On completion of their Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) qualification, graduates are required to complete a one-year internship in any of the following pharmacy sectors: community pharmacy, manufacturing pharmacy, institutional pharmacy or provider of the pharmacy qualification, under the guidance of a registered tutor who is also an experienced pharmacist. The internship-year helps graduates transition from academic training to being able to apply pharmacy theory in practical settings to improve the health of patients.
SCOPE OF PRACTICE
- A pharmacist intern may provide or perform all the services or acts pertaining to the scope of practice of a pharmacist’s assistant registered in the category pharmacist’s assistant (post-basic) under the direct personal supervision of a pharmacist in a pharmacy.
- A pharmacist intern may, for the purposes of education and training, provide or perform all of the services or acts pertaining to the scope of practice of a pharmacist under the direct personal supervision of a pharmacist in a pharmacy.
INTERNSHIP
The internship or pre-registration year follows immediately after completion of a four years full-time study which leads to the awarding of a BPharm degree. The practical period for pre-registration is a minimum of twelve months or 365 days which must be conducted under an approved tutor. The practical training year is of extreme importance for the pharmacy graduate as it is an opportunity for the pharmacist intern to gain practical experience and knowledge in the pharmacy practice setting. This practical training period may be carried out in a community pharmacy, institutional pharmacy, manufacturing pharmacy or at a provider of a qualification in pharmacy approved by Council for such training. Pharmacists with foreign qualifications may only perform practical training in community or institutional pharmacy.
During the practical training period, an intern is required to successfully complete the pre-registration evaluation which comprises the online submission of the CPD Portfolio and writing the pre-registration examination and the tutor must submit the required progress reports prior to registration as a pharmacist for the purpose of performing pharmaceutical community service.
The following activities must be completed online on the secure site using your login details:
- Completion of a CPD Portfolio
- Completion of progress reports by the tutor
- Application to sit for the Pre-registration Examination
- Confirmation of attendance of workshops
EXAMINATION
The South African Pharmacy Council (Council), in 2018, developed a new format for the pre-registration examination which is in line with the new competency standards. Council resolved that the pre-registration examination be conducted three times, i.e. in March, July and October as indicated in the schedule below.
PRE-REGISTRATION PRACTICE EXAMINATION
Please click here to access the pre-registration practice examination (03 June 2026).
Only candidates booked for the pre-registration practice examination will be able to access the examination.
The examination format consists of one paper comprising of the calculation and general sections, written over four and a half (41/2) hours. The calculation section will be written over two (2) hours and the general section over two and a half (21/2) hours. You may download the sample 2026 Practice Pre-Registration Exam Paper by clicking here.
The blueprint for the new format examination is available in the 2026 Intern and Tutor Manual. Click here to download the 2026 Intern and Tutor Manual.
Council will conduct workshops in May 2026 to introduce the examination format to interns and their tutors.
Pharmacist Interns attempting the pre-registration examination for the first time will only be allowed to sit for the examination after:
- Completion of five months of their internship (i.e. interns in their 6th month) by the day of the examination or any period determined by Council
- Submission of at least six (6) CPD entries and competence in three (3) CPD entries by the time of booking for the examination
- Submission of three (3) favourable progress reports by the tutor (i.e. the 12 weeks personal and professional development report, 24 weeks personal and professional development report and the sectoral experience checklist)
For interns who have been registered for a minimum period of nine months or those attempting the examination for the second time-
- Submission of at least six (6) CPD entries and competence in all six (6) CPD entries by the time of booking for the examination
- Submission of four (4) favourable progress reports by the tutor (i.e. the 12 weeks personal and professional development report, the 24 weeks personal and professional development report and sectoral experience checklist, and the 36 weeks personal and professional development report)
It is COMPULSORY for all interns to participate in the practice examination before they attempt the pre-registration examination. The purpose of the practice examinations is to provide interns with an opportunity to experience the online examination conditions prior to writing the examination.
The examinations will be conducted remotely. Interns are required to book online on the secure site to write the examination. The examination booking must be completed at least four weeks prior to the examination date. A late booking fee determined by Council will be charged for bookings submitted less than four weeks and up to 14 days before the examination date. Bookings submitted less than 14 days before the examination date will not be accepted.
No fee will be charged for the first and second attempt at the examination. Interns will, however, be charged a fee for a third and any subsequent attempts at the examination.
The fees are published by Council each year and are available on the Council website.
A pharmacist intern may attempt an examination on any of the scheduled dates. If the intern fails the examination, he/she may rewrite it on the next available examination date.
2026 ONLINE PRE-REGISTRATION EXAMINATION WORKSHOP
2026 PRE-REGISTRATION EXAMINATION DATES* ARE:
| PRACTICE EXAMINATION | PRE-REGISTRATION EXAMINATION |
| 21 January (Thursday) | 5/6 March (Friday/Saturday) |
| 27 May (Thursday) | 16/17 July (Friday/Saturday) |
| 05 August (Thursday) | 6/7 October (Wednesday/Thursday) |
*THESE DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.