Useful information for pharmacists planning to sit the CAOP exam.

For pharmacists planning to move to Australia who have undergone the initial APC assessment and who are eligible for the stream B process, the next step is to complete the CAOP exam.  Information on the stream B process and on the CAOP exam can be found on the APC website.  (Although I have added links to the specific handbooks, it may be better to go via the website, to make sure you have the most up to date version).

CAOP stands for 'Competency Assessment of Overseas Pharmacists', it is designed to test a pharmacists knowledge of 5 key functional areas of pharmacy as set out in the document 'Competancy Standards for Pharmacists in Australia 2003', and their ability to apply that knowledge to practical situations.  The 5 areas are:

1. Manage work issues and interpersonal relationships in pharmacy practice.
2. Promote and contribute to optimal use of medicines
3. Dispense medicines
4. Prepare pharmaceutical products
5. Provide primary health care

What it doesn't test, is specific Australian pharmacy legislation and medicines that are uniquely Australian such as the massive variety of antivenems they have on offer.

The exam lasts for three hours and is made up of 105 multiple choice questions and one short answer question.  Each MCQ will have a choice of 4-5 possible answers and they may be stand alone questions or associated with a specific patient profile.  Each question however should still be able to be answered independently of the others.  There is no negative marking for getting questions wrong, so it is important to attempt every question.  To achieve a pass in the CAOP exam, candidates will need to pass each of the functional areas which is 60% for the calculations and 50% for the other 4 areas.  The overall pass mark may however be moderated, so these percentages shouldn't be relied upon to calculate how many questions you can 'afford to get wrong'.  Like a lot of exams the candidates will only be told whether they have passed or failed, and not be given their overall mark.  The results should be available 4 weeks after sitting the exam, they will be posted out to the individual candidates and put up on the APC website for a limited period.

You are allowed to bring the following items into the exam:

1. The Australian Medicines Handbook
2. The Australian Pharmaceutical Handbook and Formulary
3. British National Formulary
4. A non-programmable calculator

It is also important to bring valid photo ID, such as a passport.  Writing equipment (a 2B pencil, pencil sharpener and eraser) will be provided by the examination centre.  The permitted reference texts must be free from annotation, but can be flagged or highlighted.  A list of allowed makes and models of calculators is available on the APC website.

You can only have 2 attempts at the CAOP exam before you get withdrawn from the stream B process, if you fail the CAOP exam twice you and you still want to work in Australia, it will be essential to join the stream A process.  If you want to make an appeal against your results the appeals process is documented on the APC website.

The CAOP exam is held 4 times a year in London, March, June, September and December.  The fee for sitting the exam is quite high, so it is important to leave yourself enough time to get hold of the required references and to revise.  Unfortunately they will only give you a refund (minus an admin fee)if you cancel your application over 4 weeks before the exam.  If you have to cancel with less than 4 weeks to go, you forfeit the whole fee.  This is extremely frustrating as they will only reveal the exact date of the exam 4 weeks before it is due to be sat.

Adam