It’s the year 2026. Pharmacists are no longer bound to work in their home country. With the growth in the healthcare sector and globalization, many countries have opened their doors to overseas pharmacists to work in their healthcare system. And among the top destinations for pharmacists are Australia and Dubai.
Both these countries have their own set of eligibility criteria, requirements, and most importantly, pharmacist registration exams. While Dubai has its Dubai Health Authority exam for pharmacists, Australia checks for eligible candidates through the Overseas Pharmacists Readiness Assessment.
Now, you might think both these exams would have similar difficulty level and question format. But that’s not the case. In this blog we will compare and contrast DHA exam vs Australian Pharmacists Exam and see which is an easier target for 2026.
DHA Exam Vs Australian Pharmacists Exam- Eligibility Criteria
To understand the differences between these exams, we need to understand who can actually take the exam.
Let’s start with the DHA exam for pharmacists.
Eligibility Criteria- DHA Exam
The basic requirement remains the same:
- B.Pharm (or higher pharmacy degree) from a recognized university.
- Registration license in home country.
- Experience of 2 years working in a clinical or retail setting.
The DHA requires candidates to have at least 2 years of experience before they can take the exam. This is the biggest difference between the DHA exam and OPRA.
Eligibility Criteria- OPRA
The eligibility criteria for the OPRA exam is the same as DHA, except for the work experience requirement. To take the OPRA exam, you do not need any prior experience.
You just need:
- B.Pharm (or higher pharmacy degree) from a recognized university.
- Registration license in home country.
Exam Syllabus and Format for DHA Exam vs OPRA Exam
The next big difference between these two exams is the exam format and syllabus. First, let’s discuss the syllabus for the exams.
DHA Exam Format
The exam is a computer-based MCQ type exam.
| Exam Particulars | Details |
| Authorized By | Dubai Health Authority |
| Conducted By | Prometric |
| Mode | Computer based test (CBT) |
| Exam Centers | Worldwide |
| Number of Questions | 150 MCQs |
| Exam Duration | 3 Hrs |
| Pass Marks | 60% |
- The exams occur quarterly, in January, April, July, and October.
- There is no negative marking for the exam, so you can attempt every question without the fear of losing marks.
- You can reattempt the exam three times.
DHA Exam Syllabus
The syllabus of the DHA pharmacist test includes all the main pharmacy subjects. Here is the gist of it:
- Pharmacy Calculation and Compounding
- Pharmacokinetics and biopharmaceutics
- Pharmaceutical Care and Disease State Management
- Medication Safety
- OTC Medication
- Pharmacy Law and Ethics.
OPRA Exam Format
The OPRA exam format is very similar to the DHA exam. Both are computer-based and have MCQs.
| Exam Particulars | Details |
| Authorized and Conducted By | Australian Pharmacy Council |
| Duration | 2.5 hours |
| Format | Computer-based MCQ, single paper |
| Total Questions | 120 MCQs |
| Scoring Method | Rasch Model (adaptive scoring) |
| Test Center | Worldwide (Pearson VUE) |
- OPRA is conducted 3 times a year in March, July and November.
- There is no limit to the number of reattempts for OPRA.
- There is a lack of passing marks for OPRA.
- The OPRA exam follows the Rasch scoring model.
Before we discuss how this affects your test score, let us take a look at the exam syllabus.
OPRA Exam Syllabus
The OPRA exam is more focused on practice based questions. The aim is to understand whether you are informed on how to deal with real world scenarios. And the syllabus reflects this.
| 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% |
Which is Easier: DHA Exam vs Australian Pharmacist Exam
Now that you understand the syllabus and exam pattern of both DHA exam and Australia Pharmacist Exam, let’s see which one is easier.
In general, the DHA exam is easier and faster compared to the Australian pharmacist licensing process.
- It has no negative marking and a fixed passing score.
- The questions are also more theory based than practice based.
- You need 2 to 4 months of focused study to pass the exam.
Let’s compare that to the OPRA Exam.
- It includes clinical reasoning, case-based questions, and practical assessment
- Requires deeper knowledge and strong communication skills
- Preparation can take 6 to 12 months.
- The Rachs methodology means the difficulty level of questions is adjusted based on your response. This reflects on the score as well.
So, even though the Australian Pharmacist Exam may be a tad bit more difficult than the DHA exam, a strategic preparation can help you ace it. And whether you select Dubai or Australia, with your license in hand, a world of opportunities opens up. You can start your job search on healthcare dedicated job sites like Jobslly.
What Should You Choose?
Dubai offers great tax-free salaries. However, Australia offers better long-term benefits and international recognition. Your choice should depend on your career goals. If you want a quicker and simpler route, go for the DHA exam. If you’re looking for long-term migration and career growth then Australia is the best option. Both require dedication, but with the right preparation, success is absolutely achievable.
