Key Takeaways
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After passing OPRA and getting provisional registration, you must complete 1,575 hours of supervised practice, the current official minimum set by the Pharmacy Board of Australia.
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You cannot start counting hours until your preceptor and training premises are approved by the Pharmacy Board.
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You must also finish an accredited Intern Training Program (ITP) alongside your supervised hours.
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Once you reach 75% of your hours (about 1,181 hours), you become eligible to sit the Intern Written Exam (AU$790, 75 questions, 2 hours).
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You must also pass the Intern Oral Exam delivered by AHPRA on behalf of the Pharmacy Board before applying for general registration.
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Only after your hours, ITP, and both exams are complete can you apply for general registration and start working unsupervised.
Quick Summary
After OPRA, overseas pharmacists must complete 1,575 supervised practice hours under an approved preceptor, alongside an Intern Training Program. Reaching 75% of these hours unlocks the Intern Written Exam, and passing the Intern Oral Exam is also required. This guide explains hours, approvals, exams, and next steps all sourced from official Australian regulator websites.
What Are the Internship Hours Required After OPRA?
The current minimum is 1,575 hours of approved supervised practice, set by the Pharmacy Board of Australia since 30 April 2020. This replaced the earlier 1,824-hour requirement and still applies today.
Once you pass OPRA and hold provisional registration, this internship period is where your real Australian workplace training happens under the supervision of a registered pharmacist called a preceptor. You cannot work unsupervised as a pharmacist until this stage and every stage after it, is complete.
How Do You Get Approved to Start Counting Hours?
You must apply for provisional registration and get your preceptor and training premises approved by the Pharmacy Board before any hours count toward your 1,575.
Steps that come before your first counted hour:
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Apply for provisional registration through the Ahpra online portal.
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Submit an Application for approval of supervised practice, naming your preceptor and workplace.
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Wait for the Pharmacy Board to approve both the preceptor and premises.
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Only hours completed after this approval count toward your total.
A preceptor must already hold general registration have practised for at least 12 months in that area of practice and have no conditions on their registration that would affect supervision.
What Is an Intern Training Program (ITP)?
An ITP is a structured, competency-based training program, accredited by the APC, that you must complete alongside your supervised hours it is not optional.
| Requirement | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Supervised Practice | 1,575 hours under an approved preceptor |
| Intern Training Program | Workshops, workplace assessments, and clinical education |
| Training Plan | Site-based plan built with your preceptor |
| Extemporaneous Dispensing | Compounding assessments, signed off by your preceptor |
Your ITP provider guides you through workshops (online or face-to-face), workplace-based assessments, and formal reviews, so your practical training matches Australian competency standards.
How Do You Qualify for the Intern Written Exam?
You need to complete at least 75% of your 1,575 hours (around 1,181 hours) and hold current or past provisional registration to sit the Intern Written Exam.
This exam is run by the APC at Pearson VUE test centers inside Australia only:
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Duration: 2 hours
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Format: 75 multiple-choice questions
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Cost: AU$790 per attempt
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Registration: Through the APC Candidate Portal
If you register but don't actually meet the hour requirement by exam day, you'll be charged a cancellation fee so only register once you're confident about your timeline.
How Do You Qualify for the Intern Oral Exam?
You need the same 75% hours milestone, plus enrolment in your ITP the Intern Oral Exam is delivered by AHPRA on behalf of the Pharmacy Board and can be sat before or after the Written Exam.
The Pharmacy Board runs three oral exam periods every year. This exam checks your real-world clinical reasoning, patient communication, and professional judgement skills that a multiple-choice test can't fully measure. You must pass both the Written and Oral exams before applying for general registration.
What Happens After You Complete Your Hours and Exams?
You apply for general registration through the Ahpra portal, and once approved, you can finally practise as a pharmacist without supervision.
Here's the order APC and the Pharmacy Board require:
| Stage | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 1 | Complete 75% of 1,575 hours of approved supervised practice |
| 2 | Finish your Intern Training Program |
| 3 | Pass the Intern Written Exam |
| 4 | Pass the Intern Oral Exam |
| 5 | Apply for general registration via Ahpra |
Ahpra aims to finalise a complete general registration application within two weeks. Once you're listed on the public Register of Practitioners, you're fully licensed to work.
Which Course Helps You Prepare for Life After OPRA?
Elite Expertise runs a structured 3.5-month coaching program that builds the clinical foundation you'll rely on throughout your internship, written exam, and oral exam.
The course includes:
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5 modules, 150 lessons, across 15 weeks
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300+ hours of live and recorded lectures
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3,000+ practice questions
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Regular assignment sessions with trainer feedback
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Full mock exams
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A dedicated WhatsApp peer group
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Lifetime access to all material
How Does Elite Expertise Teach Its Students?
Classes are led by two working clinical pharmacists who teach system by system, so students build real clinical judgement not just memorised facts.
Mr Arief Mohammad an AHPRA-registered, AACP-accredited Consultant Pharmacist and Clinical Pharmacist at Northern Health hospital, Melbourne, and Mrs Harika Bheemavarapu an AHPRA-registered, AACP-accredited Consultant Pharmacist, Clinical Pharmacist and Educator at Monash Health Hospital, Melbourne. Both bring 10+ years of guiding OPRA candidates.
Teaching moves through respiratory, cardiovascular, pharmacokinetics, CNS, infectious diseases, and more finishing with dedicated review and mock-exam weeks the same clinical reasoning style tested in the Intern Written and Oral exams later in your journey.
Final Words
The road after OPRA runs through 1,575 hours of supervised practice, an accredited training program, and two more exams written and oral before you can register as a fully independent pharmacist. Getting your preceptor and premises approved early, and tracking your hours carefully, keeps this stage moving smoothly. Structured coaching earlier in your journey gives you a strong clinical base to carry through the whole internship.
Build a Strong Clinical Base Before Your Internship Begins
The clinical reasoning tested in your Intern Written and Oral exams starts with how well you prepare for OPRA. Elite Expertise's structured course builds that foundation early, guided by practising Australian clinical pharmacists.
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