ANZCAP FAQs
What is ANZCAP?
The Australian and New Zealand College of Advanced Pharmacy (ANZCAP) is a landmark initiative recognising the career progress and specialisation of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working across Australia and New Zealand, mapped to relevant national competency standards and developed by Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) in partnership with the New Zealand Hospital Pharmacy Association (NZHPA).
ANZCAP recognition confers the use of professional post-nominals, and recognition portfolios at Pharmacist Resident, Pharmacist Registrar and and Pharmacist Consultant levels. Pharmacist Registrar and and Pharmacist Consultant portfolios can be mapped to one or two of 46 areas of specialty pharmacy practice. View guidelines on the use of ANZCAP post-nominals.
What are the benefits of ANZCAP recognition?
- Career-long centralised library into which you can draft, manage, finalise and allocate Learning Experiences (LX).
- Recognition of your growth in experience and expertise through Recognition Portfolios.
- Annual digital assets through which your ANZCAP achievement can be displayed, including via certificate, post-nominals, email signature and social media tile, which can be shared with colleagues or used in CVs, professional profiles and for job applications.
- Access to Custom Portfolios to share professional achievements – any combination of LXs you choose – with external parties.
- Access to ANZCAP Elevate annual benefits, which are amplified with active AdPha or NZHPA membership.
How does ANZCAP work?
ANZCAP comprises two pathways to build towards recognition.
Independent Pathway
The Independent Pathway is open to all Australian and New Zealand pharmacists – and to Pharmacy Technicians in 2025 – providing the full functionality of ANZCAP.
If you have been recognised as a Resident Pharmacist or Registrar Pharmacist through the Foundation Program, you can continue your journey by building a recognition portfolio toward the next recognition via the Independent Pathway.
ANZCAP is based on managing your Learning Experiences (LX) Library.
LXs are types of workplace-based assessment that can be planned, drafted and then completed through one of three forms of LX validation:
- Autonomous: independently documents the LX, self-evaluate and self-reflect on your professional learning experience.
- Collaborative: engage with professional peers to document evaluation, feedback and guided reflection on your professional experience.
- Endorsed: autonomously document and self-reflect on your professional learning experience that has an established peer review or peer recognition process as part of the activity.
In the Independent Program you allocate validated LXs to your currently active Recognition Portfolio.
Your portfolio is ready for submission when 40 LXs have been completed and allocated: a minimum of 10 Core LXs / maximum of 30 Elective LXs.
Core LXs and Elective LXs are required to ensure an appropriate spread of competency domains are covered in the composition of your recognition portfolio, enabling you to submit for recognition.
Don’t worry about keeping track of Core and Elective LXs; the ANZCAP platform does this for you, with progress dials showing how far you have to go!
Training Programs
Training Programs provide fast-track two-year recognition at Resident Pharmacist and Registrar Pharmacist level via structured, AdPha accredited workplace-based pathways, recorded and submitted via the ANZCAP platform.
What are the levels of ANZCAP recognition?
ANZCAP offers recognition as a Resident Pharmacist, Registrar Pharmacist or Consultant Pharmacist (Fellow). Read more about the descriptions of the three recognition levels, including related specialty areas of practice and post-nominals, and associated pricing schedule for portfolio validation and annual renewal.
How long does my recognition last?
Australian pharmacy is rapidly changing, and recognition follows a five-year cycle from initial portfolio validation through to recognition revalidation. A mid-cycle reflection at 2.5 years is encouraged to ensure you stay on track over the five year period.
Read more about the ANZCAP Journey.
Can anyone access ANZCAP?
Yes! Current AdPha or NZHPA Affiliate Members can access ANZCAP at no cost via your AdPha Member Dashboard.
If you have a currently active NZHPA Affiliate Membership, and have not received your free access information, contact NZHPA; NZHPA members can access ANZCAP direct via the platform.
Any registered pharmacist in Australia or New Zealand can access ANZCAP through Direct ANZCAP Access ($120 per year), register and login at anzcap.org.
How much does ANZCAP cost?
As above, there is a direct access fee for non-AdPha/NZHPA Members only (ANZCAP access is FREE for AdPha/NZHPA Members).
ANZCAP also includes a portfolio validation and recognition renewal fee over the five-year recognition cycle.
For a full table of costs, see ANZCAP Recognition.
I'm now recognised, do I still need ANZCAP?
Yes! Pharmacy practice is changing, and it is crucial that recognition of your experience and expertise remains up to date.
ANZCAP supports a five-year recognition cycle, with annual renewal, midcycle reflection (optional, at 2.5 years) and recognition revalidation (at 5 years), see your ANZCAP journey.
Annual recognition renewal unlocks access to the ANZCAP Elevate benefits program, which is amplified with active AdPha or NZHPA membership.
View detailed information on your five-year recognition cycle and ANZCAP auditing.
Are ANZCAP recognitions industry recognised in Australia and New Zealand?
Yes. All ANZCAP recognition portfolios are mapped to the National Competency Standard Framework for Pharmacists in Australia, 2016 and the Competence Standards for Aotearoa New Zealand Pharmacists, 2023.
Where do I begin?
Once you have access via AdPha/NZHPA Affiliate membership, or Direct ANZCAP Access, familiarise yourself with key concepts and processes via our explainer video:
View a range of detailed article and how-to guides via the ANZCAP Info Hub + Help Centre.