“Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.”: Swami Vivekananda
The OPRA (Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment) results just went live for the November-December session and our students did incredibly well. Their endurance, discipline and the ability to apply clinical judgement in real-world healthcare settings inspired people across the world.
Karthika’s success story embodies Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy in reality. This powerful call to perseverance resonates deeply with the journey of overseas-trained pharmacists striving to get the most coveted Australian pharmacist registration. With focused preparation, continuous revision, and unwavering commitment, Karthika transformed self-doubt into confidence and cleared the OPRA exam on her very first attempt. Her journey demonstrates that consistent effort, rather than exceptional brilliance, is what ultimately leads to success.
In this blog, we are entailing the inspiring story of Karthika. She is a pharmacist from Kerala who prepared for OPRA exam amidst family responsibilities. She then took a decisive step toward achieving her dream of becoming a registered pharmacist in Australia. Let’s keep reading and get inspired.
Journey from Kerala to Australia as a Pharmacist
Karthika began her academic journey in Kerala, where she completed her Bachelor of Pharmacy in 2015. Following graduation, she worked for three years as a pharmacist in a private medical college. It helped her gain hands-on exposure to clinical environment and patient care.
Driven by a desire to deepen her clinical expertise, she qualified for GPAT and pursued a Master of Pharmacy in Pharmacy Practice from Al Shifa College of Pharmacy, Kerala. This decision later became a critical advantage in her OPRA journey. The exam heavily emphasised clinical pharmacy, pharmacotherapy and patient-centred decision-making.
When her sister moved to Australia, Karthika began exploring pathways to practise pharmacy there. Like many international pharmacists, she initially felt overwhelmed by the complexity of the licensing process and the reputation of the exam. However, with clarity, guidance, and determination, she took her first decisive step.
How to get a Good Coaching for OPRA Exam 2026?
While researching for OPRA preparation, Karthika came across Academically, where she found structured guidance tailored specifically to the Australian pharmacy standards. She was getting confused about the documentation process and exam preparation. Karthika credits the team for simplifying what initially felt like an unmanageable process.
What stood out most was the clinical orientation of the teaching. OPRA is not a theory-heavy exam focused on pharmaceutical chemistry or rote learning. Instead, it evaluates whether a pharmacist is ready to practise safely and effectively in Australia. Under expert faculty, particularly clinicians with real-world Australian experience, Karthika began understanding how OPRA questions are framed and what the Pharmacy Council of Australia truly expects.
Is the OPRA Exam Tough?
Karthika cleared the OPRA exam on her first attempt, but she does not describe the journey as neither tough nor extremely easy.
“The exam was on a medium level. I was both nervous and excited about the results,” she recalls.
Despite her strong academic background, the clinical depth and unpredictability of the questions challenged her confidence. But she equally looked forward to learn new concepts and apply them in the OPRA exam.
Unlike traditional exams, OPRA tests applied knowledge:
- Drug–drug interactions
- Drug of choice in specific clinical scenarios
- Therapeutic decision-making
- Counselling considerations
- Safe dosing and patient monitoring
Surprisingly, calculations formed a very small part of the exam. Only a handful of questions. The real challenge lay in clinical reasoning, such as identifying drugs that affect absorption, contraindications, or therapy optimisation in real-world practice. This is where her MPharm in Pharmacy Practice, combined with focused OPRA coaching, made a difference.
Why Pharmacy Practice Background Matters for OPRA
Karthika strongly believes that her postgraduate training in pharmacy practice gave her an edge. Subjects like pharmacotherapy, clinical pharmacology, and evidence-based practice aligned closely with OPRA’s expectations.
However, she is quick to clarify an important point: “OPRA is not limited to toppers or postgraduates. With the right preparation strategy, even average students can succeed. The key is not intelligence, but consistency, revision, and exam-oriented learning.”
How to Manage an Australian Pharmacist License Exam Preparation Alongside Family Responsibilities
One of the most inspiring aspects of Karthika’s journey is how she managed preparation while handling daily responsibilities in Australia. She is a mother and had to structure her study schedule around her child’s routine. Rather than studying late nights, she identified her most productive hours during the day.
Her typical routine included:
- Studying for one hour in the morning
- Focusing on preparation after sending her child to school
- Avoiding late-night study sessions
- Covering most topics during daytime hours
- Relying on recorded classes, which offered flexibility
These are some of the hacks that can really make a lot of difference in your preparation. India is known for its love and affection towards families and friends. However, it is lesser known to people that we can manage both work and family and equally take time out to think for ourselves.
For exams like the Australian Pharmacist registration exam, it needs dedication and practical knowledge of pharmacy education.
The Ultimate OPRA Exam Preparation Strategy
If there is one lesson Karthika emphasises repeatedly, it is this continuous revision. OPRA condenses four years of BPharm knowledge into a few months of preparation. Without repeated revision, recall becomes difficult under exam pressure.
She studied for approximately six months, dedicating three to four hours per day. According to her experience:
- Students with strong basics may clear OPRA in four months
- Daily consistency matters more than long study hours
- Revisiting concepts multiple times ensures retention and application
Mock Tests, Notes, Question Bank- What Should You Practice From?
Karthika attended all AI-based mock tests and grand tests as part of her preparation. While she performed confidently in mocks, clearing more than 80 questions, the real exam felt both challenging and easy to conquer. How is it possible? Mock tests are not just for scoring. They prepare you on how to manage your time and question pattern. Despite encountering unexpected clinical scenarios in the actual exam, her conceptual clarity helped her navigate uncertainty.
Which topics should you focus on for the OPRA exam?
Based on Karthika’s experience, OPRA primarily assesses:
- Clinical pharmacology
- Pharmacotherapy
- Drug interactions
- Patient counselling
- Therapeutic decision-making
Very few questions come from pure chemistry or basic pharmacology. This reflects Australia’s expectation that registered pharmacists function as clinical decision-makers, whether in community pharmacies or hospital settings.
For aspirants, the takeaway is clear: Think like a practising pharmacist, not a student memorising textbooks.
“If I Can Do It, Anyone Can”
Perhaps the most powerful part of Karthika’s story is her honesty. “I’m an average student,” she says. “But I tried my best.” Her message to aspiring pharmacists especially women balancing family and career, is deeply reassuring. OPRA exam can be cleared with discipline, good guidance and belief.
What Comes Next After OPRA?
Clearing OPRA is a major milestone, but it is only the beginning. After the exam, candidates must proceed with:
- Internship or supervised practice
- Final registration with AHPRA
Karthika is now preparing for the next phase of her journey and looks forward to practising as a registered pharmacist in Australia, possibly in Sydney, where her professional dream first took shape.
To Conclude with…
Karthika’s OPRA success story is not just about passing an exam. It is about perseverance, adaptability, and believing in oneself during moments of doubt. Her journey serves as a blueprint for overseas pharmacists who fear the OPRA exam and delay their dreams. With the right preparation strategy, clinical focus, and continuous revision, you can even clear the OPRA exam 2026.