Pharmacists Licensure Exam (PhLE): Six-Subject Review Strategy

Six Subjects, One Exam

The Pharmacists Licensure Exam (PhLE) is a two-day, paper-based PRC exam of six subjects, each with its own weight. Six subjects spread over two days is a lot of ground to cover, which is exactly why PhLE reviewers need careful subject scheduling.

The Six Subjects and Their Weights

1. Pharmaceutical Chemistry (20%) — organic and medicinal chemistry fundamentals.
2. Pharmacognosy and Biochemistry (15%) — plant-derived drugs, phytochemistry and biochemistry.
3. Practice of Pharmacy (17.5%) — dispensing, counselling, patient care.
4. Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics (15%) — drug actions, therapeutic uses, how the body handles drugs.
5. Pharmaceutics (17.5%) — dosage forms, drug delivery and stability, plus pharmacy jurisprudence and ethics.
6. Quality Control and Quality Assurance (15%) — QA/QC methods and standards.

Day 1 covers Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy/Biochemistry and Practice of Pharmacy; Day 2 covers Pharmacology-Pharmacokinetics, Pharmaceutics and QC/QA. Under RA 10918 you pass with a 75% general weighted average and no subject below 50%.

When the Exam Runs

PRC's 2026 schedule has two PhLE sittings: April 18–19, 2026 (57.26% of examinees passed) and October 15–16, 2026, with filing closing September 29 and results targeted for October 21. The first 2027 sitting is expected around April 2027, but PRC has not yet published its 2027 schedule.

Memorisation vs Application Balance

Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy, and Pharmaceutics reward heavy memorisation — chemical structures, plant sources, formulations. Pharmacology, Practice of Pharmacy, and the jurisprudence part of Pharmaceutics reward applied understanding — when to use a drug, ethical scenarios, how the law actually plays out. Your review time should split roughly 50/50 between these two modes.

14-Week Rotation

6 subjects × 2 weeks each = 12 weeks of focused review, plus 2 final weeks of full-length practice. Each 2-week block: Week 1 = concept drilling plus flashcards. Week 2 = timed practice questions. Weekly rest day on Sunday (light recall only). Final 2 weeks: a full-length timed practice set every 3 days, with the heavier-weighted subjects (Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Practice of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutics) getting the extra review time.

See Also

• PhLE Preparation Guide
• Mock Test Strategy