Australian Intern Pharmacist Oral Exam | Elite Expertise

Prepare effectively for the Australian Intern Pharmacist Oral Exam with Elite Expertise Australia's comprehensive and targeted preparation course.

The Australian intern pharmacist oral exam is the final step to reaching your destination of becoming a fully qualified pharmacist with general registration to practise independently in Australia.

This exam has created nerve-wracking experiences for a lot of students but would be a feel-good experience for you with Elite Expertise! Yes…you would love the knowledge we share; you would love to understand and apply your clinical expertise and practice with our comprehensive continuous support and guidance!! We will make this trickiest part of the journey of your internship into a cake Walk!!

In the oral exam candidates are expected to demonstrate their pharmacotherapy knowledge and their ability to apply the knowledge in practice. Intern pharmacist oral exam will be conducted by the pharmacy board of Australia. It will be held 3 times a year in February, July, and October every year. To sit for the oral exam, the candidates must complete 75% of their approved supervised practice hours. Since October 2020 pharmacy board has reduced the supervised practice hours from 1824 to 1575 hours (due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The total duration of the Intern oral exam will be approximately 35 minutes and it consists of 3 parts

1. Part A: primary healthcare

2. Part B: Legal and ethical practice

3. Part C: Problem-solving and communication

Part A: Duration 10 minutes

During this part, candidates will be presented with a case scenario related to primary healthcare. It is conducted as a role play and candidates are expected to identify patients' primary healthcare-related issues and recommend appropriate over-the-counter therapy along with lifestyle modifications. Whenever appropriate candidates should also refer the patients to a general practitioner. During this part, no reference books or materials will be permitted.

Part B: Duration 5 minutes

During this part candidates are expected to explain the legal and ethical issues about a given scenario and recommend what actions to be taken for the satisfactory outcome of the patient. A case scenario will be given to the candidates and no reference books or materials will be permitted.

Part C: Duration 20 minutes

During this part candidates are expected to solve the issues related to prescription or any patient concerns. Candidates must communicate effectively with the patient's general practitioners or any other healthcare professionals and resolve the patient's issues. Issues may be with drug doses, drug interactions, contraindications, duplication of medications, unintended change in medication or dose, drug-induced illness, and so on... candidates will also be assessed on their patient's history-taking ability. This part will be conducted as a role play and it is an open-book exam. It means candidates can refer to any books or materials within the given time frame.

For a candidate to pass the exam he/she must demonstrate having satisfactory factual knowledge, can competently apply his/her knowledge to practise situations, and are proficient in decision-making throughout the examination with good communication skills.

About the Oral Examination

The oral exam is designed to ensure intern pharmacists are ready to handle real-world clinical scenarios with expertise. Conducted by the Pharmacy Board of Australia, this examination assesses key competencies to confirm candidates meet the high standards expected within the pharmacy profession.

Exam Areas:

• Clinical Knowledge: Understanding of medications, interactions, and patient safety.

• Patient Communication: Clear, empathetic, and professional interactions with patients.

• Decision-Making: Ability to make sound judgments in clinical situations.

Your Moment to Shine

This exam isn’t just a test; it’s an opportunity to demonstrate your readiness to support patients and uphold the highest pharmacy standards. With dedicated preparation, you’ll be ready to approach each scenario with confidence.

Essential Tips for Candidates

Preparation is key to acing the oral exam, and Elite Expertise provides the resources to help you succeed. Here’s how you can set yourself up for success:

• Familiarise with Clinical Cases: Cover a wide range of therapeutic areas and patient situations to be fully prepared.

• Focus on Communication: Practise clear, confident, and compassionate communication.

• Arrive Early and Be Prepared: Ensure you have all necessary documentation and arrive at least 15 minutes ahead of time.

• Dress Professionally: First impressions matter — dress as you would for a professional setting.

Exam Day Tips

• Stay Calm: Remember, you’ve prepared well! Take deep breaths and focus.

• Listen Carefully: Make sure you understand each question before responding.

• Think Aloud: Articulating your thought process demonstrates clarity in decision-making.

Examination Locations Across Australia

Oral exams are conducted in various cities to provide accessibility and convenience for candidates nationwide. Here are the primary locations:

• Sydney, NSW

• Melbourne, VIC

• Brisbane, QLD

• Perth, WA

• Adelaide, SA

• Canberra, ACT

• Hobart, TAS

Dates and Results for the 2024 Oral Examination

Oral exams are scheduled multiple times a year, with dates and result release schedules that align with the needs of aspiring pharmacists across the country.

Exam Dates for 2024

• May 2024: Ideal for early internship completions.

• August 2024: Mid-year opportunity for candidates who prefer extra preparation.

• November 2024: For those completing internships later in the year.

Result Release Date and Tracking Your Progress

Following the exam, candidates can check the AHPRA pharmacy oral exam results and the pharmacy intern oral exam results through the official Pharmacy Board of Australia channels.

These pharmacy oral exam result release dates vary by exam session, so candidates are advised to stay updated via AHPRA’s official notifications.

Note: For the most accurate dates and result release information, always confirm with the Pharmacy Board or your supervising organisation.

Sounds stressful? Don’t worry!

We can help you with

• Improving your patient's history-taking skills

• Obtaining patient's medical and medication history by contacting various sources

• Reviewing patients' therapy and identifying drug-related issues

• Dealing with legal and ethical issues which arise during prescription dispensing.

• Responding to drug information queries

• Identifying issues related to a given scenario. These issues can be medication dose-related, prescription duplication, inappropriate prescribing, interactions, contraindications, legal requirements, and so on.

• Identifying primary healthcare-related problems and recommending an appropriate over-the-counter product along with some non-pharmacological measures.

• Obtaining other relevant clinical information like laboratory reports

• Using different references to find out an appropriate option for drug-related issues in part C

• Communicating effectively with healthcare professionals

• Counseling points for different medications

Highlights of our course:

In the oral exam, the examiner will assess the candidate's ability to apply knowledge to practice situations with good communication skills. So, all the teaching modules are designed to be

• Interactive- in each module candidates are encouraged to interact with each other and with our instructors.

• Delivered as role play- simulating the real-life pharmacy practice scenario.

• Peer learning- candidates in a group learn from each other along with the guidance of our instructors.

• One-to-one interaction with our instructors

• Unlimited access till you clears your exam.

Course content:

Part A:

Individual case scenarios are developed and conducted as a role-play for primary healthcare issues some of them include

• Hay fever

• Nappy rash

• Scabies

• Seborrheic dermatitis

• Oral & vaginal thrush

• Tinea

• Urinary tract infections

• Genital warts

• Threadworm infections

• Stye

• Sore throat

• Smoking cessation

• Shingles

• Pain management

• Nasal congestion

• Mouth ulcers

• Headlice

• Motion sickness

• Hemorrhoids

• Gastro-oesophageal reflux

• Eczema

• Anal fissures

• Dry eyes

• Conjunctivitis

• Diarrhea

• Constipation

• Cold sores

• Chickenpox

• Skin burns

• Acne

• Blepharitis

• Head lice

All the above topics will be conducted as role play by our instructors.

Part B:

More than 20 different case scenarios related to legal and ethical issues of prescription dispensing will be discussed. Descriptive feedback will be provided for the candidates during their mock tests.

Part C:

Candidates will be provided with a standard history-taking template. Each candidate will be involved in a role-play with around 10 case scenarios and 4 individual mock tests with descriptive feedback.

Note: The above exam-related information has been derived from the latest updates provided on the official website of the Pharmacy Board of Australia. For more information and the latest updates on pharmacist intern oral exam kindly visit the Pharmacy Board of Australia website.

Elite Expertise: Your Partner in Success

At Elite Expertise, our mission is to equip future pharmacists with the skills, confidence, and knowledge to excel in their careers. Our pharmacy oral exam preparation programs are specifically designed to boost success rates and instil a sense of readiness in every candidate.

Why Choose Elite Expertise?

• Comprehensive Exam Preparation: Covering all critical areas of the oral exam, from clinical scenarios to effective communication.

• Mock Exams and Real-Time Feedback: Simulate exam conditions with personalised feedback for growth.

• One-on-One Mentorship: Tailored guidance from industry professionals to help you achieve your goals.

Elite Expertise students consistently surpass the national success average, demonstrating the effectiveness of our comprehensive approach. For other options we also offer the following courses: KAPS exam essentials, Australian Pharmacist Oral Exam Prep, Australian Pharmacist Intern Written Exam Prep, and How to Become a Pharmacist in Australia. We believe in empowering each aspiring pharmacist to reach their fullest potential.

The Australian Intern Pharmacist Oral Exam is a significant achievement, and Elite Expertise is here to support you every step of the way. Join our program and take the next step towards a fulfilling career in pharmacy with confidence.

Mr. Arief Mohammad is renowned for his excellent teaching skills and practice-based experience which can contribute to developing practice-based knowledge for a learner. He has been a practicing pharmacist in Australia for the last 5 years and has been a preceptor to several students and intern pharmacists.

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Arief Mohammad

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