OMCQ Exam Format and Scoring
The OMCQ is a single test paper. This page sets out how it is structured and how it is marked, as described in the AOA information sheet.1
Which year this covers. The figures on this page come from the AOA documents for the 2027 intake (selection run in 2026), the most recent published. AOA revises its Selection Regulations every year, so check the current documents before you rely on any date, fee or rule.2
Structure
| Number of questions | 501 |
|---|---|
| Question type | True/false multiple choice. Each question has four statements, and you mark each one true or false.1 |
| Time allowed | 75 minutes, which is 90 seconds per question1 |
| Total marks | 1001 |
| Marks per question | 2 (0.5 for each of the four statements)1 |
| Negative marking | None. A wrong answer loses nothing.1 |
What a question looks like
Each question opens with a short stem, followed by four statements labelled A to D. Any number of the four may be true, from none to all. The example in the AOA information sheet asks about the internervous planes of the forearm, with statements about which nerve supplies particular muscles.1
Because each statement is marked on its own, you can score 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 or 2 on a question.
What the marking means for you
- Answer every statement. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so a blank can only cost you.1
- Keep moving. Fifty questions in 75 minutes leaves about 22 seconds per statement.
- Treat each statement separately. Do not assume a fixed number are true.
Results
AOA does not give applicants their OMCQ score, their combined score, their ranking or a copy of the paper.1,2 There is no minimum OMCQ score needed to stay in selection; the score is combined with the Departmental Referee Report score.1 AOA may scale scores.2
If a question is wrong
If an obvious error is found in a question after the test and before results are released, that question is removed from scoring and the total is adjusted in proportion.1
OMCQ Prep has true/false questions across all four content areas, each with an explanation and reference, plus timed 50-question practice exams.
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More about the OMCQ
- What Is the OMCQ?
- What’s in the OMCQ
- Dates, Venues and Cost
- How the OMCQ Is Used
- Eligibility and Applying
- How to Prepare
References
- Australian Orthopaedic Association. Orthopaedic Multiple Choice Question (OMCQ) Test Information – 2027 Intake. https://aoa.org.au/docs/default-source/selection-documents/2026-selection-updates-to-website/omcq-information_2027-intake_final-v0-2.pdf
- Australian Orthopaedic Association. Regulations for Selection to the AOA 21 Training Program in Orthopaedic Surgery – 2027 Intake. https://aoa.org.au/docs/default-source/selection-documents/2026-selection-updates-to-website/aoa-21-selection-regulations_2027-intake_final.pdf
OMCQ Prep is an independent educational platform. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) or the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). This page summarises AOA’s published documents; where the two differ, the AOA documents are correct.