A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the OPRA Exam

This is a guide for beginners who want to understand what OPRA exam is, and let Elite Expertise break it down for you:

What is OPRA exam?

Overseas Pharmacists Readiness Assessment or OPRA exam is an Overseas pharmacist licensure exam for someone who wants to practise as a pharmacist in Australia. This exam is conducted by the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) to check if the candidates meet the Australian Healthcare standards.

OPRA exam eligibility:

All the candidates who have:

• Completed a 4 year pharmacy degree in their home country, and

• Is registered as a pharmacist in their home country or is eligible to practise in the country of qualification other than Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, UK and US are eligible for the OPRA exam

• Candidate must complete the skills assessment where all their documents are checked by the APC

OPRA exam format:

• The exam consists of 120 multiple-choice questions

• Conducted for a duration of 2.5 hours

• It is a computer based closed book exam meaning no reference books are allowed in the exam centre.

• With no negative marking for the wrong answers given

• And Scored on the basis of Rasch methodology.

OPRA Exam Validity:

The OPRA exam is valid for 3 years from the date of the results released.

When is the next OPRA exam or OPRA exam dates?

The next OPRA exam is in July and now is the right time to prepare for the exam so start immediately.

Where can I write the OPRA exam?

OPRA exam can be written in various countries globally. Here is a list please check if your city is mentioned here or you can move to the nearest city to take the exam.

Number of attempts for the OPRA exam:

If a candidate fails the OPRA exam then they could retake the exam as many times as possible until they pass the exam, according to APC. But it is always better to pass in the first attempt as there is a fee of AUD 2190 involved for every attempt.

OPRA exam age limit:

There is no age limit for giving the OPRA exam and you are flexible to give the exam at any age.

Next Steps After OPRA Exam:

Once done with the OPRA exam you need to get yourself provisionally registered with the Ahpra and apply for visa. Once visa is approved you migrate to Australia and find an internship which is a mandate under a registered pharmacist or a preceptor. Once 75% of the internship is done there arw two more exams to be covered Australian Intern written and Oral exams. Once these are done you can register yourself as a pharmacist in Australia and practise with out any further supervision.

Conclusion:

It is a lengthy process and the exams may be stressful but with proper planning and guidance, you path would be made easy by Elite Expertise. Elite Expertise provides srvise at every step from skills assessment, to OPRA exam and Internship exams to Ahpra registration. So, choose wisely and start your global career with us!

This blog is for informational purposes only and represents the views and interpretations of Elite Expertise regarding career opportunities in pharmacy. While we aim to provide accurate and up-to-date insights, pharmacy licensing requirements, immigration policies, and healthcare regulations may vary by country and are subject to change.EliteExpertise does not accept responsibility for any decisions made based on the information provided in this article.

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About the Author

Sahana Rao

Sahana Chinthapatla is renowned for her expertise in scientific and medical writing, backed by an MPharm in Pharmacology and years of experience in research analysis and scientific writing.

As the Head Business Writer at Elite Expertise, she provides insightful and well-researched content on KAPS, OPRA, PEBC, PSI and global pharmacy pathways, guiding aspiring pharmacists in their professional journeys.

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Head Business Writer | Elite Expertise