Board Exam Tips for the upcoming Pharmacist Licensure Examination 2021

This is it guys! After being cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s finally here again. *Drumroll* The PHARMACIST LICENSURE EXAMS 2021!

It feels like it was just yesterday when my batch and I were preparing for the exams ourselves. Oh how time flies. I could still remember the jitters and the gut wrenching fear of failing.

I know that I am definitely NOT the best person to give advice on this, but hey, every help counts and you know what they say right, you learn from your mistakes. Now fellow Pharmacy graduates, let me share you my mistakes so that you won’t make them. Lol. 😂

I am not a board top notcher nor am I an overachiever. I am an average student who graduated BS Pharmacy and passed the boards with average grades. My goal for this post is to bring hope and positivity to upcoming examiners and to let them know that fear of failing is normal. But you should not let that fear get in the way of you trying your best.

Disclaimer: These tips and advices are all based on my personal experiences. You know yourself the best and you know what works for you the best.

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1. Absolutely no cramming! You should study and prepare yourself weeks (even months) before the exam.

I cannot stress this enough. Believe me when I say that cramming will seriously drain you mentally, physically and emotionally. I can still remember the week before exams. It was the time that I just realized that I still haven’t freakin’ studied. And I mean REALLY study. People who know me well know that I’m really not that “masipag” in studying. I get all my knowledge from listening in class and understanding things. Because once I listen and understand the concept of things, I remember it. But the exam needed more than just that. You really have to prepare for it.

So when the realization hit me that I was not prepared, I panicked. Really panicked. I stayed out late to memorize and read. It came to the point where it was only 2 days before the exam and I still haven’t finished all the modules. So like the normal human being I was, I cried. I sobbed and regretted why I wasted so much time procrastinating instead of reading and studying. I underestimated time. Please don’t make the same mistake I did.

2. Mnemonics are exam life savers

Do not underestimate the power of a good mnemonic. With all the things you have to memorize, having a good mnemonic for each of them will surely help you (Just don’t mix them up). Honestly speaking, the mnemonics that helped me the most during my exams were the dirty worded ones. Mainly because I retained them easier because they were funny. Lol. But like I said, to each their own. Make uo your own mnemonics that YOU will remember. Never mind the others. Even if their mnemonic is different from yours, IT. DOESN’T. MATTER. Because at the end of the day, it‘s you that has to remember it.

3. Practice, practice and more practice goes a long way for calculations (P. Cal, QA/QC, Phy Pharm)

I know majority of you abhor math or (in our case Pharm Cal, QC/QA and Phy Pharm haha). No one would blame you guys. It can be challenging, confusing and difficult as hell. But it’s math. And the key to conquering math is to practice practice practice! Math isn’t like the other subjects. You can’t just grab your book and stare at the problems and expect to understand them without grabbing a pen and paper. It needs to be practiced. You need to gather as many practice problems as you can until you finally understand it no matter how they rephrase the problem.

4. Study figures and chemical structures

This was the one part that I wished I memorized when I was studying. I didn’t focused on the figures and structures that much because I thought that they wouldn’t count that much points. Boy was I wrong. When I saw the structures on my test paper I wanted to slap myself for not giving it importance. Which brings us to tip number 5.

5. Every point counts but don’t spend all your time on one question

This tip isn’t meant to scare you or to put pressure on you guys. It’s meant to remind you that you should treat every point like that question will be the one that determines whether you’ll pass the test or not, but don’t dwell on it too much that it consumes all your time. Remember, we have a strict time limit.

6. Process of elimination

I think this trick is the one that made me pass. Because there were a LOT of questions that I didn’t know but after doing the process of elimination, answers became clear. Let’s be clear though. This only applies to some questions.

7. Understand what you’re studying

Some people just memorize the words off of their books and reviewers but memorizing isn’t the same as understanding the concept. Because when you fully grasp the understanding of something, you will not be easily confused. This applies to problems that need solving. For me this tip is REALLY important because when I took my boards, majority of Module II questions will test your understanding of a topic. Do not just memorize flow charts, steps and cycles. Understand them by heart and you’ll do great on the exams.

8. Prioritize the modules with the highest weighted percentage

Module 1 comprises 20% of the grade—the highest out of the six modules. I recommend studying that first. Prioritizing your studying by their percentage rather than not having a system at all is strongly recommended.

9. Avoid burnout

We aren’t robots. There will always be a time where we will tire. Do not fight that. Having a 30-minute power nap can do wonders. Also, do not sacrifice your sleep. Studies have found that sleep deprivation can actually disrupt the brain cells' ability to communicate with each other. As a result, you might find it difficult to concentrate or remember things. So instead of retaining memory, you’re just wasting your time. Trust me. You would rather let your brain rest and sleep and wake up the next day recharged and ready than stay up reading only to go over it again the next day ‘cause you can’t recall what you’ve read.

10. Prayer is powerful

Prayer is always my answer to everything. I remembered the night before the first day, I cried all my worries and anxiousness to God. I prayed so hard and I humbled myself to Him asking for wisdom and guidance. Because in the end, only He can help me during my exam. The Lord will always be there for you every second and every step of the way. You just have to do your part and prepare for the exam and let Him handle the rest.

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So I think that’s all the tips that I can think of right now. Other examiners believe in the superstitions like wearing red on the day of the exam, or kick your chair after exam or don’t look back when you leave the room on your last day but I am not superstitious so I didn’t do any of that. But hey, like I keep saying, to each their own.

Up to this day, I am still grateful that I have survived my course and successfully passed the board exam. It was no easy feat and every time I think about how I got here always gets me so emotional. So let me relive it through these photos!

My 1 year in Saint Louis University meant the world to me. Even though it cost me to repeat my first year in CEU, I would do it all over again because I got to meet and be friends with the most awesome group of people I have ever met. I miss you guys so much 🥺

I had to repeat my first year because SLU and CEU had different curriculums. My subjects on Philosophy, Trigonometry, and Botany Lab and Lec were not credited because they didn’t offer it at CEU. It was such a shame though because Philosophy and Trigonometry were my favorite subjects. But no regrets though because the values, morals and knowledge I have learnt from SLU was left instilled in me.

I graduated a year more than I was supposed to because I had to repeat my first year. It didn’t felt good because during times like these, if you don’t fall into the line of acceptable standards in our society (like graduating college in just 4 years), they belittle you. Life is not a race. Move at your own pace. Live your life based on your decisions, choices and mistakes because if you live based on people’s approval, you’ll soon stop and think whether you‘re living your own life... or are you living theirs?

After years of late nights, early mornings, tiresome commute, thesis research, pharm sem, doubts, criticisms, anxiety and board exam...

... FINALLY!

Di ko na pinatagal ung story kasi madaming nangyari sa loob ng 5 years na yun eh haha. If kinwento ko lahat, siguro nobela na to. Haha.

But anyway guys, I hope this post inspired you or helped you in some way. I know I didn’t help out much in terms of telling you guys what appeared in our exams and all that but you can always dm me. Lol. 😂

Believe in yourself and your abilities. Do not doubt yourself and lift all your worries up to God.

Now phone time is over. Back to your reviewers/PACOPS! 😂

Best wishes,

- Anne D., RPh ❤️