The DPM (Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine) exam is a crucial certification for professionals in the pharmaceutical industry. Passing the exam demonstrates your expertise and knowledge in the field, opening up career opportunities.

We often receive requests from people asking how they might best approach taking the DPM exams. Here are some tips:

1. Short Answer Paper (SAQ)

• The SAQ paper contains 10 questions and assesses your factual knowledge and data interpretation skills.
• You must answer all questions, and you should aim to score well on at least eight of them.

2. Answer All Questions

• It’s crucial to attempt all questions in the SAQ paper. Leaving more than three questions unanswered may result in failure.
• Carefully read and understand the questions before providing concise answers.

3. Use Past Questions as a Guide

• Reviewing past questions can provide insights into the format of the SAQ paper.
• While the questions themselves may not be reused, topics often have similarities from year to year.

4. Critical Appraisal Paper (CAP)

• The CAP paper assesses your ability to read and critique scientific papers.
• It typically includes 13-14 questions, with a balance of factual and critique-based questions.

5. Read the Whole Paper

• When tackling the CAP paper, read the entire paper thoroughly. Don’t just skim through to find answers.
• Don’t worry about blacked-out or redacted information; focus on what is provided.

6. Understand the Question

• Ensure you answer the question asked. Distinguish between factual responses and critique/opinion-based answers.
• For critique questions, provide explanations of why certain aspects are important (“the so what”).

7. Practice, Practice, Practice

• Consistent practice is vital for the CAP paper. Regularly practice reading and critiquing scientific papers.
• Focus on developing your ability to critically assess the importance of different aspects.