Iran Pharmacy Ph.D. Entrance Exam study plan

Map the biopharmaceutics classification system onto 20 common Iranian-market drugs and write the solubility/permeability rationale for each

Derive the Noyes-Whitney and Higuchi equations from scratch and solve three numeric release-rate problems without notes

List the mechanisms and formulation levers for each of the four BCS classes and match them to a plausible dosage-form strategy

Build a one-page table of excipient functions (diluent, binder, disintegrant, lubricant, glidant) with two examples and typical concentration ranges

Compare immediate-release, extended-release, and delayed-release kinetics and sketch plasma concentration-time curves for each

Explain the design logic of matrix, reservoir, osmotic, and multiparticulate systems and identify the rate-controlling step in each

Calculate loading dose, maintenance dose, and accumulation factor for a two-compartment scenario given clearance and volume

Evaluate how particle size, polymorphism, and salt form alter dissolution and bioavailability

Draw dose-response curves for full, partial, and inverse agonists and explain potency versus efficacy with labeled axes

Classify receptor families (GPCR, ion channel, nuclear, enzyme-linked) and match each to two drug examples and their downstream signaling

Explain the mechanisms of competitive, noncompetitive, and irreversible antagonism and predict the effect of increasing antagonist concentration on Emax and EC50

Describe the pathways of drug metabolism (phase I and phase II) and predict how induction or inhibition of CYP3A4 changes plasma levels of a narrow-therapeutic-index drug

Summarize the mechanism, major adverse effects, and antidote or management for organophosphate, opioid, paracetamol, iron, and methanol poisoning

Explain the toxicokinetic concepts of volume of distribution, half-life, and dialysis eligibility for common overdoses

Describe the pharmacology of autonomic drugs class by class (cholinergic, anticholinergic, adrenergic agonists and blockers) with one clinical use each

Outline the mechanism and monitoring parameters for drugs acting on the cardiovascular and renal systems

Draw the physicochemical and stereochemical properties that govern receptor binding and relate them to the pharmacophore concept

Explain structure-activity relationships for at least three drug classes (for example, sulfonamides, beta-lactams, and benzodiazepines) using specific substituent effects

Apply Lipinski's rule of five and bioisosteric replacement to propose modifications to a lead compound

Interpret IR, UV-Vis, 1H-NMR, and mass spectra of simple drug molecules and assign key peaks

Set up and validate a simple HPLC assay: choose column, mobile phase, detection wavelength, and acceptance criteria

Classify secondary metabolites (alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics, saponins, flavonoids) by biosynthetic origin and give a plant source and activity for each class

Describe extraction, fractionation, and chromatographic isolation workflows and the role of TLC and column chromatography in dereplication

Evaluate the evidence for three medicinal plants used in Iranian traditional medicine and state the pharmacological mechanism claimed

Construct a pharmacotherapy plan for a patient with type 2 diabetes and hypertension, including drug selection, monitoring, and counseling points

Explain recombinant DNA workflow from gene cloning through expression host selection to protein purification and quality control

Describe the principles of PCR, ELISA, Western blot, and monoclonal antibody production and state one pharmaceutical application of each

Summarize the regulatory and immunogenicity considerations for biosimilars versus originator biologics

Practice reading pharmaceutical scientific abstracts and answer comprehension questions on methods, results, and limitations

Distinguish study designs (RCT, cohort, case-control, cross-sectional) and select the appropriate statistical test for a given dataset

Calculate and interpret sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, confidence intervals, and p-values for a sample dataset

State the core principles of research ethics (informed consent, confidentiality, institutional review, plagiarism, and authorship) and apply them to a short scenario

Complete two timed mixed-domain mock exams and analyze errors by domain