Let’s first know about what the KAPS exam and OPRA exam are and then see how they differ from each other. The Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment (OPRA) is the licensure exam for both Australia and New Zealand. Earlier, This assessment was called the KAPS or the Knowledge Assessment of Pharmaceutical Sciences (KAPS) exam.
There has been an announcement by the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) that the OPRA exam has replaced the KAPS exam. This first OPRA exam will be conducted in March 2025. The goal of this transition from the KAPS exam to the OPRA exam is to make sure that it better suits current pharmacy practices in Australia. The OPRA exam tests the knowledge and skills of overseas pharmacists to ensure they meet Australian pharmacy practice standards.
What Remains Unchanged in OPRA?
Now that we understand what the KAPS and OPRA exams are, let’s dive into what has not changed from the KAPS exam to the OPRA exam before we get into the differences between these two exams to better prepare for the examination:
a) Exam Difficulty
The first concern is the exam’s difficulty level regarding these changes. To answer this question of the OPRA aspirants, the level of difficulty remains unchanged between the exams. The only difference is that the OPRA exam tests more on the practical aspects to determine whether the candidate is ready for the Australian Healthcare standards.
b) Registration Process and Eligibility Criteria
The skills assessment and registration process procedures for the OPRA exam continue to be the same. Potential candidates must undertake an eligibility check to ensure they meet the required qualifications to sit for the OPRA exam.
c) Exam Delivery Method or the Exam Format
There has been no change in the exam delivery. The OPRA exam is computer-based and has a multiple-choice question (MCQ) format. It will be conducted in designated test centers, ensuring uniformity in the testing environment for all candidates.
d) Attempts and Validity
This transition does not affect the number of attempts or the validity of the licensure. It’s always better that the candidate familiarize themselves with these updates to strategize their examination attempts effectively.
2. Key Changes from KAPS to OPRA exam
Shorter Exam Duration:
The good news about the OPRA exam is the reduction in exam time. This is one of the major noticeable changes in replacing OPRA with the KAPS exam.
The exam duration for KAPS was 4 hours, which was reduced to 2.5 hours for the OPRA exam. This change is due to the reduced number of papers from KAPS (2 papers) to the OPRA exam (Single paper).
| Exam | OPRA exam | KAPS exam |
| No. of papers | ● single paper | ● two papers |
| Duration of exam | ● 2.5 hours | ● 4 hours |
| No. of questions | ● 120 multiple-choice questions | ● 100 MCQs in each paper i.e, 200 MCQs in total |
Revised Content Areas
OPRA exam content areas:
| Content area | Percentage of questions allocated |
| Biomedical sciences | 20% |
| Medicinal chemistry and biopharmaceutics | 10% |
| Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics | 10% |
| Pharmacology and toxicology | 15% |
| Therapeutics and patient care | 45% |
KAPS exam content Areas:
The KAPS exam is divided into two papers
Paper 1: Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Physiology
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry (30%)
- Physiology and Pharmacology (70%)
Paper 2: Pharmaceutics and Therapeutics
- Pharmaceutics (30%)
- Therapeutics (70%)
These changes in the content areas or syllabus of the licensure exams from KAPS to OPRA exam are made to meet the current needs of the Australian Healthcare system.
- Updated Scoring Methodology
The scoring system in the OPRA exam is called the Rasch method. This method ensures fairness in the exam and balances the difficulty of the questions to test the candidates equally without bias. The OPRA exam consists of 120 questions, 90% of which are scored, and the rest 10% are unscored. These unscored questions are spread across all topics. This method of scoring provides a strong and reliable way to determine candidate abilities and skills, ensuring the OPRA exam follows best practices and maintaining consistency across multiple exam versions.
- Reduced Cost
The cost reduction is not significant, but there is a difference of AUD100 in the examination fee. The KAPS exam fee was AUD2290, and the OPRA exam fee has been revised to AUD 2190, creating this difference.
- Important Registration Note
The transition from the KAPS exam to the OPRA exam creates quite a confusion among the KAPS aspirants, considering the preparation and whether they would be eligible for the OPRA exam in case they fail the final KAPS exam session scheduled for November 2024. Those who failed the KAPS exam by this date will be eligible to sit for the OPRA exam in March 2025.
4. Impact on KAPS Aspirants
The impact is on the candidates preparing for the KAPS exam. This transition confused whether to attempt the KAPS exam or wait for the OPRA exam. This transition demands modifications in study strategies and timelines for individuals preparing for the KAPS exam. The KAPS aspirants will experience stress in acclimatizing to this change, but with the right approach, it will be easy to pass the OPRA exam. KAPS aspirants who do not pass the exam by November 2024 must take the OPRA exam from March 2025 onwards. Stay focused and informed about the changes, adapt to the required preparation methods, and align with the revised content focus to meet all updated requirements.
5. OPRA Exam Registration Timeline
The first-ever OPRA exam was conducted from March 3rd to 5th, 2025. The next OPRA exam session is planned for July and November 2025. Every session will have a stipulated time slot to register for the exam, which the candidate needs to be aware of to ensure they do not miss the deadlines. The exam dates might change at any given time, so it’s always advisable that the candidates refer to the official APC website for the most current information and stick to registration deadlines to secure their examination slots.
| Registration period | Exam Dates | Results released |
| 9 January – 31 January 2025 | 3 – 5 March 2025 | 1 April 2025 |
| 8 April – 16 June 2025 | 14 – 16 July 2025 | 12 August 2025 |
| 19 August – 27 October 2025 | 24 – 26 November 2025 | 22 December 2025 |
6. Comparing KAPS vs. OPRA Exam
This shift demonstrates APC’s commitment to keeping the assessment current with Australian pharmacy practise’s modern methodologies. While both KAPS and OPRA exams test the skills or competencies of pharmacists abroad, the OPRA exam is more practical and application-focused.
With all the changes, such as a shorter duration exam, updated content, a new scoring methodology, and a reduced exam, the OPRA exam enhances the assessment experience, making sure it remains current, relevant, relevant, and accessible to candidates.
Conclusion
If the change is inevitable, acclimatizing to it is the only solution. How fast we can adapt is the question here. Candidates who fail the last KAPS exam can retake and clear the OPRA exam to gain eligibility to migrate to Australia. Overall, this transition is essential considering the APC’s commitment to keep the assessment current to the needs of the Australian Healthcare system. Adapting to OPRA exams might be difficult, but this can be achieved with proper guidance and mentoring. Elite Expertise is one of the best-suited training centres for OPRA exam preparation.
This table provides a clear comparison of how OPRA differs from KAPS and what remains unchanged.
| Feature | KAPS Exam (Until Nov 2024) | OPRA Exam (From Mar 2025) |
| Exam Duration | 4 hours (2 papers of 2 hours each) | 2.5 hours (1 paper) |
| Number of Questions | 200 MCQs (100 per paper) | 120 MCQs |
| Content Focus | Separate sections for pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, and therapeutics | Integrated approach focusing more on therapeutics and real-world application |
| Scoring Methodology | Traditional scoring | Rasch model for adaptive scoring |
| Exam Cost | Higher (Exact fee varies) | AUD 2,190 (Reduced cost) |
| Exam Format | Two papers, separately assessed | Single paper with all content combined |
| Exam Attempts & Validity | Remains the same | Same as KAPS |
| Delivery Method | Computer-based at designated test centers | Computer-based at designated test centers |
| First OPRA Exam Date | Last KAPS exam: November 2024 | First OPRA™ exam: March 2025 |
| Registration Process | Eligibility check required | Same eligibility criteria as KAPS |
| Difficulty Level | Standardized difficulty | No change in difficulty level |
