Why Communication Skills Can Make or Break Your Pharmacy Intern Oral Exam

When preparing for the pharmacy intern oral exam in Australia, most candidates focus on clinical knowledge — memorising checklists, guidelines, and therapeutic options. But there’s one critical area that can quietly cause you to fail if overlooked: communication skills.

Yes, you can fail the oral exam based on communication alone, even if your clinical knowledge is solid.

The oral exam isn’t just about what you know — it’s about how you think, ask, explain, and respond in real-life pharmacy scenarios.

The Pharmacy Board of Australia and exam assessors are looking for more than just what you know — they care about how you deliver it.

This includes:

• Appropriate history taking

• Explaining complex information in plain, understandable terms

• Showing empathy with patients

• Actively listening and responding appropriately

• Maintaining a professional tone

Good communication means more than sounding confident or speaking fluently. It includes your judgement, professionalism, empathy, and your ability to ask the right questions — and avoid the wrong ones.

Take history-taking, for example. You're expected to gather relevant information — but doing so requires sensitivity and clinical judgement. Asking an elderly woman if she might be pregnant, without any clinical justification, shows poor communication judgement and can be considered inappropriate or even offensive.

Before asking a question, ask yourself:

❓ Why am I asking this? Is it clinically relevant? Could it be misinterpreted?

Where Candidates Often Go Wrong

Here are a few common ways communication can hurt your exam performance:

• Not asking enough questions to safely assess the scenario

• Asking irrelevant or inappropriate questions that lack clinical judgement

• Overusing medical jargon the patient doesn’t understand

• Interrupting the patient or missing cues because you're too focused on your script

• Neglecting to show empathy, especially in sensitive scenarios

• Not speaking clearly during the exam

In Part B (Legal and Ethical section) of the oral exam, interns are often expected to identify and respond to legal and ethical issues in common pharmacy scenarios. However, a frequent mistake is that candidates simply state what the issue is without clearly explaining why it is an issue or what consequences it may have.

Examiners are looking for structured responses that show not only awareness of relevant laws and guidelines but also an ability to apply them with sound reasoning. Simply naming the problem is not enough - you must demonstrate understanding of the underlying principles and articulate your rationale clearly.

Remember: Clarity, structure, and justification are as important as legal accuracy.

For a detailed breakdown of how to approach this section and example responses, refer to the oral exam package available at https://www.pharmacyhouse.com.au/plans-pricing

What the Assessors Are Looking For

You’re being judged not only on accuracy, but on how well you:

• Tailor your explanation to the person (e.g., an elderly patient vs. a new mother)

• Address concerns clearly and confidently

• Clearly communicate with the patient

  
  

How to Improve Your Communication

• Practice out loud with a friend or mentor — not just silently

• Record yourself to hear your tone and pace

• Use plain language and avoid acronyms

• Role-play different scenarios, including those involving emotional patients or language barriers

• Ask for feedback on your delivery, not just your content

  
  

The oral exam mirrors real life. Patients need pharmacists who not only know what to do but can explain it in a way that’s safe, respectful, and human. Strong communication isn’t just a “nice to have,” it’s a core competency that could make or break your success.

Need help preparing for your oral exam?

Explore our intern support resources and courses at pharmacyhouse.com.au — designed specifically for Australian pharmacy interns.