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The CAOP (Competency Assessment of Overseas Pharmacists) exam tests your knowledge, skills and ability to apply your knowledge. It does not test your knowledge of the Australian legal or regulatory framework.
Passing the exam confirms that you can practise safely and effectively in an Australian setting, by analysing and evaluating practice-based material and problems.
This guide outlines the content areas that we assess. It is designed to help you prepare for your exam. We also suggest talking with your professional network about how you're preparing for the exam. Their support and advice might help you to perform better.
On this page:
Before starting the exam, you are given 15 minutes to complete a tutorial designed to familiarise yourself with the exam software.
The exam consists of 70 questions delivered over a 2-hour session.
All questions are randomised, but you can flag questions to return to review at the end of the exam.
All questions are multiple-choice questions with one correct answer out of four options, and some questions will relate to a patient profile. The majority of CAOP questions are standalone questions.
10 questions are related to patient profiles.
5 minutes is allocated after you finish the exam for you to complete a survey
You must complete all questions in the paper or papers you sit.
The pass standard for the exam is set at a level that demonstrates competency. The pass standard also takes into account the performance of candidates in prior sittings. This analysis of results over previous years ensures fairness and equity over a period of time. The level of difficulty remains constant across time.
You will receive a results certificate indicating your outcome.
We'll email you or your agent when your results are available. Expect this to be around 2 weeks after you sit the exam.
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Content category |
Candidate Competency assessed in area including |
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Calculations |
Drug half lives Required dosages Drug concentrations |
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Counselling |
Drug interactions Drug management Health promotion activities High risk drugs Paediatrics |
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Dosage forms |
Drug preparations Drug packaging Drug labelling |
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First Aid competency |
Primary care Injuries (sporting, accidental, trauma) Acute and sudden illness (chest pains, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness) |
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Therapeutic areas and disease state management |
Analgesic Antibiotic Cardiovascular Dermatology Endocrinology Ear, nose and throat Eye Gastrointestinal Malignant Disease Nervous system Respiratory Rheumatology Vaccines |
The CAOP exam examines your underlying knowledge and skills for Medicines Management and Patient Care (Domain 3) of the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia 2016.
To demonstrate this, you'll need to show you have suitable knowledge in each of the following competencies.
Medicines management and patient care
Topics
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Content assessed |
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3.1.1 |
Obtain relevant health and medicines information |
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3.1.2 |
Assess medication management practices and needs |
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3.1.3 |
Collaborate to develop a medication management strategy or plan |
Medicines management and patient care
Topics
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Content assessed |
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3.2.2 |
Provide primary care and promote judicious use of medicines |
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3.2.3 |
Dispense medicines (including compounded medicines) in consultation with the patient and/or prescriber |
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3.2.5 |
Provide counselling and information for safe and effective medication management |
Medicines management and patient care
Topics
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Content assessed |
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3.3.2 |
Apply clinical review findings to improve health outcomes |
Medicines management and patient care
Topics
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Content assessed |
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3.4.1 |
Determine the required formulation |
Topics
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Content assessed |
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3.6.2 |
Support health promotion activities and health services intended to maintain and improve health |
To help you sit the CAOP exam, we provide an official sample paper.
Download sample paper (34 pages PDF)
This paper contains older questions to help you practise. These questions are no longer used, but they'll help you understand:
If you want to practise the sample paper under exam conditions, you'll need to answer all 70 questions in 2 hours.
We base our exams on the latest information, which you can find in relevant:
It's up to you to find this information. We expect you to have access to current, reliable information sources as a practising pharmacist. We do not endorse any external reference sources.
Your reference books must not contain any annotations, handwritten notes or loose additional notes.
However, you may highlight or flag parts of the text before the exam.
CAOP is a 'restricted open-book exam'. This means you can bring with you 1 copy each of the following approved reference books (any edition).
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Australian Medicines Handbook (AMH) - an evidence-based independent medicines reference book |
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Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary (APF) - an everyday guide to pharmacy practice |
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British National Formulary (BNF) - the latest edition includes treatment summaries for all drugs commonly prescribed in the United Kingdom |