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The screenshot in the guide shows the timer at the top right corner. It counts down the remaining time. While the guide doesn’t explicitly mention auto-submit, standard CBT systems usually close the session automatically when it hits 00:00. Manage your time so you aren’t midway through a calculation when the clock stops!”
The guide explains the color coding clearly: Grey boxes are unanswered questions, and Green boxes are answered ones. The instruction is to ‘ensure all answers are green before you submit’. If you see any grey boxes left on the grid, go back and fill them before hitting that final button!”
Topic: Confused about the roles: Is it NAFDAC or PCN that closes pharmacies?
Best Reply: This is the classic “Internship Interview” question, so let’s break it down simply.
Think of them this way:
PCN (The Regulator of Practice): They regulate YOU (the person) and WHERE you practice (the premises). Their authority comes from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act 2022. They accredit your internship center, issue your license, and can shut down a pharmacy if there is no Superintendent Pharmacist on site.
NAFDAC (The Regulator of Products): They regulate WHAT is sold. Their job is to control the manufacture, importation, and sale of food, drugs, and cosmetics. They seal premises if they find fake/expired drugs or unregistered products, but they don’t license the pharmacist professionals themselves.
PSN (The Professional Family): This is NOT a government regulator. The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria is our professional association that fights for our welfare and image. You join PSN for advocacy; you register with PCN to avoid going to jail.
Quick Summary:
PCN = People & Premises
NAFDAC = Products & Poisons
PSN = Politics & Professional Welfare
What actually happens if I break the Code of Ethics? Do I just get a fine?
Best Reply: Be very careful with this. The PCN Disciplinary Tribunal is not a simple administrative panel; it has the status of a High Court.
If you are caught violating the Code of Ethics (e.g., breaching patient confidentiality, selling poisons without a prescription, or professional negligence), the Tribunal has the power to:
Suspend you from practice for a specific period.
Strike your name off the register (Lifetime Ban).
Reprimand you formally.
Crucial Note on Appeals: Because the Tribunal acts like a High Court, you cannot appeal its decision to the PSN or the Ministry of Health. You must appeal directly to the Court of Appeal.
Key Ethical Rule to Remember: “A pharmacist should respect the confidential and personal nature of his professional records”. Never discuss a patient’s HIV status or medication history outside the pharmacy, not even with your fellow interns, unless required by law.
Great topic! This is a guaranteed section in the PEP. You don’t need to memorize the entire JNC-8 or ADA guidelines, but you MUST know the “Compelling Indications”—the specific scenarios where one drug class is mandatory unless contraindicated.
Here is the “Drug of Choice” (DOC) cheatsheet I give my interns for the CBT. Memorize this table!
In the exam, look for the patient’s profile first. Don’t just pick “Lisinopril” because it’s popular.
Critical Exam Warning: NEVER combine an ACEI (e.g., Lisinopril) with an ARB (e.g., Losartan). It causes hyperkalemia and renal damage without added benefit.
For DM questions, the answer depends on the patient’s kidney and heart status.
Absolute First-Line (All Patients): Metformin.
Unless contraindicated: eGFR < 30 mL/min (Kidney failure) or acute Heart Failure.
If Patient has CVD (Heart Disease) or Kidney Disease:
Add an SGLT2 Inhibitor (e.g., Empagliflozin) or GLP-1 Agonist (e.g., Liraglutide). These have proven cardiovascular benefits.
Gestational Diabetes (Pregnancy):
Insulin is the gold standard.
Exam Trick: Metformin and Glyburide are sometimes used, but if the option “Insulin” is there, pick Insulin for PEP exams.
(Try these without looking up the answers!)
Q: A 55-year-old Black man has Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes with proteinuria. What is the best initial drug?
A: ACEI or ARB. (Even though he is Black, the CKD/Proteinuria trumps the race rule. You must protect the kidneys).
Q: Which antihypertensive can mask the warning signs of hypoglycemia (palpitations/tremors) in a diabetic patient?
A: Beta-Blockers (Non-selective ones like Propranolol).
Q: Which antidiabetic drug is contraindicated in Heart Failure Class III/IV?
A: Thiazolidinediones (Pioglitazone/Rosiglitazone) because they cause fluid retention.
This is the most common mix-up we see during exam registration! It is critical to get this right because using the wrong number means you won’t be able to log in to the CBT computer on exam day.
Here is the breakdown:
Official Name: Certificate of Provisional Registration.
When you get it: Immediately after your Induction/Oath-taking ceremony.
Purpose: It gives you the legal authority to start your internship training. Without this, you are not a legal intern.
For the Exam: You need to submit a photocopy of this when applying for the exam (Form P), but it is NOT the number you use to log in to the computer.
Official Name: Certificate of Experience.
When you get it: Only after you have successfully completed your full one-year internship and your Preceptor signs off on your training.
Purpose: It proves you are eligible to sit for the PEP.
For the Exam: This is the most important document for the CBT. Your “Certificate of Experience Number” (usually starting with PCN/D/…) is your Login Password for the exam interface.
Critical Warning: On the morning of the exam, the computer will ask for two things:
Examination Number (e.g., 0710778).
Certificate of Experience Number (e.g., PCN/D/0033103).
If you try to type your Provisional Registration (Form G) number into the second box, it will not work, and you will be stuck at the login screen.
Check your Exam Slip now: Ensure the field “Certificate of Experience Number” is not blank!.
Here is the “Industrial Pharmacy Lite” summary you need for the 200 MCQs.
PCN loves to ask the difference. Remember it this way:
QA (Quality Assurance) is PROACTIVE (Process-focused):
They prevent defects before they happen.
They write the rules: SOPs, Audits, Training, Documentation.
Exam Tip: If the question asks about “designing a system” or “auditing,” it’s QA.
QC (Quality Control) is REACTIVE (Product-focused):
They find defects after they happen.
They test the product: Lab testing, Friability tests, Assay, Swab tests.
Exam Tip: If the question asks about “testing a sample” or “checking raw materials,” it’s QC.
You will likely get a calculation question on this. They will give you a “Theoretical Yield” (what you should get) and an “Actual Yield” (what you actually got).
The “Line Loss” Concept:
If you started with 100kg of powder and ended up with 98kg of granules, your Yield is 98%.
The missing 2kg is your Line Loss (stuck in the machine, spilled, etc.).
Exam Trick: If the yield is >100%, it usually means a mistake (e.g., the granules weren’t dried properly and still contain water/solvent).
Don’t mix these up!
You Qualify EQUIPMENT (Machines): You check if the machine works.
IQ (Installation Qualification): Is it installed correctly? (e.g., Is the plug connected?).
OQ (Operational Qualification): Does it run correctly? (e.g., Do the buttons work?).
PQ (Performance Qualification): Does it work consistently under load? (e.g., Can it compress 100,000 tablets without jamming?).
You Validate PROCESSES (Methods): You check if the recipe works.
Example: You validate the mixing time or the cleaning procedure to prove it removes all bacteria every time.
Summary for the Exam:
Machine = Qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ)
Method/Process = Validation
Prevents Errors = QA
Detects Errors = QC
Good luck! You’ve got this.
Here is a list of “High Yield” questions asked in recent interviews (FMC Asaba, UNTH, UCH):
1. Emergency & Critical Care (The “Must Knows”):
Eclampsia: What is the loading dose of Magnesium Sulphate? (Answer: 4g IV + 10g IM).
Hypertensive Emergency: Management protocol (IV Labetalol vs. Hydralazine) and the target BP reduction.
Anaphylaxis: Adrenaline dose and route (IM 0.5ml of 1:1000).
2. Chronic Disease Management:
Diabetes: Justify the use of SGLT2 inhibitors (Empagliflozin) in a patient with Heart Failure.
Asthma: Demonstrate the correct use of a Ventolin Inhaler (Step-by-step counseling).
3. Antibiotic Stewardship:
“A patient is prescribed Meropenem for 14 days. As an intern, what monitoring parameters will you check?” (Renal function/Creatinine Clearance).
4. The “Scenario” Questions:
“A consultant prescribes a drug at a lethal dose, but he is known for being arrogant. How do you handle it?” (Answer: Do NOT dispense. Contact him privately and respectfully with evidence/literature).
Advice: They score confidence as much as knowledge. If you don’t know the dose, say “I will consult the BNF/STG” rather than guessing a lethal dose!
Since the manual doesn’t list the specific herbs, we have to rely on the standard “hit list” that usually appears in pharmacy exams. Here is the cheat sheet of the most clinically significant interactions you need to memorize for the Herbal Pharmacotherapy section:
Use: Depression.
The Problem: It is a potent Inducer of CYP450 enzymes (specifically CYP3A4).
The Interaction: It lowers the concentration of many critical drugs, leading to treatment failure.
Exam Examples:
Contraceptives: Risk of unintended pregnancy.
Warfarin: Risk of clotting (low INR).
Digoxin: Reduced heart control.
Antiretrovirals (HIV): Risk of viral resistance.
If the question involves a patient on Warfarin, Aspirin, or Clopidogrel, watch out for these herbs. They promote bleeding.
Ginkgo Biloba: Used for memory/dementia. It has anti-platelet effects.
Garlic: Used for cholesterol/BP. High doses increase bleeding time.
Ginseng: Used for energy. Can decrease the effect of Warfarin (lowers INR) but also has variable effects on bleeding.
The Syllabus Link: The manual specifically asks for “Interactions with food”4.
The Problem: It is a potent Inhibitor of CYP3A4 (in the gut wall).
The Interaction: It increases the levels of drugs, leading to toxicity.
Key Drugs to Avoid:
Statins (Atorvastatin/Simvastatin) $\rightarrow$ Risk of Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown).
Calcium Channel Blockers (Nifedipine/Amlodipine) $\rightarrow$ Risk of hypotension/flushing.
Exam Tip: If you see a question about a patient whose BP medication or HIV drugs “suddenly stopped working,” look for St. John’s Wort in the options!
Management questions are often the easiest way to boost your score because the definitions are standard and don’t change. Here is the “Cheat Sheet” for the Organization & Management section of the syllabus.
Essential Drugs List (EDL): This is usually a National document (National Drug Policy). It lists drugs that satisfy the priority healthcare needs of the majority of the population. It focuses on generic names.
Hospital Formulary: This is Institution-Specific. It is the list of medicines approved for use in your specific hospital. It is derived from the EDL but tailored to the specific disease patterns seen in that facility.
Exam Tip: Who creates and maintains the Hospital Formulary? The Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee (PTC).
Key Role: They are the “Gatekeepers.” They decide which drugs get added to (or removed from) the hospital formulary.
Composition: In the exam, if asked who is the Secretary of the PTC, the answer is the Pharmacist (specifically the Head of Pharmacy or Director). The Chairman is usually a Consultant Physician.
This is a high-yield topic for public health facilities.
Definition: A financing system where revenue generated from the sale of drugs is used strictly to replenish the drug stock.
The “Golden Rule”: The capital must remain intact. The profit/markup covers inflation and administrative costs, but the core fund “revolves” to prevent “Out of Stock” syndrome.
Exam Trap: If a question asks if DRF money can be used to build a new ward or pay salaries, the answer is NO. It is strictly for drug procurement.
FEFO vs. FIFO:
FIFO (First-In, First-Out): Oldest stock (by arrival date) is sold first.
FEFO (First-Expired, First-Out): Stock with the closest expiry date is sold first.
The Rule: In Pharmacy, FEFO is always the gold standard to prevent expired drugs.
Master these four definitions, and you have covered 80% of the Management questions!
