We are aware of the fact how passionately you want to carve a career in the field of pharmacy overseas. And, what better country than Australia to fulfill your dreams! Every year, thousands of pharmacy graduates around the world prepare for the OPRA exam, hoping to practice in Australia, but many are caught off guard, not by the content, but by the format and depth of the questions. But one must know, every passion has a direction.

In this blog, we will walk you through everything you need to know about OPRA exam questions, including real examples, how to prepare for them effectively, and which resources (books, mock tests, etc.) are truly worth your time. Whether you're just getting started or you’re weeks away from your test date, this guide will make your preparation feel less overwhelming and much more strategic.

OPRA stands for Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment. This exam assesses your skills and abilities to work as a full-time pharmacist in an Australian healthcare setting. The Australian Pharmacy Council conducts this exam.

Gone are the days of memorising from 1st page to the last page. The OPRA exam measures how well you can apply pharmaceutical knowledge in real-life scenarios, where accuracy, ethics, and critical understanding matter.

It's worth knowing that the OPRA exam has replaced KAPS successfully this year. You'll be taking it on a computer, no outside materials allowed, and it's just one paper with 120 multiple-choice questions. You get 150 minutes (that's two and a half hours) to get through them all.

Here’s the kicker: every question carries equal weight, and there’s no penalty for wrong answers. So, no negative marking. Sounds fair, right?

Before the actual exam starts, you’ll go through a short tutorial to get familiar with the interface. You’ll also sign a non-disclosure agreement and complete a short feedback form after the test. Don’t worry, none of these takes away from your official exam time. These are just pilot questions before the actual ones begin.

The OPRA exam isn’t random. It follows a clear syllabus with specific topic weightages. Knowing these percentages helps you focus on what matters most:

This section carries nearly half of the total questions. It's where you’ll need to demonstrate your clinical judgment, understanding of drug interactions, side effects, and how to tailor treatments to specific patient profiles. So it is all about the practical side of things.

Let’s take a peek at some real examples so you’re not flying blind. These sample questions are drawn from APC-approved OPRA sample papers and reflect the kinds of decisions pharmacists in Australia are expected to make daily.

1. Men with diabetes are at significantly higher risk of developing which ONE of the following conditions?

A. Renal stenosis

B. Macular depigmentation

C. Testicular cancer

D. Erectile dysfunction

2. Dopamine is provided for use in a patient as 200 mg of dopamine in 500 mL of normal saline. What is the final concentration of the solution in micrograms/mL?

A. 0.4 microgram/mL

B. 2.5 microgram/mL

C. 40 microgram/mL

3. Which ONE of the following is LEAST appropriate regarding aciclovir for herpes zoster (shingles)?

A. It will be less effective if started more than 72 hours after the onset of the rash

B. It will reduce the duration of herpes zoster-related pain

C. It should be taken FIVE times a day for 7 days

D. Fluid intake should be kept to a minimum during the course of treatment

4. Benzodiazepines are NOT indicated for which ONE of the following?

A. Muscle spasm

B. Anxiety

C. Depression

D. Acute alcohol withdrawal

5. What advice is LEAST appropriate for a patient prescribed long-term rifampicin?

A. Your urine may turn a red-orange colour

B. You will require regular liver function tests

C. Your iris colour may darken

D. You will require regular blood count monitoring

6. Which condition is characterised by the excess secretion of thyroid hormone?

A. Addison's disease

B. Hashimoto thyroiditis

C. Grave's disease

D. Wilson's disease

7. The required dose of dopamine hydrochloride (6.4 mg/100 mL) by intravenous infusion is 5 microgram/kg/min. What volume per minute should the infusion be set at for a 64 kg adult?

A. 0.2 mL

B. 0.5 mL

C. 2.5 mL

D. 5.0 mL

8. Which ONE of the following drugs is MOST appropriate for the treatment of vertigo?

A. Ondansetron

B. Metoclopramide

C. Prochlorperazine

D. Selegiline

9. What is the sodium ion concentration of a solution of sodium chloride 0.9%? The molecular weight of sodium is 23 and chlorine is 35.

A. 100 millimol/L

B. 130 millimol/L

C. 150 millimol/L

D. 270 millimol/L

10. What is the BEST measurement to determine the bioequivalence of 2 tablets containing an identical amount of the same drug?

A. Disintegration time

B. Dissolution time

C. Serum concentration

D. Rate of excretion

You might be tempted to buy every book under the sun, but let’s cut through the clutter. Here are the only books you really need for effective OPRA exam preparation:

• Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics by Roger Walker
  Excellent for understanding patient care and clinical scenarios.

• Rang & Dale’s Pharmacology
  Great for building strong foundations in drug mechanisms and pharmacodynamics.

• Aulton’s Pharmaceutics
  Covers drug formulation and pharmaceutical principles in depth.

• Australian Medicines Handbook (AMH)
  Use the 2025 edition; it’s the gold standard for drug references in Australia.

• Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics by Rowland & Tozer
  Useful for dosage and bioavailability calculations.

Follow these preparation strategies of OPRA exam for optimal performance:

Step 1: Understand the Exam Blueprint

There’s a beautiful pie chart above showcasing the key focus areas. Religiously follow that and ensure you are not appearing in the exam for the sake of it, but to genuinely practice the Australian standard of healthcare.

Step 2: Stick to a Study Plan

Always prepare a foolproof study plan that covers essential things, with a revision hour mandatory and frequent breaks to refresh and rejuvenate.

Step 3: Use OPRA Exam Sample Questions

Always practice mock tests. Not the regular ones, but the AI-based ones that follow Rasch methodology. You’ll get the hang of how the questions adjust according to your skills and abilities. Hence, during the exam, it’d be a cakewalk.

Step 4: Join a good coaching centre

Self-study isn’t the only password to crack the OPRA exam. Join top coaching institutes for the OPRA exam that offer an online/hybrid model of training. Contact our OPRA Exam team today; they have 12+ years of expertise in this field and will be able to help you with the best preparation course to ace the exam.