INTERN pharmacists taking their registration examination in 2021 will be the first to sit a new shorter format.
The Pharmacy Board of Australia released details of the revised exam framework yesterday.
From 01 Jan 2021, written and oral examinations will take place three times a year - in Feb, Jun and Oct - in line with the current oral examination schedule.
The duration of the written exam will be reduced from three to two hours, while the oral assessment will be 35 minutes long, 10 minutes shorter than the current duration.
Candidates will be required to have completed 75% of the approved supervised practice hours required for general registration by the respective examination date to be eligible to sit them.
Interns will no longer be required to pass the written exam to be eligible to sit the oral assessment, and will be able to sit either or both exams during the same period.
Candidates will be required to successfully complete both exams within 18 months to be eligible to apply for general registration.
The Board said the changes were "informed by the outcomes of the Intern Year Blueprint project".
"These changes are in line with the Board's strategic objective of efficient and effective regulatory functions, and the objectives of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (National Scheme)," the Board said.
"This includes the National Scheme objective of protecting the public by ensuring that only health practitioners who are suitably trained and qualified to practise in a competent and ethical manner are registered."
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