What is the APC intern written exam?
The APC Intern Written Exam is a computer-based exam of 75 questions in 2 hours. Questions are multiple choice, with four options and one correct answer, or fill-in-the-blank pharmaceutical calculations. The Australian Pharmacy Council runs it. It is not the Pharmacy Board oral exam.
Format
APC’s Intern Written Exam guide and the exam page describe the sitting this way:
- 75 questions
- 2 hours (120 minutes)
- Multiple-choice questions with four options and one best answer
- Fill-in-the-blank questions for calculations, where you type a number into the blank
- Delivered at a test centre on a computer, through APC’s exam provider
APC also states that 90 percent of the 75 questions are scored, and 10 percent are unscored questions used to calibrate future exams. You will not know which items are unscored, so answer all of them. Read that wording in the current guide, linked from the APC Intern Written Exam page, before you rely on it.
This page does not state a pass mark. Use the APC guide for scoring rules. Older summaries that quote a single percentage can be out of date.
What the questions cover
The exam samples the competencies APC lists for intern practice in Australia: therapeutics and medicines knowledge, calculations, law and ethics, and the decisions you make when supplying a medicine. Exact content areas are in the APC guide. Use that document and APC’s sample content to see how a stem is written. Do not treat a third-party question bank, including ours, as the exam paper.
Calculation items are strict about the form of the answer. Each question says how to round. Follow that instruction, enter only the number, and use a decimal point. APC’s sample content shows worked examples of acceptable entry. Practise from those rules in our written study guide.
How it sits next to the oral exam
The Pharmacy Board requires both exams for general registration, and both must be passed within 18 months. Eligibility, including supervised practice hours, is on the Board’s Registration Examination page and on the APC booking page. You can prepare for both in the same internship. They test different performances: a timed written decision, and a spoken one.
What a mock on this site is for
The Intern Pharmacist full written mock uses the same outer shape: 75 questions, 2 hours, multiple choice and calculation blanks, a calculator, and no answer feedback until you submit. That is so you can practise pacing and stamina. It is not an APC paper, it is not endorsed by APC, and a mock score is not your exam result. Chapter quizzes use the same question styles with feedback straight away, which is a different kind of study from the silent mock.
Common questions
How many questions are on the APC intern written exam?
75 questions in 2 hours. They are a mix of four-option multiple-choice questions and fill-in-the-blank pharmaceutical calculations.
Do all 75 written questions count?
The APC says 90 percent of the 75 questions are scored and 10 percent are unscored items used for calibration. They do not tell you which is which during the exam.
Is the oral exam the same as the APC written exam?
No. The Australian Pharmacy Council runs the written exam. Ahpra runs the oral exam for the Pharmacy Board. You need both for general registration.
This is exam-preparation guidance for Australian pharmacy interns. It is not legal advice, clinical advice, or a Pharmacy Board or APC publication. Exam rules change. Confirm dates, eligibility, and what you may take into the exam on the Pharmacy Board and Australian Pharmacy Council websites.