The Common Registration Assessment is the final assessment pharmacy graduates must pass to register as a pharmacist in Great Britain. It has two parts: Part 1 contains 40 pharmacy and healthcare calculations with numerical free-entry responses in 120 minutes; Part 2 contains 120 selected-response questions in 150 minutes — 90 single-best-answer questions and 30 extended-matching questions.
The exam is demanding. It requires not just pharmacological knowledge but the ability to apply that knowledge to clinical scenarios, interpret Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) data, and perform accurate pharmaceutical calculations under time pressure.
This guide covers the format, the revision strategy, the best resources, and the specific approach needed for the calculation paper.
Part 2: Safe and Effective Pharmacy Care
Part 2 uses 90 SBA questions and 30 EMQs to assess safe and effective pharmacy care across the Common Registration Assessment framework. Topics include pharmacology and therapeutics, pharmaceutical chemistry, dispensing and supply, professional practice and ethics, public health, and evidence-based practice.
The scenarios are set in UK pharmacy practice across community, hospital and primary care. Use the current GPhC registration-assessment framework and candidate resources to define scope, and use applicable NICE or specialist guidance and product-specific SmPCs on eMC to investigate clinical topics.
Part 2 Revision Strategy
Question practice should be organised around the current official CRA framework and candidate resources. Read each explanation critically; for product-specific follow-up learning, inspect the relevant SmPC on eMC, and use applicable NICE, SPS, specialist or local guidance for recommendations and implementation.
The assessment may provide extracts or reference material for particular questions. Practise navigating the format and sections described in the current official candidate resources, while using your organisation-approved medicines reference and relevant SmPCs on eMC for broader clinical learning.
SmPCs (Summaries of Product Characteristics) are the authoritative source for individual drug information. The exam tests your ability to interpret SmPC data — contraindications, interactions, dosing in special populations, and storage requirements. Practise reading SmPCs from the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) during your revision period.
Part 1: Calculations
The calculation paper tests pharmaceutical arithmetic: drug dosing (including paediatric weight-based dosing), infusion rate calculations, dilution and concentration calculations, and unit conversions. Every answer must be numerically correct — there is no partial credit.
Calculation Revision Strategy
Calculation competence requires daily practice. Do 10–20 calculations per day from the start of your revision period. Do not leave calculation practice until the final weeks — the skills need to be automatic by exam day.
Focus on accuracy over speed initially. Once you are consistently getting calculations correct, introduce time pressure. The real exam has strict timing.
Common calculation pitfalls: unit conversion errors (micrograms to milligrams, millilitres to litres), decimal point errors, misreading the question (total daily dose vs single dose, volume vs concentration), and failing to account for displacement volumes in reconstitution calculations.
Build a systematic method for each calculation type and apply it consistently. A structured approach reduces errors under pressure.
Resources
iatroX — 1,000 Questions Across SBA, EMQ, and Calculation
iatroX offers a dedicated GPhC Registration Assessment bank with 1,000 questions spanning SBA, EMQ, and calculation types. The calculation questions use a numeric free-entry format with acceptable ranges and worked solutions — mimicking the real exam's calculation format.
The Q-bank uses the same AI-adaptive engine as iatroX's medical exam banks, targeting weak areas automatically and scheduling spaced repetition reviews. The clinical AI can be used to query SmPCs via eMC and guideline information when reviewing wrong answers — for example, "What are the contraindications for methotrexate?" or "What is the maximum dose of paracetamol in hepatic impairment?"
The GPhC bank is available as part of iatroX's specialist subscription. iatroX is UKCA-marked and MHRA-registered.
PassMedicine — Pharmacy Registration Assessment
PassMedicine offers a Pharmacy Registration Assessment module within its broader platform. This provides access to the proven PassMedicine exam engine with SBA questions, revision notes, and performance tracking. Check their website for the current question count and pricing.
Other Resources
PreReg Pharmacist and PharmaTutor are established resources in the pharmacy exam preparation space. The GPhC's own practice papers provide official example questions — always work through these as part of your preparation.
Study Timeline
Most candidates prepare over 2–4 months. A balanced plan allocates time across all three areas: calculations (Part 1), clinical knowledge (Part 2 SBA/EMQ), and professional practice and ethics (Part 2). Both parts must be passed in the same sitting.
Weeks 1–4: build the clinical knowledge base through Q-bank practice (40–60 questions per day). Begin daily calculation practice (10–15 calculations per day). Read the current UK medicines information alongside question review.
Weeks 5–8: targeted revision of weak areas identified by Q-bank performance. Increase calculation practice to 15–20 per day. Begin SmPC interpretation practice. Do timed question sets to build exam pacing.
Final 2 weeks: mock exams under timed conditions for both Part 1 and Part 2. Review all incorrect answers. Focus on high-yield topics and calculation accuracy.
The Pharmacist Audience and iatroX
iatroX was originally built for doctors, but the platform now includes a dedicated GPhC question bank alongside Ask iatroX for cited UK guidance and clinical calculators for dosing and scoring. Use the current CRA framework and candidate resources to define assessment scope, and check product-specific medicines information in the relevant SmPC on eMC.
The GPhC bank is part of the expanding iatroX ecosystem that now serves pharmacists, physician associates, and advanced clinical practitioners alongside doctors.