OPRA (Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment)

The Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment (OPRA) is a 2.5-hour, 120-question computer-based exam mandated by the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) for international pharmacists to practice in Australia. It evaluates clinical reasoning, pharmacology, therapeutics, and safety, replacing KAPS from March 2025.

Key Syllabus Content Areas (2026):

The OPRA exam focuses on practical, patient-centered care and includes the following key areas:

• Therapeutics and Patient Care (Approx. 45%): Clinical decision-making, patient safety, and counseling.
• Biomedical Sciences (Approx. 20%): Physiology, pathophysiology, immunology, and microbiology.
• Pharmacology and Toxicology (Approx. 15%): Drug actions and toxicity.
• Medicinal Chemistry & Biopharmaceutics (Approx. 10%): Principles of drug design and delivery.
• Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics (Approx. 10%): Drug movement and effects in the body.
• Pharmacy Practice: Australian law, ethics, and calculations.

Exam Structure & Details:

• Format: Multiple-choice questions, computer-delivered.
• Duration: 2.5 hours.
• Methodology: Rasch adaptive testing model.
• Locations: Global test centres are available.
• Eligibility: Must pass the APC eligibility check first.