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Free Practice Questions for Pharmaceutical Worker Certification Assessment (Kazakhstan)

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Key Facts: Pharmaceutical Worker Certification Assessment (Kazakhstan) Exam

100 Questions

Stage 1 single-best-answer MCQs on pharmaceutical knowledge

NCIE pharmacy assessment page (qazexam.kz)

100 Minutes

Stage 1 testing time taken without a break

NCIE pharmacy assessment page (qazexam.kz)

60 Points

Stage 1 knowledge passing threshold to qualify for Stage 2

NCIE pharmacy assessment page (qazexam.kz)

5 Cases / 50 Min

Stage 2 computer video-simulation cases, threshold 70%

NCIE pharmacy assessment page (qazexam.kz)

12,000 KZT

Total fee: 5,600 KZT knowledge assessment + 6,400 KZT skills assessment

NCIE specialist price list, Section I, effective 10 January 2026

1 Calendar Year

Validity period of the passing examination result across Kazakhstan

Order No. ҚР ДСМ-249/2020 of the Minister of Health of RK

5 Stations

Practical stations including CPR, quality control, technology, and storage

NCIE published station syllabus for pharmacy specialists

Admission to pharmaceutical practice in Kazakhstan requires passing the NCIE pharmaceutical worker assessment for specialists with a break over 3 years, certification course graduates, and foreign-trained pharmacists. The exam includes 100 MCQs in 100 minutes (60-point threshold) and 5 video-simulation cases in 50 minutes (70% threshold). This OpenExamPrep bank provides 100 English-language practice questions as an independent study resource.

Sample Pharmaceutical Worker Certification Assessment (Kazakhstan) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Pharmaceutical Worker Certification Assessment (Kazakhstan) exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under Article 233 of the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan 'On Public Health and Healthcare System' No. 360-VI ЗРК, what constitutes the fundamental statutory prerequisite for an individual to be admitted to professional pharmaceutical practice?
A.Registration as an individual entrepreneur with the local tax administration without requiring specialized education
B.Possession of a recognized diploma in pharmacy, continuous professional development, and a valid specialist certificate for admission to practice
C.Completion of a three-month online introductory course without institutional practical training
D.Membership in an international non-governmental pharmaceutical society
Explanation: Under Article 233 and related articles of the Code 'On Public Health and Healthcare System' No. 360-VI ЗРК, pharmaceutical workers are permitted to engage in pharmaceutical activity only if they hold appropriate pharmaceutical education credentials (college or university diploma), participate in continuous professional development, and hold a valid specialist certificate in the field of healthcare (certificate for admission to professional practice).
2According to the Rules for Storage and Transportation of Medicines and Medical Devices approved by Order of the Minister of Health of RK No. ҚР ДСМ-19 (with amendments effective through 2026), what are the statutory ambient indoor parameters for standard pharmaceutical storage areas?
A.Relative air humidity not exceeding 85% and storage shelves directly adjacent to water heaters
B.Constant temperature of exactly 0°C to 4°C for all pharmaceutical forms regardless of manufacturer instructions
C.Relative air humidity not exceeding 65% and placement of medicines not closer than 1 meter to heating devices
D.Unregulated humidity as long as daily natural daylight directly illuminates all open medicine shelving
Explanation: Order No. ҚР ДСМ-19 of 16 February 2021 dictates that pharmaceutical storage areas must maintain a relative humidity not exceeding 65% unless otherwise specified by the product monograph. Furthermore, shelving and racks holding medicinal products must be positioned at a distance of at least 1 meter from active heating appliances to protect products from thermal degradation.
3Under the Good Pharmacy Practice standard (GPP / Тиісті дәріханалық практика) set out in Appendix 5 to Order of the acting Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. ҚР ДСМ-15 of 4 February 2021 approving the good pharmaceutical practices, which document serves as the foundational internal standard governing quality assurance, staff operations, and dispensing integrity?
A.Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs / Стандартты операциялық рәсімдер - СОР) describing each functional process and task
B.Informal oral instructions communicated during morning shift handovers without written documentation
C.Commercial marketing agreements negotiated between pharmaceutical sales representatives and retail clerks
D.An unverified internet summary of foreign pharmacy best practices updated once a decade
Explanation: Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) regulations in Kazakhstan require every pharmacy organization to establish a robust Quality Management System based on documented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs / СОП). SOPs define step-by-step actions for medicine procurement, acceptance testing, storage control, extemporaneous compounding, prescription validation, dispensing, and customer counseling.
4In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan 'On Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, Their Analogues and Precursors' No. 279-I and associated technical storage requirements, how must Schedule II and III narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances be stored in a community or hospital pharmacy?
A.On open display shelves near the checkout counter to expedite customer service
B.In wooden unlocked cabinets in the main customer waiting hall
C.Mixed indiscriminately with OTC vitamins in general warehouse boxes
D.In specially fortified storage rooms equipped with alarmed safes or metal vaults anchored to concrete walls or floors
Explanation: Under Kazakhstani legislation on controlled substances, narcotic analgesics and psychotropic substances subject to special accounting must be stored in secure, structurally fortified rooms with reinforced steel doors, security alarm systems connected to centralized surveillance, and bolted or welded heavy metal safes.
5According to the State Pharmacopoeia of the Republic of Kazakhstan (ГФ РК) and Order No. ҚР ДСМ-19, which temperature range defines the 'cold storage' (суық жерде сақтау / хранение в холодном месте) condition for thermolabile pharmaceuticals such as vaccines and insulins?
A.Below -20°C in an industrial deep freezer
B.From +2°C to +8°C in a specialized monitored pharmaceutical refrigerator
C.From +8°C to +15°C in a cool shaded room
D.From +15°C to +25°C at regulated room temperature
Explanation: Under the State Pharmacopoeia of the Republic of Kazakhstan (ГФ РК) and Order No. ҚР ДСМ-19, 'cold storage' (хладное место / тоңазытқышта) is legally and scientifically defined as temperatures between +2°C and +8°C. This range maintains the stability of protein therapeutics, immunobiological drugs, and hormonal solutions without freezing them.
6Under Order of the Minister of Health of RK No. ҚР ДСМ-249/2020, which of the following pharmacy professionals is legally mandated to undergo professional preparedness assessment by the National Center for Independent Examination (NCIE) to obtain a specialist certificate?
A.Specialists with an interruption in professional pharmaceutical practice of more than three consecutive years
B.Current pharmacy employees who have worked continuously at the same dispensary for 30 consecutive months without interruption
C.High school students enrolled in an extracurricular natural science olympiad
D.Administrative accountants handling pharmaceutical invoices who possess no healthcare training
Explanation: Order No. ҚР ДСМ-249/2020 designates specific cohorts who must take the professional assessment at the NCIE, including: specialists with a break in pharmaceutical activity exceeding 3 years, individuals who received pharmaceutical education abroad, and candidates who completed certification courses to resume clinical/pharmaceutical practice.
7Under the pharmacovigilance rules of the Republic of Kazakhstan and EAEU Good Pharmacovigilance Practice (GVP), within what timeframe must a healthcare or pharmaceutical worker submit an adverse drug reaction yellow card (желтая карта / хабарлама-парақша) to the National Center for Expertise of Medicines when a serious, unexpected adverse event resulting in death or life-threatening condition occurs?
A.Within 6 months during the next annual statistical audit
B.Only if requested in writing by the pharmaceutical manufacturer's legal counsel
C.Within 15 calendar days from the moment the event became known to the professional
D.Pharmacists are strictly prohibited from reporting adverse drug effects to state regulatory agencies
Explanation: Under Kazakhstani pharmacovigilance regulations and EAEU GVP rules, serious adverse reactions (leading to death, hospitalization, disability, or life-threatening impairment) must be reported to the expert organization (National Center for Expertise of Medicines and Medical Devices - НЦЭЛС) within 15 calendar days from first awareness.
8Under Order No. ҚР ДСМ-19 and GPP principles, what is the mandatory operational protocol when an expired, recalled, or physically compromised batch of medicine is identified during daily stock checks in a pharmacy?
A.Repackage the tablets into generic paper bags and offer them at a deep discount at the counter
B.Return the medicines immediately into regular active dispensing stock without recording
C.Mix the defective items with compounding excipients to minimize economic waste
D.Immediately isolate the affected product in a designated, physically segregated and clearly labeled 'Quarantine' area with complete documentation
Explanation: Any pharmaceutical identified as expired, counterfeit, substandard, or subject to a regulatory recall must immediately be segregated from saleable stock and placed in a dedicated, clearly identified quarantine zone (Карантиндік аймақ / Зона карантина) to prevent inadvertent dispensing, pending formal return or disposal.
9Under Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards in Kazakhstan, what documentation must accompany a consignment of thermolabile medicines delivered from a pharmaceutical wholesale distributor to a retail pharmacy?
A.Continuous temperature monitoring data logs or cold-chain indicator records verifying uninterrupted temperature maintenance during transit
B.Only a verbal confirmation from the delivery driver stating that the cooler felt cold
C.A marketing brochure illustrating consumer benefits of the medication
D.No documentation is required as long as the delivery vehicle arrived before sunset
Explanation: Under GDP requirements, thermolabile pharmaceuticals transported within the cold chain must be accompanied by temperature logger readouts, data loggers, or validated chemical/electronic indicators verifying that the prescribed storage temperature (+2°C to +8°C) was maintained without breach during transit.
10Under Order of the Minister of Health of RK No. ҚР ДСМ-148/2020 on qualification requirements for pharmaceutical activities, which of the following functional zoning requirements is mandatory for establishing a licensed retail pharmacy (дәріхана)?
A.Operating all sales, storage, and staff sanitary breaks in a single undivided 10-square-meter room
B.Providing dedicated separated functional zones including a customer trading hall, stock storage rooms, staff administrative/break room, and sanitary facilities
C.Locating the pharmacy exclusively in a residential basement without ventilation or running water
D.Conducting customer sales through open windows facing public streets without an indoor trading hall
Explanation: Order No. ҚР ДСМ-148/2020 establishes specific structural requirements for retail pharmacies, mandating defined functional premises: a customer hall (сауда залы), segregated storage rooms ensuring proper environmental controls, staff rooms, and sanitary facilities with hot and cold running water.

About the Pharmaceutical Worker Certification Assessment (Kazakhstan) Exam

The Pharmaceutical Worker Certification Assessment (Оценка фармацевтических работников) is the mandatory examination in Kazakhstan for admission to pharmaceutical practice for designated categories of specialists. Conducted by the National Center for Independent Examination (НЦНЭ / ҰТЕО) under Order No. ҚР ДСМ-249/2020, it is required for pharmacy specialists with a break in professional activity exceeding three years, those who completed a certification training course, foreign specialists, and graduates educated abroad. The examination comprises two computer-based stages: Stage 1 testing 100 single-best-answer MCQs in 100 minutes (60-point threshold), and Stage 2 video-simulation resolving 5 clinical-pharmaceutical cases across 50 minutes (70% threshold). Certified results are valid for one year and submitted to the Committee for Medical and Pharmaceutical Control via elicense.kz. The official assessment is conducted in Kazakh and Russian. This is an independent OpenExamPrep study resource: 100 English-language multiple-choice practice questions weighted towards the content areas that NCIE's own published pharmacy test material draws on, led by pharmacy organisation and economics, regulatory control, prescription expertise and compounding technology. It is an English-language MCQ study adaptation, not an official translation, not an NCIE item release, and it does not reproduce the video-simulation environment used in the skills stage.

Exam sponsor: Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan; assessment administered by the National Center for Independent Examination (НЦНЭ / ҰТЕО); specialist certificate issued by territorial departments of the Committee for Medical and Pharmaceutical Control via elicense.kz. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

The assessment of professional preparedness for pharmaceutical workers forms the official admission to pharmaceutical practice (допуск к фармацевтической практике) under the Code 'On Public Health and Healthcare System' No. 360-VI ЗРК and Order No. ҚР ДСМ-249/2020. The assessment is conducted by the National Center for Independent Examination (НЦНЭ / ҰТЕО) in two stages. Stage 1 (knowledge assessment) is computer-based testing of 100 multiple-choice questions with one correct answer, taken in 100 minutes without a break, scored 1 point per correct answer, with a threshold of 60 points; candidates falling below 60 points are not admitted to Stage 2. Stage 2 (skills assessment) is computer video-simulation solving 5 situational tasks (cases) on pharmaceutical practice in 50 minutes without a break, scored 1 point per correct task item, with a threshold of 70% or more tasks completed correctly. In-test appeals against specific questions are submitted during testing. Retests may be scheduled no earlier than 3 working days. Passing results are valid for one calendar year throughout Kazakhstan and are submitted through elicense.kz to the territorial departments of the Committee for Medical and Pharmaceutical Control of the Ministry of Healthcare, which issues the official healthcare specialist certificate. NCIE administers the exam; the Committee certifies.

Time Limit

100 minutes (Stage 1 knowledge test) + 50 minutes (Stage 2 skills test)

Passing Score

60 points out of 100 (60%) on Stage 1 knowledge test; 70% of tasks correct on Stage 2 skills test

Exam / Certification Fees

Under Section I of the NCIE specialist price list effective 10 January 2026, candidates pay 5,600 KZT for Stage 1 knowledge testing and 6,400 KZT for Stage 2 skills testing, totaling 12,000 KZT. This applies to specialists with a break over three years, foreign specialists, and individuals educated abroad.

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

16%

Pharmacy Organization, Economics and Management

Turnover, gross income and profit, fixed and variable costs, price elasticity, commodity balance and inventory, stock turnover and ABC/VEN analysis, cash discipline, material responsibility, licensing subtypes and premises, and subsidised outpatient drug supply.

12%

Pharmaceutical Legislation and Regulatory Control

Health Code 360-VI ЗРК, certification under Order No. ҚР ДСМ-249/2020, state registration and the State Register, pharmaceutical inspection against the good practices of Order No. ҚР ДСМ-15, pharmacovigilance, the national formulary, price regulation, recalls, and advertising restrictions.

13%

Prescription Expertise and Dispensing

Order No. ҚР ДСМ-112/2020, Form No. 078/у and its requisites, electronic prescriptions, validity periods (one month standard, 15 calendar days for narcotic and psychotropic substances), INN prescribing, partial dispensing, invalid prescriptions, and quantitative accounting.

8%

Acceptance, Storage and Shelf Life

Order No. ҚР ДСМ-19 storage and transport rules, humidity and temperature regimes, protection from light, flammable substances, cold chain documentation, quarantine of defective stock, and shelf life of extemporaneous preparations.

16%

Technology of Dosage Forms and Compounding

Powders and trituration order, tablet excipients, liquid forms, protected colloids, suspensions and emulsions, ointment bases, suppositories and the replacement factor, ophthalmic preparations, water grades, sterilization, and infusions and decoctions.

10%

Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Quality Control

Compulsory and selective intra-pharmacy control, organoleptic control, incoming inspection, identification reactions, alkalimetry and argentometry, refractometric express analysis, and radiological safety testing.

7%

Pharmacognosy

Colour reactions for flavonoids, anthracene derivatives, cardiac glycosides, tannins and tropane alkaloids, the saponin foaming index, essential oil determination, and microscopic diagnostics of powdered raw materials.

12%

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy

Adverse effects and contraindications of major drug classes, clinically important interactions, high-alert medicines, paracetamol toxicity and its antidote, metformin and lactic acidosis, and valproate in women of childbearing potential.

6%

Communication Skills and Pharmaceutical Ethics

Structured counselling on a newly prescribed medicine, recognition of red-flag symptoms requiring referral, counselling on high-alert medicines, consumer rights on returns, and the prohibition on inducements from pharmaceutical companies.

Preparing for the Pharmaceutical Worker Certification Assessment (Kazakhstan) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 60 points out of 100 (60%) on Stage 1 knowledge test; 70% of tasks correct on Stage 2 skills test
  • Assessment: The assessment of professional preparedness for pharmaceutical workers forms the official admission to pharmaceutical practice (допуск к фармацевтической практике) under the Code 'On Public Health and Healthcare System' No. 360-VI ЗРК and Order No. ҚР ДСМ-249/2020. The assessment is conducted by the National Center for Independent Examination (НЦНЭ / ҰТЕО) in two stages. Stage 1 (knowledge assessment) is computer-based testing of 100 multiple-choice questions with one correct answer, taken in 100 minutes without a break, scored 1 point per correct answer, with a threshold of 60 points; candidates falling below 60 points are not admitted to Stage 2. Stage 2 (skills assessment) is computer video-simulation solving 5 situational tasks (cases) on pharmaceutical practice in 50 minutes without a break, scored 1 point per correct task item, with a threshold of 70% or more tasks completed correctly. In-test appeals against specific questions are submitted during testing. Retests may be scheduled no earlier than 3 working days. Passing results are valid for one calendar year throughout Kazakhstan and are submitted through elicense.kz to the territorial departments of the Committee for Medical and Pharmaceutical Control of the Ministry of Healthcare, which issues the official healthcare specialist certificate. NCIE administers the exam; the Committee certifies.
  • Time limit: 100 minutes (Stage 1 knowledge test) + 50 minutes (Stage 2 skills test)
  • Exam / certification fees: Under Section I of the NCIE specialist price list effective 10 January 2026, candidates pay 5,600 KZT for Stage 1 knowledge testing and 6,400 KZT for Stage 2 skills testing, totaling 12,000 KZT. This applies to specialists with a break over three years, foreign specialists, and individuals educated abroad. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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Pharmaceutical Worker Certification Assessment (Kazakhstan): Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the rules of prescription dispensing under Order No. ҚР ДСМ-112/2020: standard prescriptions on Form No. 078/у are valid for 1 month, while prescriptions for narcotics, psychotropics, and potent substances are valid for 15 calendar days.
2Review the storage conditions under Order No. ҚР ДСМ-19 (as amended in 2026): relative humidity must not exceed 65% unless otherwise specified, heating devices must be at least 1 meter away, and daily temperature/humidity logs are mandatory.
3Memorize the structure of Order No. ҚР ДСМ-15 of 4 February 2021: six standards in six appendices, with Good Pharmacy Practice in Appendix 5 covering the quality management system, standard operating procedures, complaint handling and temperature monitoring in retail pharmacies.
4Give the economics and organisation block the study time its weight deserves: turnover, gross income, fixed and variable costs, the commodity balance, stock turnover, ABC/VEN analysis and cash discipline appear heavily in the published pharmacy test material and are easy to lose marks on.
5Know the emergency protocols for sudden cardiac arrest (Station 1): immediate recognition, call for emergency medical service, initiate chest compressions at 100-120/min at a depth of 5-6 cm in adults, 30:2 ratio, and apply the automated external defibrillator (AED) as soon as available.
6Focus on critical clinical pharmacology interactions: ACE inhibitors with potassium-sparing diuretics (hyperkalemia risk), macrolides with statins (myopathy/rhabdomyolysis risk), fluoroquinolones with antacids/iron (reduced absorption), and warfarin interactions with CYP2C9 inhibitors.
7Study extemporaneous compounding rules under the State Pharmacopoeia of the Republic of Kazakhstan (ГФ РК): powder dispensing tolerances, isotonic solutions calculation (sodium chloride equivalent), and sterilization parameters for aseptic ophthalmic formulations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pharmaceutical Worker Certification Assessment in Kazakhstan?

It is the official assessment of professional preparedness administered by the National Center for Independent Examination (Ұлттық тәуелсіз емтихан орталығы / НЦНЭ) under Ministry of Health Order No. ҚР ДСМ-249/2020. It assesses pharmaceutical workers for admission to pharmaceutical practice (допуск к фармацевтической практике). Upon passing, candidates apply for the specialist certificate issued by the Committee for Medical and Pharmaceutical Control through elicense.kz.

Who is required to sit this pharmaceutical assessment?

Under official regulations, the assessment is mandatory for: (1) pharmaceutical specialists with a career break in their speciality of over three years; (2) specialists who have completed a certification course; (3) foreign specialists without recognised permits or equivalent examinations; and (4) individuals who obtained their education outside Kazakhstan, unless exempt (e.g. Bolashak scholars or graduates of top-250 global universities).

What is the format, duration, and passing score of the examination?

The examination has two stages: Stage 1 (knowledge testing) consists of 100 single-best-answer MCQs taken in 100 minutes without a break, with a passing threshold of 60 points (60%). Specialists who pass proceed to Stage 2 (skills assessment), which consists of computer video-simulation solving of 5 situational cases in 50 minutes without a break, with a passing threshold of 70% of tasks completed correctly. In-test appeals can be lodged during the session.

What are the five practical stations evaluated in the skills assessment?

As published by NCIE for specialists with higher pharmaceutical education, the five stations are: (1) Emergency aid in sudden cardiac arrest (CPR / BLS); (2) Quality control of medicines and pharmacognostic analysis of medicinal plant raw materials; (3) Technology of medicinal products; (4) Organization of receipt, accounting, storage, and dispensing of medicines; and (5) Communication skills and consultation.

What are the official examination fees in 2026?

Under Section I of the NCIE specialist price list effective 10 January 2026, the fee is 5,600 KZT for Stage 1 knowledge assessment and 6,400 KZT for Stage 2 skills assessment, totaling 12,000 KZT for specialists with a break over three years, foreign specialists, and foreign-educated individuals.

What does this OpenExamPrep practice bank provide?

This independent OpenExamPrep bank provides 100 English-language multiple-choice practice questions covering pharmacy organisation and economics, Kazakhstan pharmaceutical legislation and regulatory control, prescription expertise under Order No. ҚР ДСМ-112/2020, acceptance and storage under Order No. ҚР ДСМ-19, compounding technology, pharmaceutical chemistry and quality control, pharmacognosy, clinical pharmacy, and communication and ethics. The weighting follows the content areas represented in the test material NCIE itself publishes for the pharmacy speciality. The official assessment is conducted in Kazakh and Russian, so this bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation rather than an official translation. It is an independent study aid, it does not reproduce NCIE examination material, and it does not simulate the video-simulation interface used in the skills stage.