Pharmacy oral exam Parts A, B and C explained

Parts A, B and C at a glance

Part A: Primary Healthcare

In Part A, the candidate is presented with a primary healthcare scenario such as pain, a rash or an eye problem. The current guide describes this as role play. You are expected to take a relevant history, recommend appropriate management and justify the decision. Management may involve an OTC treatment, lifestyle advice or referral.

References are not permitted in Part A, so preparation needs to build a reliable history-taking structure and strong familiarity with common primary healthcare presentations.

Part B: Legal and Ethical Practice

Part B presents a legal or ethical pharmacy-practice scenario. Examples in the candidate guide include suspected forged prescriptions, oral instructions from a prescriber and dispensing errors. The candidate explains the issues and recommends the final actions needed to achieve a legal and satisfactory outcome.

Part B is not conducted in role play and references are not permitted. Because only five minutes are allocated, concise reasoning and a clear final action matter.

Part C: Problem Solving and Communication

Part C is prescription-based and lasts 20 minutes. Candidates work from a prescription and patient dispensing history, gather relevant additional information and manage a problem that may involve medicines, dose, interactions, contraindications or other clinical concerns.

References may be used in Part C when instructed by an examiner. Current guidance permits hard-copy, electronic and online references but prohibits internet search engines and AI-based search functions. See the dedicated Part C guide.

How to prepare differently for each part

• Part A: practise rapid, relevant history-taking and primary healthcare decisions without references.
• Part B: rehearse short legal and ethical scenarios where you must state the issue, the rule or principle and the final action.
• Part C: practise full prescription scenarios aloud, including information gathering, clinical reasoning, prescriber communication, patient counselling and follow-up.

Frequently asked questions

How many parts are in the pharmacy oral exam?

Three: Part A Primary Healthcare, Part B Legal and Ethical Practice, and Part C Problem Solving and Communication.

How long is each part?

Part A is 10 minutes, Part B is 5 minutes and Part C is 20 minutes under the current candidate guide.

Which part allows references?

References are not permitted in Parts A or B. They may be used in Part C when instructed by an examiner.