All Practice Exams

100+ Free SPLE (Pharmacist) Practice Questions

Pass your Saudi Pharmacist Licensure Examination (SPLE - Pharmacist) (CBT via Prometric) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately
100+ Questions
100% Free
1 / 100
Question 1
Score: 0/0

A pharmacoepidemiology team wants the strongest design to establish that a drug causes a beneficial outcome, minimizing bias and confounding. Which study design provides the highest level of evidence for a causal effect?

A
B
C
D
to track

Sample SPLE (Pharmacist) Practice Questions

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

1A pharmacist explains to a student that the loop of Henle in the nephron is the primary site responsible for generating the medullary concentration gradient that allows the kidney to produce concentrated urine. Which transporter in the thick ascending limb is the molecular target of loop diuretics such as furosemide?
A.Na+-K+-2Cl- (NKCC2) cotransporter
B.Na+-Cl- (NCC) cotransporter in the distal convoluted tubule
C.Epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) in the collecting duct
D.Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) in the proximal tubule
Explanation: Loop diuretics inhibit the Na+-K+-2Cl- (NKCC2) cotransporter on the luminal membrane of the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle. Blocking NKCC2 prevents reabsorption of sodium, potassium and chloride, abolishing the medullary hypertonicity and producing a brisk diuresis.
2During a biochemistry review, a pharmacist is asked which enzyme catalyzes the rate-limiting and committed step of glycolysis, and is the key allosteric control point inhibited by ATP and citrate. Which enzyme is this?
A.Hexokinase
B.Phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1)
C.Pyruvate kinase
D.Glucose-6-phosphatase
Explanation: Phosphofructokinase-1 catalyzes the committed, rate-limiting step of glycolysis (fructose-6-phosphate to fructose-1,6-bisphosphate). It is allosterically inhibited by high ATP and citrate (signals of energy abundance) and activated by AMP and fructose-2,6-bisphosphate.
3A patient with a known IgE-mediated penicillin allergy receives a beta-lactam and develops urticaria, bronchospasm and hypotension within minutes. According to the Gell and Coombs classification, what type of hypersensitivity reaction is this?
A.Type II (antibody-mediated cytotoxic)
B.Type III (immune complex)
C.Type I (immediate, IgE-mediated)
D.Type IV (delayed, T-cell mediated)
Explanation: Anaphylaxis with urticaria, bronchospasm and hypotension occurring within minutes of drug exposure is a classic Type I (immediate) hypersensitivity reaction. It is mediated by IgE bound to mast cells and basophils, which release histamine and other mediators on antigen cross-linking.
4A pharmacist counsels a patient that a live attenuated vaccine generates strong, long-lasting immunity. Which component of adaptive immunity is primarily responsible for producing neutralizing antibodies after vaccination?
A.Neutrophils
B.Natural killer (NK) cells
C.B lymphocytes (plasma cells)
D.Complement membrane attack complex
Explanation: B lymphocytes differentiate into plasma cells that secrete antigen-specific antibodies, the hallmark of humoral adaptive immunity. Memory B cells generated after vaccination allow rapid, high-affinity antibody responses on re-exposure.
5A microbiology lecture distinguishes bacteria by their cell wall structure using the Gram stain. Which structural feature is responsible for the endotoxin activity and the characteristic pink appearance of Gram-negative bacteria after Gram staining?
A.A thick peptidoglycan layer that retains crystal violet
B.Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the outer membrane
C.Mycolic acid in an acid-fast cell wall
D.Teichoic acids anchored in the cytoplasmic membrane
Explanation: Gram-negative bacteria have a thin peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane containing lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The lipid A portion of LPS is the endotoxin responsible for septic shock, and the outer membrane causes the cells to lose crystal violet and stain pink with safranin.
6A pharmacist reviews the central dogma of molecular biology with a pharmacogenomics fellow. Which process is correctly described as the synthesis of a complementary mRNA strand from a DNA template, carried out by RNA polymerase?
A.Replication
B.Transcription
C.Translation
D.Reverse transcription
Explanation: Transcription is the synthesis of messenger RNA from a DNA template by RNA polymerase in the nucleus. The resulting mRNA carries the genetic code to ribosomes for protein synthesis.
7A pharmacist explains autonomic physiology: stimulation of beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart increases heart rate and contractility. Through which second messenger does beta-1 receptor activation primarily exert this effect?
A.Inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG)
B.Cyclic GMP (cGMP)
C.Cyclic AMP (cAMP)
D.Calcium-calmodulin directly without a nucleotide messenger
Explanation: Beta-1 adrenergic receptors are Gs-coupled. Activation stimulates adenylyl cyclase, raising intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP), which activates protein kinase A to increase calcium influx and myocardial contractility and rate.
8A patient receiving an aminoglycoside develops fever, chills and hypotension, and laboratory cultures grow a Gram-negative rod. The clinical picture is driven by lipid A. Which term best describes this bacterial component responsible for the septic response?
A.Exotoxin
B.Endotoxin
C.Superantigen
D.Capsular polysaccharide
Explanation: Lipid A, the bioactive portion of lipopolysaccharide in the Gram-negative outer membrane, is an endotoxin. It is released on bacterial lysis and triggers cytokine release that produces fever, hypotension and septic shock.
9A clinical pharmacist reviews acid-base physiology. A patient with severe vomiting loses gastric hydrochloric acid. Which primary acid-base disturbance would you expect?
A.Metabolic acidosis with high anion gap
B.Metabolic alkalosis
C.Respiratory acidosis
D.Respiratory alkalosis
Explanation: Loss of gastric hydrochloric acid through prolonged vomiting removes hydrogen ions from the body, raising plasma bicarbonate and producing a metabolic alkalosis. Associated volume and chloride depletion maintain the alkalosis.
10A pharmacogenomics discussion notes that some patients are 'poor metabolizers' due to inherited variation in a gene encoding a drug-metabolizing enzyme. This is an example of which underlying molecular principle?
A.Genetic polymorphism affecting enzyme activity
B.Aneuploidy of an entire chromosome
C.A somatic mutation acquired only in tumor tissue
D.Epigenetic silencing that is identical in all individuals
Explanation: Inherited single-nucleotide polymorphisms in genes such as CYP2D6 or CYP2C19 alter enzyme activity, producing poor, intermediate, extensive or ultrarapid metabolizer phenotypes. This is the molecular foundation of pharmacogenomics and individualized dosing.

About the SPLE (Pharmacist) Exam

The SPLE is the mandatory licensure examination for pharmacists seeking to practice or enter postgraduate training in Saudi Arabia. It is a computer-based, multiple-choice exam of 200 scored questions (plus up to 10% pilot items) delivered by Prometric, and assesses readiness across four content areas weighted 10/35/20/35.

Assessment

200 scored MCQs delivered in two parts of 100 questions each, plus up to 10% pilot (unscored) items; recall and scenario-based question types.

Time Limit

4 hours 30 minutes total (two 120-minute parts with a 30-minute break)

Passing Score

536 on a 200-800 reporting scale (about 67%), set by the SCFHS Central Assessment Committee

Exam Fee

Prometric fee set by SCFHS and varies by location (commonly around USD 220-250 for SLE-titled exams); verify current fee on the official SCFHS/Prometric portal. (Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS))

SPLE (Pharmacist) Exam Content Outline

10%

Basic Biomedical Sciences

Physiology, biochemistry and enzymology, microbiology related to human disease, immunology, and molecular genetics that form the foundation for pharmacogenomics.

35%

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Medicinal chemistry and ADME, pharmacology and toxicology, pharmacognosy and dietary supplements, pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, and sterile/nonsterile compounding with pharmaceutical calculations.

20%

Social/Behavioral/Administrative Sciences

Saudi health care delivery and public health, pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacovigilance, pharmacoeconomics, pharmacy management, Saudi pharmacy law and regulatory affairs, biostatistics, ethics, communication, and dispensing systems.

35%

Clinical Sciences

Drug information and evidence-based practice, clinical pharmacokinetics, clinical pharmacogenomics, disease prevention and immunization, patient assessment, and clinical pharmacology with therapeutic decision-making across special populations.

How to Pass the SPLE (Pharmacist) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 536 on a 200-800 reporting scale (about 67%), set by the SCFHS Central Assessment Committee
  • Assessment: 200 scored MCQs delivered in two parts of 100 questions each, plus up to 10% pilot (unscored) items; recall and scenario-based question types.
  • Time limit: 4 hours 30 minutes total (two 120-minute parts with a 30-minute break)
  • Exam fee: Prometric fee set by SCFHS and varies by location (commonly around USD 220-250 for SLE-titled exams); verify current fee on the official SCFHS/Prometric portal.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

SPLE (Pharmacist) Study Tips from Top Performers

1Weight your revision to the blueprint: Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Sciences together make up 70% of the exam, so master pharmacology, therapeutics, pharmacokinetics and pharmaceutical calculations first.
2Practice scenario-based application, not just recall: the SPLE includes clinical vignettes requiring interpretation, dosing calculations, drug-interaction analysis and therapeutic decision-making.
3Know Saudi-specific context, including SFDA drug and antimicrobial dispensing rules, MOH immunization schedules, controlled-substance handling, and SCFHS/Prometric exam logistics.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The SPLE contains 200 scored multiple-choice questions (plus up to 10% pilot items), delivered in two 100-question parts. The total testing time is 4 hours 30 minutes, including a scheduled 30-minute break between the two parts.

What score do I need to pass the SPLE?

The SCFHS Central Assessment Committee set the passing score at 536 on a reporting scale of 200 to 800, which is approximately 67%. Results for SLE-titled exams are typically posted within 2 to 6 weeks of the end of the testing window.

What topics does the SPLE cover and how are they weighted?

The SPLE blueprint covers four areas: Basic Biomedical Sciences (10%), Pharmaceutical Sciences (35%), Social/Behavioral/Administrative Sciences (20%), and Clinical Sciences (35%). Distributions may vary by up to plus or minus 5% per area.

Who administers the SPLE and where is it taken?

The SPLE is administered by Prometric on behalf of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). It is a computer-based test taken at approved Prometric test centers inside Saudi Arabia and internationally, after obtaining an SCFHS eligibility number through Mumaris+.