How the OMCQ Is Used in Selection
The OMCQ has no pass mark, but it still decides who goes forward. This page explains how AOA uses the score.
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
The five selection tools
| 1. Structured CV | A minimum of 6 points is needed to continue. CV points do not count towards the final score.2,3 |
|---|---|
| 2. OMCQ | Marked and combined with the Departmental Referee Report score2 |
| 3. Departmental Referee Report | The collective view of the orthopaedic team at each site where you worked in the previous two clinical years2 |
| 4. Interview | 60% of the final score2 |
| 5. Verbal referee reports | 40% of the final score2 |
From OMCQ to interview
- Your OMCQ score and your Departmental Referee Report score are combined into one combined score.2
- Applicants whose combined score is one standard deviation below the mean, or lower, do not go further.2,3
- Everyone else is ranked nationally by combined score.2
- Interview invitations follow that ranking, your regional preferences and the number of interview places in each region.2,3
What the OMCQ does not do
The combined score does not carry into the final ranking. Offers are decided on the interview (60%) and verbal referee reports (40%).2
What you are told
Applicants are not given their OMCQ score, combined score or ranking. Those not invited to interview are told in writing, with comparative feedback but no scores.2
Missing the test
Attendance is compulsory. An applicant who does not sit the OMCQ is automatically withdrawn from selection.2,3
Selection initiatives
AOA runs initiatives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants, female applicants and applicants of rural origin, which change how the progression rules apply to them. The Regulations (section 6.3) and FAQs set out the criteria.2,3
Challenging a result
AOA will not reconsider or review OMCQ scoring unless there is a manifest error.2
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?
- Exam Format and Scoring
- What’s in the OMCQ
- Dates, Venues and Cost
- Eligibility and Applying
- How to Prepare
References
- 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
- Australian Orthopaedic Association. Selection FAQs – 2027 Intake. https://aoa.org.au/docs/default-source/selection-documents/2026-selection-updates-to-website/selection-faq-2026-for-2027-intake-v0-2.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.