What the pharmacy oral exam is and how it works

The oral examination is one of the assessments pharmacy interns must complete before applying for general registration in Australia. The written examination is conducted by the Australian Pharmacy Council, while the oral examination is conducted by Ahpra on behalf of the Pharmacy Board of Australia. The two assessments work together with the other requirements of the intern year to assess readiness to practise.

The oral examination is a practice assessment rather than a simple recall test. Candidates are asked to apply knowledge and professional judgement to situations that may be encountered in pharmacy practice. You need to explain your reasoning, make safe decisions and communicate clearly.

To be eligible for the oral examination, pharmacy interns must have completed 75% of the required approved supervised practice hours by the first scheduled day of the examination period. Applications are submitted for a published examination period and candidates are allocated a date, time and location after applications close.

The exact structure, rules and permitted references are set out in the current official candidate guide. Read that guide before relying on any third-party preparation resource.

Everything important happens out loud and under time pressure. That is why reading notes silently is not enough preparation. See the free worked sample or read how to prepare for the pharmacy oral exam.