This summers’ registration assessment saw “an overall pass rate of 75%”, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) announced this morning (July 30).

The exam, which took place last month (June 25), was sat by “a total of 2,776 candidates”, the regulators said.

Read more: Trainees demand review into GPhC exam

A total of 2,081 candidates passed the assessment, they added.

The pass rate has dropped from last year, when 77% of candidates passed the June 2023 sitting of the registration assessment.

 

Pass rates take a dip 

 

This year’s summer pass rate is the lowest since 2020, when just 72% of students passed.

Of this years’ GPhC candidates, the majority at 2,358 (88%) were first-time sitters – and some 77% of these candidates passed, it said.

Read more: GPhC June registration exam delayed for hours by ‘major’ power cut

The 8% of candidates sitting the exam for the second time fared worse overall, garnering a pass rate of just over half (53%), it added.

Only 4% of candidates sat the June registration exam for the third time and almost three in five (59%) of these candidates passed, the GPhC said.

 

 

“Years of hard work”

 

Successful students took to social media to celebrate this morning.

One posted on X (formerly Twitter) that “five years ago, l was 16 knowing I’d be starting my pharmacy degree in September”.

“Today I’m 21 knowing on Thursday I’ll join the register as a qualified pharmacist and work in my dream job as a paediatric pharmacist,” she added.

Read more: UPDATED: November registration exam pass rate jumps to 66%

“Come see me for your drugs,” another said, reflecting on “four years of pharmacy school”, one “foundation year” and a “GPhC exam”.

Meanwhile, pharmacist and Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists (GHP) sustainability chair Minna Eii announced that her mentee had “just passed [the] GPhC exam with flying colours”, adding that she is a “proud pharmacy mama”.

Reflecting on today’s results, GPhC chief executive Duncan Rudkin gave “many congratulations to the candidates who passed this year’s registration assessment”.

Read more: Confirmed: Three cases of cheating during June registration assessment

“It is the culmination of years of hard work and part of the journey to becoming a registered pharmacist,” he added.

“For those who unfortunately didn’t pass the assessment, there are a range of options available”, Rudkin said.

He stressed that the GPhC’s registration assessment webpage holds “all the relevant information” and that “the charity Pharmacist Support can also provide help with mental health and wellbeing as well as practical advice.”

Read more: Passing the GPhC exam isn't easy, so don't be afraid to ask for help

Earlier this month, June registration candidates demanded a review into the exam after branding it “exceedingly difficult”.

And last month, the regulator revealed that students taking the exam at a test centre in Highbury started it “around three hours” late after a “major power” cut in London.