DOH Pharmacist Exam study guide
DOH Pharmacist Exam · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Pharmacist Licensure Examination in the Philippines is the credential that admits a candidate to registered pharmacy practice - it is the gate between a pharmacy degree and a license to dispense, counsel patients, and take professional responsibility for drug therapy. It is intended for graduates of a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (or equivalent) who are preparing to sit the licensure examination administered under the professional regulation framework; candidates should confirm eligibility and documentary requirements with the Professional Regulation Commission and the Professional Regulation Commission–appointed board rather than relying on secondhand accounts. The DOH Pharmacist Exam study guide has 8 sections and about 2,151 words.
01Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry
You must be able to move between a drug's functional groups and its behavior: acidity/basicity (pKa), ionization at physiological pH, partition coefficient (logP), solubility, and stability. Know the classic structure–activity relationships: the β-lactam ring and its susceptibility to β-lactamases, the catechol/amine pattern of sympathomimetics and how methylation or ring substitution changes receptor selectivity, and the ester/amide distinction that governs hydrolytic lability.
324 words, about 2 min02Pharmacognosy and Natural Products
Focus on the source, active constituent class, and pharmacologic use of major natural products. Alkaloids (morphine from opium poppy, quinine from cinchona, atropine from belladonna, vinca alkaloids) are nitrogen-containing, usually basic, and often extracted by acid–base methods.
288 words, about 1 min03Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms
Understand formulation science across solid, liquid, semisolid, and parenteral dosage forms. Key ideas: particle size and surface area effects on dissolution, polymorphism and its effect on solubility and stability, excipient roles (diluents, binders, disintegrants, lubricants, glidants, coatings), and manufacturing methods (direct compression, wet granulation, fluid-bed drying).
276 words, about 1 min04Pharmacology and Toxicology
Master receptor pharmacology (agonists, antagonists, partial agonists, inverse agonists), dose–response relationships (potency vs efficacy), and the major neurotransmitter systems. Know mechanisms and key adverse effects for autonomic drugs, cardiovascular agents, antimicrobials, CNS drugs, and analgesics.
255 words, about 1 min05Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics
Apply pharmacotherapy to common diseases: hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, asthma/COPD, infection, pain, and anticoagulation. Know first-line agents, contraindications, monitoring parameters, and therapeutic goals.
249 words, about 1 min06Pharmacy Practice, Dispensing, and Pharmacy Law/Ethics
This domain blends operational practice with legal and ethical duties. Know prescription requirements (prescriber information, drug, strength, quantity, directions, refills), the meaning of valid vs invalid prescriptions, and the pharmacist's corresponding responsibility to verify legitimacy.
242 words, about 1 min07Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutics
Understand absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion quantitatively. Know first-order vs zero-order kinetics, half-life, volume of distribution, clearance, and bioavailability (F).
259 words, about 1 min08Pharmacy Management, Health Economics, and Public Health
This domain covers inventory and operations, financial management, and population health. Know inventory control methods (ABC analysis, economic order quantity, reorder points, just-in-time), the difference between fixed and variable costs, and basic financial statements (income statement, balance sheet).
258 words, about 1 min