; follow-up |
Where candidates lose marks: not considering ectopic pregnancy, forgetting Rh(D) status, and ignoring her emotional response.
Using the 2 minutes of reading time
- Read the setting: general practice, ward, emergency department or telehealth changes what is realistic.
- Underline each task and its time allocation, and plan your 8 minutes to match.
- Note the patient's age, sex and any cue in the brief (a medicine, an occupation, a family member present).
- Write a short list of the 3 diagnoses you must separate and the one dangerous condition you must not miss.
- In a women's health station, note the gestation or age, and whether a partner or relative is present.
- Decide your opening sentence so you start calmly.
Check the current AMC candidate information for what you may bring or write during reading time. Whatever you plan, keep it short: there is no time to read a long list in the room.
High-yield stations to prepare
Women's health practice stations are split between obstetric assessment and counselling about screening, contraception and menopause.
| Station | Likely task | Key step examiners look for |
|---|---|---|
| Bleeding in early pregnancy | Diagnosis and management | Ectopic pregnancy and Rh(D) status |
| High blood pressure at 34 weeks | Management | Pre-eclampsia assessment and urgent referral |
| Reduced fetal movements | Management | Same-day CTG |
| Bleeding at 32 weeks | Emergency management | No digital examination; steroids and anti-D |
| Heavy bleeding after birth | Emergency management | The 4 Ts and uterotonics |
| Gestational diabetes diagnosis | Counselling | Monitoring, diet and postnatal OGTT |
| Screening options in early pregnancy | Counselling | Choice between NIPT and combined screening |
| Positive cervical screening result | Counselling | What the HPV result means and next steps |
| Long-acting contraception | Counselling | LARC effectiveness and suitability |
| Menopause and hormone therapy | Counselling | Benefits and risks, progestogen with a uterus |
| Bleeding after menopause | History | Endometrial cancer pathway |
A one-week practice plan
| Day | Practice |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Read the structure on this page and run 2 women's health stations untimed with a partner |
| Day 2 | Run 3 stations with the 2-minute reading timer and an 8-minute station timer |
| Day 3 | Record 2 stations on your phone; watch for jargon, interruptions and missed tasks |
| Day 4 | Swap roles: play the patient and the examiner, marking against the checklist |
| Day 5 | Run 3 new stations back to back with a 2-minute gap, as on exam day |
| Day 6 | Repeat the stations where your global rating was below 4 |
| Day 7 | Rest, then review your notes on the common mistakes below |
Our station bank lets you filter by discipline and station type, so you can follow this plan for each area of the exam.
Common mistakes in women's health stations
- Not asking about pregnancy plans when discussing contraception or medicines.
- Using annual Pap smears instead of current cervical screening.
- Missing family violence cues.
- Giving information without checking understanding.
- Forgetting immunisation in pregnancy.
Practise these as timed stations with a partner playing the patient and another marking against the checklist. Each of our women's health stations has a candidate brief, role-player script, examiner notes, marking checklist and a model approach.
Free sample women's health stations
Candidate briefs from our AMC Clinical station bank. Read the task, plan your 8 minutes, then open the marking checklist.
Positive cervical screening result (8 minutes)
You are a GP. Ms Amelia Hart, 34, has come for the result of her Cervical Screening Test.
Result: oncogenic HPV 16 detected. Reflex liquid-based cytology: possible low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion.
Task: explain the result and next steps to Ms Hart (8 minutes).
Show the marking checklist
- Checks what she knows and prepares her for the result
- Explains the result: HPV type 16 found, with minor cell changes (critical)
- Explains HPV is very common, can stay dormant for years, and does not imply infidelity (critical)
- Explains this is not a cancer diagnosis; screening finds changes early
- Explains HPV 16/18 means referral for colposcopy regardless of cytology (critical)
- Describes colposcopy simply: what happens, possible biopsy
- Addresses future pregnancy: most treatments do not prevent pregnancy
- Mentions follow-up and possible treatment if high-grade changes found
- Addresses partner and vaccination questions accurately
- Checks understanding, gives written information and arranges referral
The full station adds the role-player script, examiner notes and a model approach.
Bleeding in early pregnancy (8 minutes)
You are a resident in a rural emergency department. Ms Jess Clarke, 27, has come in with vaginal bleeding and pain. Her last menstrual period was 7 weeks ago. A urine pregnancy test is positive.
Observations: HR 96, BP 112/70, T 36.8°C.
Tasks:
- Take a focused history (4 minutes).
- Explain to Ms Clarke what might be happening and what you will do next (4 minutes).
The role-player script, examiner notes, marking checklist and model approach open with a plan.
Practise women's health stations free
Every women's health station in our bank
The bank holds 13 women's health stations across 4 station types: Counselling and education (5), Diagnosis and management (4), Emergency management (2), History taking (2). Each one has a candidate brief, role-player script, examiner notes, marking checklist and model approach.
- Positive cervical screening resultCounselling and education · free
- Bleeding after menopauseHistory taking
- Bleeding at 32 weeksEmergency management
- Bleeding in early pregnancyDiagnosis and management
- Gestational diabetes diagnosisCounselling and education
- Heavy bleeding after birthEmergency management
- High blood pressure at 34 weeksDiagnosis and management
- Long-acting contraceptionCounselling and education
- Lower abdominal pain and feverDiagnosis and management
- Menopause symptoms and hormone therapyCounselling and education
- Periods have stoppedHistory taking
- Reduced fetal movements at 36 weeksDiagnosis and management
- Screening options in early pregnancyCounselling and education
Common questions
Are obstetric emergencies tested in the AMC Clinical?
Stations can include emergencies such as bleeding in pregnancy and pre-eclampsia, often as management and explanation tasks.
Do I need to know Australian screening programs?
Yes. Cervical screening and antenatal screening follow Australian guidance, which may differ from your home country.
How do I discuss family violence safely?
See the woman alone, ask directly but gently, assess immediate safety and offer support services such as 1800RESPECT.
Sources
Clinical content is summarised from current Australian guidance at the date above. Guidelines change, so always check the latest edition.