Pharmacists sit OET Pharmacy for registration with a pharmacy regulator, for example the Pharmacy Board of Australia through AHPRA. From 11 January 2027 the US body NABP also accepts it for foreign pharmacy graduates; NABP's score lines are due to be published in late November 2026.
In 2025 pharmacy candidates averaged 339 Listening, 333 Reading, 341 Writing and 374 Speaking. Reading was the weakest sub-test, and it is the same paper all 12 professions sit.
| Sub-test | For pharmacists |
|---|---|
| Listening (about 40 min) | Same test for all 12 professions |
| Reading (60 min) | Same test for all 12 professions |
| Writing (45 min) | A letter from pharmacy case notes, usually to GP, hospital pharmacist, community pharmacist |
| Speaking (about 20 min) | Two role-plays in settings like community pharmacy, hospital dispensary, hospital ward; the interlocutor plays a patient or parent of a child patient |
On paper, OET Pharmacy runs on alternate paper sessions in 2026. The computer test (at a venue or OET@Home) runs Monday to Saturday.
Sample OET Pharmacy role-play card
Setting
Community pharmacy
Candidate
You are a pharmacist in a community pharmacy. Ms Chloe Navarro, 27, has a new prescription for a corticosteroid preventer inhaler for asthma. She already uses a blue reliever inhaler several times a week. She tells you she 'doesn't like steroids' and plans to use the new inhaler only when she feels wheezy.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out how her asthma affects her now (reliever use, night-time symptoms, triggers)
- Explain the difference between a preventer and a reliever
- Reassure her about inhaled steroids (small amount, works mainly in the airways)
- Advise on correct use (every day even when well, inhaler technique, rinsing the mouth and spitting after use)
- Check her technique and suggest she books a review with her GP
You get 3 minutes to read the card and plan, then about 5 minutes to talk. Two assessors mark the recording: four language criteria and five clinical communication criteria. This card is original, written for this site.
Sample OET Pharmacy letter task
Advice to a GP: anti-inflammatory use with blood pressure medicines. You are a community pharmacist. Mrs Margaret Ashby, 76, has been buying ibuprofen for knee pain while taking two blood pressure medicines. You are writing to her GP about the risk.
Case notes (extract)
- Mrs Margaret Ashby, 76; regular customer
- Current meds (GP): ramipril; hydrochlorothiazide; atorvastatin
- Bought ibuprofen 3 times in past 2 wks for R knee osteoarthritis pain
- Says paracetamol 'doesn't work'; takes it only occasionally
- Reports ankle swelling and passing less urine for past few days
- ACE inhibitor + diuretic + NSAID → risk of acute kidney injury
- Advised to stop ibuprofen today; pt agreed; phoned GP surgery: same-day review and kidney function tests arranged
- Asked about a knee brace; given brochure
- Lives alone; drives to pharmacy weekly
- Pt consented to letter to GP
Task: Using the information in the case notes, write a letter to Dr Samuel Adeyemi, GP, confirming today's phone call about Mrs Ashby's ibuprofen use and asking him to check her kidney function at today's review and to reassess her pain management.
What a strong letter leaves out
- Asked about a knee brace; given brochure — minor retail detail, not relevant to the risk
- Lives alone; drives to pharmacy weekly — does not affect the decision you want from the GP
Letter types pharmacists meet most:
Pharmacy words to spell right
Listening Part A and your letter both lose marks for misspelt clinical words. Ten that pharmacists need:
| Word | Note |
|---|---|
| contraindication | Reason not to use a medicine; one word, no hyphen. |
| adherence | Taking medicines as prescribed; now preferred to 'compliance'. |
| interaction | When one medicine changes another medicine's effect. |
| corticosteroid | One word: cortico- plus steroid. |
| anticoagulant | Medicine that slows clotting; one word, no hyphen. |
| nephrotoxic | Harmful to the kidneys; nephro- means kidney. |
| over-the-counter | OTC; sold without prescription; hyphenated before a noun. |
| dose administration aid | Pre-packed medicine pack; avoid brand names in letters. |
| paracetamol | Called acetaminophen in the US; use paracetamol here. |
| inhaler technique | How a device is used; poor technique reduces benefit. |
Practise hearing and spelling them: medical spelling dictation.
How pharmacists scored in 2025
OET publishes average scores by profession. For pharmacists in 2025:
| Sub-test | Average | Grade | Against 350 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 339 | C+ | 11 below 350 |
| Reading | 333 | C+ | 17 below 350 |
| Writing | 341 | C+ | 9 below 350 |
| Speaking | 374 | B | at or above 350 |
Averages hide a wide spread, but they show where pharmacists most often lose marks. Listening and Reading are the same test for every profession, so free Listening practice counts for you too.
Score lines for pharmacists
| Regulator | Country | L | R | W | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AHPRA (all National Boards) | Australia | 350 | 360 | 350 | 360 |
AHPRA's English standard covers every National Board (including the pharmacy board) and needs 350 / 360 / 350 / 360 for tests from 23 April 2026.
Combining sittings, OET@Home and validity for every regulator: OET score requirements by regulator.
Tips for OET Pharmacy
- Advice letters to GPs should be respectful and specific: state what you observed, the risk, what you have already done, and the decision you are asking the GP to make.
- Avoid sounding as if you are correcting the doctor. 'I would be grateful if you could review…' works better than 'You should stop…'.
- Counselling role-plays reward clarity. Find out what the patient already does, then teach one point at a time and ask them to show you or repeat it back.
- Explain why, not only what. 'Use it every day because it calms the airways over time' is more persuasive than 'use it twice a day'.
Questions candidates ask
Is OET Pharmacy harder than OET Nursing?
No. Both use the same Listening and Reading papers, and Writing and Speaking share the same criteria. In 2025 pharmacy candidates averaged higher than nursing candidates in all four sub-tests (for example 333 against 303 in Reading), which reflects who takes the test rather than difficulty.
Which letter types come up in OET Pharmacy?
Pharmacy letters often advise or update a GP about a medicine problem, such as an interaction, a side effect or poor adherence. Referral letters to a GP or specialist also appear, and transfer letters about medicines when a patient changes care setting. Aim for about 180 to 200 words in 40 minutes.
Can pharmacists take OET on paper?
Yes, but only at alternate paper sessions in 2026. The computer test runs Monday to Saturday at a venue or at home. Note that NABP in the US will accept only the computer test taken at a venue in the US or Canada, from 11 January 2027.
What score do pharmacists need for OET?
It depends on the regulator. In Australia, AHPRA and its boards, including the Pharmacy Board, ask for 350/360/350/360 for tests from 23 April 2026. NABP in the US is due to announce its score lines in late November 2026. See the score lines page for updates.
Other professions: Nursing, Medicine, Dentistry, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Optometry, Podiatry, Radiography, Speech Pathology, Veterinary Science.
Sources
- OET Test Handbook 2026
- OET: 2025 test statistics, candidate performance
- OET: Book a test (2026 schedule)
- OET sample tests for Pharmacy
Last checked 22 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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