Pharmacy Licensure Board Exam Coverage

Taking the Pharmacy Board Examination is a requirement in the Philippines before you can become a licensed pharmacist. The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) is the commission that conducts all licensure examinations in the country.

The Pharmacy Licensure Exam is a multiple-choice type of exam, consisting of 600 items in total. This board exam comprises 6 Pharmacy Board Exam subjects on two consecutive days. Examinees must get a score of at least 75% to pass, with no subject lower than 50%.

In this article, we will be talking about the exam coverage of the board exam. Read on if you want to learn more as an aspiring pharmacist.

Pharmacy Licensure Exam Modules

The test consists of 6 pharmacy licensure exam modules, as mentioned above. Each module is composed of 100 multiple-choice questions that are supposed to assess and measure your expertise in the field of pharmacy.

We will dissect each module and understand what aspects you need to focus on when preparing for the board exam.

Module 1: Pharmaceutical Chemistry – 20%

Pharmaceutical Chemistry consists of the following topics:

  • Organic Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry
  • Qualitative Pharmaceutical Chemistry
  • Inorganic Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry

When reviewing the coverage of the Pharmacy Licensure Board Exam, take note of the percentage that is added above. For Pharmaceutical Chemistry, it is 20% of your final score for the board exam. Out of all pharmacy board exam modules, this is the one with the highest percentage – and frankly, the most important one. So make sure that you study and prepare for this a lot.

For this module, as an aspiring licensed pharmacist, you will be expected to know the medicinal uses of the elements mentioned in the Periodic Table of Elements. Ensure you don’t forget to review the basics, from hydrocarbons to their structure and chemical reactions.

Review the different tests available for the intrinsic and extrinsic properties of elements through quantitative and qualitative analysis. Memorize, or at least familiarize yourself with, the notable scientists, laws, and theories discussed during your classes.

Module 2: Pharmacognosy – 15%

  • Biochemistry
  • Plant Chemistry

As part of the pharmacy board examination coverage, you must review carbohydrates, lipids, heteroglycans, homoglycans, alkaloids, resins, and the various test methods. In Biochemistry, review the ATP’s, enzymes, amino acids, and various tests.

Take note that this will represent 15% of your final score. One of the heaviest after Pharmaceutical Chemistry.

Module 3: Practice of Pharmacy – 17.5%

  • Pharmaceutical Calculations
  • Clinical and Hospital Pharmacy
  • Compounding and Dispensing Pharmacy

Now comes the calculations, infusion rate, and adjustment of doses. This module prepares and reviews the various laboratory tests, expected values, and ranges. Make sure you have memorized the various brand and generic names of drugs, including the erroneous prescriptions, medication errors, etc.

You may see that this is 17.55% of your total exam but don’t take it lightly. Every point in the board exam matters.

Module 4: Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics – 15%

  • Incompatibilities and Adverse Drug Reactions
  • Toxicology

The fourth pharmacy licensure exam module will take up another 15% of your final score. You can ace this module and become a licensed pharmacist in the Philippines by reviewing – and ideally memorizing the Autonomic Nervous System (Sympathetic and Parasympathetic), muscarinic, alpha/beta (adrenoceptors), nicotinic (cholinergic).

Also include in your review plan to study the various classifications of drugs, diuretics, cardiovascular drugs, etc.

Module 5: Pharmaceutics – 17.5%

  • Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms
  • Physical Pharmacy
  • Manufacturing Pharmacy
  • Jurisprudence and Ethics

Under the jurisprudence and ethics of this module, and as an aspiring licensed pharmacist, you will be expected to be knowledgeable about the fundamental laws, pharmacy laws, RA No. 8203 (Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs), and the FDA in the Philippines.

Review the different dosage forms, semi-solids, solids, liquids, and the various processes and machines. Similar to the third module, this takes up 17.5% of your overall score – but don’t take it lightly since every point in the board exam counts.

Module 6: Quality Assurance / Quality Control – 15%

  • Drug Testing with Instrumentation
  • Microbiology and Public Health
  • Qualitative and Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Study the various tests, machines, and apparatus for the quality control section. Get ready for some computations coming your way. Remember important concepts surrounding bacteria, fungi, helminths, and viruses. This will be the last module part of the Pharmacy Board Examination, with a total of 15% representing your final score.

Make sure you study the full coverage of the board exam and all Pharmacy Board Exam subjects specified in every module to guarantee that you are well-prepared for the Pharmacy Licensure Exam.

Best of luck!