Philippine Pharmacist Licensure Exam
Philippine Pharmacist Licensure Examination
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Philippine Pharmacist Licensure Examination is the PRC-administered board examination that a pharmacy graduate must pass to be registered as a pharmacist and to obtain a Professional Identification Card. It is intended for graduates of a CHED-recognized BS Pharmacy program who have completed the required internship and who file through the PRC online application system within the published examination schedule. The examination is delivered in the language of the profession, with standard pharmaceutical terminology retained in English. Coverage is organised into five weighted areas: Pharmaceutical Chemistry (inorganic, organic and analytical chemistry); Pharmacognosy and plant chemistry; Pharmaceutics, including physical pharmacy and manufacturing; Pharmacology and Toxicology; and Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacy Administration, which carries the largest share and includes jurisprudence and ethics. Candidates should prepare by working from the official Table of Specifications, building competence in the heavily weighted practice and chemistry areas first, and rehearsing computations in pharmaceutical calculations, kinetics and dilution problems. Practical preparation matters as much as recall: know the requirements listed in the PRC Citizen's Charter, secure your own online profile, and pay only through authorised channels. PRC itself does not produce, sell or endorse review materials, and it warns against fixers who claim to know Board members or PRC staff. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the PRC or the Professional Regulatory Board of Pharmacy.
What you'll study
About Philippine Pharmacist Licensure Exam preparation
Who is eligible to take the Pharmacist Licensure Examination?
It is for graduates of a recognised BS Pharmacy programme who have completed the required internship and can present the documents listed in the PRC Citizen's Charter. File through the PRC online application system within the announced schedule, and make sure you create your own online profile rather than letting anyone do it for you, since wrong entries can invalidate an application.
How is the board exam structured, and what carries the most weight?
Coverage is divided into five areas: Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacy Administration, which includes jurisprudence and ethics. Practice and administration is the largest single component, so budget the most revision time there, with chemistry and pharmaceutics next. Confirm current weights from the official Table of Specifications.
How difficult is the exam, and what trips candidates up?
Difficulty comes from breadth rather than trick questions. Common failure modes are neglecting pharmaceutical calculations and kinetics, memorising drug lists without understanding mechanisms, and underestimating jurisprudence, which is easy to postpone and then cram. Candidates who spread coverage across all five areas and practise computation daily generally fare better than those who over-study one favourite subject.
If I fail, can I retake, and how soon?
Retake rules, waiting periods and any re-application requirements are set by the PRC and its Board, and they are not stated on the PRC homepage. Check the current examination schedule, the Citizen's Charter and the advisories on prc.gov.ph before assuming any interval, then re-apply online once the next application window opens.
How should I sequence my study plan?
Start with the highest-weighted area, Pharmacy Practice and Administration, so jurisprudence and ethics get spaced repetition instead of last-minute cramming. Then build Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutics around daily calculation drills, since both reward repeated practice. Add Pharmacology with mechanism-based study and finish with Pharmacognosy, using crude-drug and constituent tables for short, frequent review sessions.
Where do I check my schedule, room assignment and results?
Use only PRC's official channels: www.prc.gov.ph, online.prc.gov.ph, cpdas.prc.gov.ph, crms.prc.gov.ph and the official Facebook page. PRC warns that sites and pages using its logo, including several board-result blogs and pages, are unauthorised and that it is not accountable for their content. Verify ratings through the PRC verification of rating service.
Are review materials sold near the PRC office reliable?
PRC states it is not involved in producing, selling or distributing review materials and does not endorse or advertise them. It also notes that proximity of sellers to PRC premises does not guarantee quality or credibility. Choose materials on their own merits, and treat anyone claiming insider access to examination content as a red flag.
How do I avoid fixers and appointment scams?
Appointment slots are free, so never pay anyone for one. Do not share your password, change it regularly, create your own online profile and pay only through the authorised payment channels listed on the PRC website. Report anyone posing as a Board Chairperson, Board Member or PRC employee to the Licensure Office or the Legal Service, or to the PRC ARTA Committee.
Where can I request a Certificate of Board Rating and Passing?
Pharmacist passers from January 2010 to date must secure an online appointment before requesting a Certificate of Board Rating and Passing; those who passed earlier should make the request as walk-in clients at any PRC Regional Office or Service Center. Note that PRC-NCR public transactions are handled at its ETON CENTRIS office in Quezon City.