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100+ Free PCN PEP Practice Questions

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Sample PCN PEP Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your PCN PEP exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A patient develops a persistent dry cough two weeks after starting lisinopril. Which mechanism best explains this adverse effect?
A.Accumulation of bradykinin after ACE inhibition
B.Reduced renal potassium excretion
C.Blockade of angiotensin II receptors
D.Direct beta-2 receptor stimulation
Explanation: ACE inhibitors reduce bradykinin breakdown. Bradykinin accumulation can cause a persistent dry cough and sometimes angioedema.
2A patient with type 2 diabetes has an eGFR of 24 mL/min/1.73 m2. Which oral antidiabetic should generally be avoided because of lactic acidosis risk?
A.Gliclazide
B.Metformin
C.Linagliptin
D.Acarbose
Explanation: Metformin is usually contraindicated or avoided in severe renal impairment, commonly eGFR below 30 mL/min/1.73 m2, because accumulation increases lactic acidosis risk.
3A patient taking furosemide is at greatest risk of which electrolyte abnormality?
A.Hyperphosphataemia
B.Hyponatraemia with hyperkalaemia
C.Hypokalaemia
D.Hypercalcaemia
Explanation: Loop diuretics inhibit sodium, potassium and chloride reabsorption in the thick ascending limb, causing potassium loss and possible hypokalaemia.
4Which laboratory test is most appropriate for routine monitoring of warfarin anticoagulation?
A.Activated clotting time
B.Bleeding time
C.Platelet count only
D.International normalized ratio
Explanation: Warfarin effect is monitored with the prothrombin time reported as INR. Dose changes should be guided by INR and bleeding or clotting risk.
5A patient with asthma is prescribed propranolol for tremor. What is the main concern?
A.Non-selective beta-blockade can precipitate bronchospasm
B.Propranolol is ineffective for tremor
C.Propranolol causes irreversible renal failure
D.Propranolol causes severe hypoglycaemia in all patients
Explanation: Propranolol blocks beta-1 and beta-2 receptors. Beta-2 blockade can worsen bronchoconstriction and should be avoided or used with great caution in asthma.
6Which counselling point is most appropriate for artemether-lumefantrine used for uncomplicated malaria?
A.Use it as weekly malaria chemoprophylaxis
B.Take doses with food or milk to improve lumefantrine absorption
C.Stop after the first dose once fever improves
D.Avoid all fluids during therapy
Explanation: Lumefantrine absorption is improved by food or milk. Patients should complete the full ACT regimen even if symptoms improve early.
7A patient is unconscious with suspected severe malaria. Which treatment approach is most appropriate before switching to oral therapy when stable?
A.Oral chloroquine only
B.Topical insect repellent only
C.Parenteral artesunate
D.Oral sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine as monotherapy
Explanation: Severe malaria requires urgent parenteral antimalarial therapy, with injectable artesunate preferred where available, followed by a full oral ACT course once the patient can tolerate oral medicines.
8A patient taking amoxicillin-clavulanate reports mild diarrhoea without blood, fever or dehydration. What is the best initial advice?
A.Double the antibiotic dose to shorten the course
B.Stop all medicines permanently without informing the prescriber
C.Take loperamide automatically for every antibiotic course
D.Continue the medicine, maintain fluids and seek care if severe or persistent symptoms develop
Explanation: Mild antibiotic-associated diarrhoea is common. The pharmacist should support hydration, encourage completion when appropriate, and refer if red flags suggest severe infection or colitis.
9A patient is prescribed ciprofloxacin and also takes an aluminium-magnesium antacid. What counselling prevents a common interaction?
A.Separate ciprofloxacin from antacids because polyvalent cations reduce absorption
B.Stop drinking water while taking ciprofloxacin
C.Crush ciprofloxacin with the antacid
D.Take both at the exact same time
Explanation: Fluoroquinolones chelate polyvalent cations in antacids, iron, zinc and calcium products. Separating administration helps prevent reduced antibiotic absorption.
10Which statement about rifampicin counselling is most accurate?
A.It is safe to use as monotherapy for active tuberculosis
B.It can discolor urine, sweat or tears orange and is a strong enzyme inducer
C.It has no clinically important drug interactions
D.It should be taken only once a month for tuberculosis
Explanation: Rifampicin commonly causes orange discoloration of body fluids and induces drug-metabolizing enzymes, reducing concentrations of many medicines. It must be used in combination regimens for TB.

About the PCN PEP Exam

The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Pre-registration Examination for Pharmacists (PEP) is the current public PCN assessment route for provisionally registered pharmacy graduates seeking full pharmacist registration and first annual licence in Nigeria after approved internship training. PCN site navigation also references NPCE/National Pharmacists' Competency Examination, but PCN public result notices and the PEP portal still use Pre-registration Examination for Pharmacists (PEP).

Assessment

PCN public pages identify the current route as the Pre-registration Examination for Pharmacists (PEP), with registration through PCN/PEP systems and public pass-list publication. Accessible official pages checked did not publish a stable public item count, duration, public content blueprint or numeric pass mark.

Time Limit

Not published on accessible official PCN pages checked during final verification.

Passing Score

Not publicly published by PCN; results are published as pass lists after approval.

Exam Fee

Not published on accessible official PCN pages checked in June 2026; payment is handled through the PCN/PEP registration process. (Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN))

PCN PEP Exam Content Outline

24 questions

Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Mechanisms, adverse effects, drug interactions, disease-state management and Nigerian Standard Treatment Guideline style decisions.

18 questions

Clinical Pharmacy and Patient Care

Medication review, monitoring, special populations, counselling, adherence, drug information and evidence-based interventions.

14 questions

Pharmaceutics, Compounding and Calculations

Dosage forms, stability, storage, extemporaneous preparation, concentration, dilution, infusion and weight-based dosing calculations.

16 questions

Pharmacy Law, Ethics and Regulation

PCN Act 2022, registration pathway, annual licence, premises regulation, controlled-drug records, professional ethics and confidentiality.

10 questions

Dispensing and Prescription Practice

Prescription evaluation, dose checking, labelling, documentation, generic substitution, medication profiles and safe supply decisions.

8 questions

Public Health and Pharmacovigilance

NAFDAC ADR reporting, substandard and falsified medicines, immunization, antimicrobial stewardship, malaria test-treat-track and health promotion.

5 questions

Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Products

Crude drugs, herbal products, natural-product safety, adulteration and supplement counselling.

5 questions

Pharmacy Management and Inventory

Stock control, FEFO, cold chain, procurement, drug-store management, quality assurance and incident handling.

How to Pass the PCN PEP Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Not publicly published by PCN; results are published as pass lists after approval.
  • Assessment: PCN public pages identify the current route as the Pre-registration Examination for Pharmacists (PEP), with registration through PCN/PEP systems and public pass-list publication. Accessible official pages checked did not publish a stable public item count, duration, public content blueprint or numeric pass mark.
  • Time limit: Not published on accessible official PCN pages checked during final verification.
  • Exam fee: Not published on accessible official PCN pages checked in June 2026; payment is handled through the PCN/PEP registration process.

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

PCN PEP Study Tips from Top Performers

1Treat Nigerian law and registration workflow as core content: know the PCN Act 2022, provisional registration, 12-month internship, Forms C/D/J, annual licence, premises registration and superintendent pharmacist responsibilities.
2Practise fast MCQ pacing: the public SOP specifies 200 questions in 2 hours, so candidates have about 36 seconds per question.
3Use Nigerian practice context for clinical questions, including NAFDAC pharmacovigilance, essential medicines, malaria test-treat-track, antimicrobial stewardship, controlled-drug record keeping, and safe dispensing in community and hospital settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the official name of the Nigeria PCN pharmacist exam?

The current public PCN result notices and PEP portal call it the Pre-registration Examination for Pharmacists (PEP). The PCN website also uses an NPCE/National Pharmacists' Competency Examination label in navigation, so candidates may see both names, but PEP is the published exam-result label.

How many questions are on the PCN PEP and how long is it?

Accessible official PCN pages checked during final verification did not publish a stable public item count or time limit. This page therefore treats the official question count and duration as not publicly published and uses 100 original MCQs for practice coverage.

What is the passing score for PCN PEP?

PCN does not publish a public numeric passing score. Official result notices publish names of successful candidates as pass lists after the examination and approval process.

Who is eligible for PCN PEP?

The pharmacist registration pathway requires provisional registration after PCN induction, a compulsory 12-month approved internship, completion of required forms and fees, and online PEP registration. Foreign-trained pharmacists first follow the FPGOP route unless otherwise recognized under PCN rules.

How often is PCN PEP offered?

PCN public notices show a First Cycle PEP in March 2026 and a Second Cycle PEP in October 2025. A future 2026 second-cycle PEP date was not published on accessible official PCN pages checked in June 2026.