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Our highest priority is to keep our candidates and staff safe during the COVID 19 pandemic.
This page lists the measures we're taking, and changes we've made to help ensure that safety.
We understand these are uncertain times for many. We are committed to supporting and guiding our candidates and stakeholders through this unprecedented time.
We are being guided by information provided by the Australian Government Department of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO). We are urgently working with the Pharmacy Board of Australia to figure out how our accreditation and examination processes can adapt within this environment. We will continue to update our candidates, accredited providers and the public on new information as soon as it becomes available.
We want to thank all pharmacists and health practitioners around the globe who are working tirelessly on the frontline to provide care to their communities.
Please stay safe.
We have published a list of accredited pharmacy degree and intern training programs that currently deliver vaccination training. During this critical period, we want to assure the pharmacy profession, future pharmacists and the public that we are preparing students and interns for effective delivery of vaccinations. Read how we are preparing students and interns for a future as vaccinators.
Accreditation authorities use a mix of tools and processes to assess education programs and providers.
The Health Professions Accreditation Collaborative Forum (the Forum) has published a statement highlighting how accreditation authorities, including APC, have adapted tools and processes as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic. Read about how we are adapting to new processes.
Due to COVID 19, we have extended the CAOP validity period by an additional twelve months for candidates whose Skills Assessment letters were issued between 2017 and 2020. For example, a Skills Assessment letter issued on 1 July 2020 will be valid until 1 July 2024. Please note this extension of validity period is for registration purposes only.
You will not require an updated Skills Assessment letter to reflect the extension, because the Pharmacy Board of Australia has been notified.
We have rescheduled the Knowledge Assessment of Pharmaceutical Sciences (KAPS) examination set for October 2020. It will now be held 6 - 8 December 2020.
As COVID 19 is still prevalent across the world, our exam provider, PearsonVUE, has closed exam centres until we can ensure your safety. The health and safety of you, your family and the community is our priority. Read more.
Due to COVID 19, we have extended the KAPS validity period by an additional twelve months for candidates whose Skills Assessment letters were issued between 2017 and 2020. For example, a Skills Assessment letter issued on 1 July 2020 will be valid until 1 July 2024. Please note this extension of validity period is for registration purposes only.
You will not require an updated Skills Assessment letter to reflect the extension, because the Pharmacy Board of Australia has been notified.
We will be re-scheduling the upcoming Intern Written Exams set for June and July due to COVID 19 impacting on our exam provider, Pearson VUE.
Pearson VUE, has unfortunately closed all of its professional centres across Australia due to the unprecedented pandemic that has imposed physical distancing requirements for the health and safety of the community.
We wish to assure students and candidates, that we are already moving very quickly to schedule the intern written exam for October so that is also aligns with the Board oral exam.
We will also make arrangements for the exam to be delivered online so that we can ensure everyone is appropriately physically distant and safe, because your health and professional development is our priority.
Please see:
We're here to help and we have your back.
Listen to this message from our CEO, Bronwyn Clark.
The COVID 19 global pandemic has necessitated rapid changes in both the health education and practice arenas. This has amplified the need to collaborate across the profession of pharmacy and along with other health professions to ensure that pharmacy graduates demonstrate the skills required to provide safe, high quality, and socially accountable access to, and use of, medicines and other health technologies.
The Council of Pharmacy Schools: Australia and New Zealand, has published some principles regarding pharmacy student clinical education to support the COVID 19 pandemic workforce as part of and in parallel to pharmacy student academic studies. Read CPS Guiding Principles to find out more.
We are continuing to work with the Pharmacy Board of Australia (PharmBA) to determine the impact of COVID 19 on the Intern Written Examination, which we conduct on behalf of PharmBA. Please read their COVID 19 update for interns.
The Health Professions Accreditation Collaborative (HPAC) Forum, AHPRA, National Boards and the Australian Government have set national principles to guide professions, Accreditation Authorities, education providers and health services when making decisions about student clinical education.
APC has been an active part developing these principles through our CEO Bronwyn Clark, who chairs the HPAC Forum. We thank all parties for their collaboration to reach these principles and provide some guidance during these uncertain times.
Read the National principles for clinical education during the COVID 19 pandemic.
As we approach peak flu season, pharmacist-delivered vaccinations will be vital for maintaining the health of the Australian community. Across jurisdictions and around the world there is growing understanding for an allowance to be made for justified variations in practice. Read more.
After careful consideration we can confirm that the upcoming KAPS June 2020 exam session has been cancelled. We will continue to keep all candidates informed about the delivery of our examinations. Our first priority is the safety of candidates, examiners and staff. See our Exam Dates and Centres.
The Health Professions Accreditation Collaborative Forum has developed a consensus statement. It details the collective position of accreditation authorities with respect to accredited programs and the impact of COVID-19. This includes ongoing ability to meet the accreditation standards. Read more.
The Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) understands that the current outbreak of COVID 19 is impacting on accredited program providers. We are closely monitoring the situation and our response will continue to be guided by publicly available information from the Australian Government Department of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Read more.
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID 19 a pandemic on 11 March 2020. Candidates sitting APC examinations MUST comply with government requirements in the country wherever they sit for an APC examination. Read more.
After careful consideration, we have made the decision to POSTPONE the Colloquium until early 2021 due to the escalation of COVID-19 nationally and internationally. Read more.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has now been declared a Public Health Emergency of International concern. Candidates sitting APC examinations MUST comply with government requirements in the country wherever they sit for an APC examination. Read more.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has now been declared a Public Health Emergency of International concern. Candidates sitting APC examinations MUST comply with government requirements in the country wherever they sit for an APC examination. Read more.
For further information, please refer to and follow advice from: