title: International medical graduates' reflections on facilitators and barriers to undertaking the Australian medical council examination.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In Australia, 25% of international medical graduates (IMGs) make up the medical workforce. Concern is expressed in the literature about the lack of awareness and knowledge of issues that impinge on IMGs' education. Although there is literature alluding to difficulties IMGs face with undertaking the Australian Medical Council (AMC) examination, there is little research detailing this experience. We therefore explored IMGs' reflections on facilitators and barriers in undertaking the AMC examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  After ethics approval, in-depth telephone interviews were conducted with 30 IMGs selected from a hospital in Queensland. Data were coded and analysed using thematic analysis principles. Results. Two facilitating themes were identified: ability to sit for the first part of the examination in country of origin; and having access to resources such as bridging courses and study groups. Three themes represented barriers: not understanding procedural steps; financial issues; and lack of information on examination content and standards.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The themes provide new insights and add depth to existing literature that can be used to improve procedural processes and education for IMGs towards successful outcomes in the AMC examination.
authors.affiliation: Population and Social Health Research Program, Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD 4131, Australia. p.mcgrath@griffith.edu.au
authors.forename: Pam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: Saras
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Hamish A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Holewa
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tamargo
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005550:Foreign Medical Graduates / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic