Free Questions and Answers for All Medical Students all over the World
Start here: practice all 87 questions on one page in our USMLE Pharmacology Question Bank, organized by system.
Pharmacology is one of the highest-yield subjects on USMLE Step 1, and it appears in almost every system block. This page collects all of our pharmacology practice questions in one place.
High-yield pharmacology topics to master
• Mechanisms of action – know the target (receptor, enzyme or channel) for every major drug class.
• Classic side effects – ACE inhibitor cough, hydralazine lupus, amiodarone pulmonary fibrosis, aminoglycoside nephro- and ototoxicity.
• Drug interactions – CYP450 inducers (rifampin, carbamazepine) and inhibitors, warfarin interactions, digoxin and hypokalemia.
• Antidotes and toxicity – N-acetylcysteine, dantrolene, vitamin K and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.
• Autonomic pharmacology – alpha and beta agonists and blockers, cholinergic and anticholinergic drugs.
Try each question before opening the answer, then read the explanation even when you get it right. Each post has 3–8 exam-style questions with answers and short explanations written by Dr. Ray Makar.
Want hundreds more? See the Repeated USMLE Questions eBook series on Amazon.
Five Step 1 pharmacology questions with answers: amphotericin B toxicity, digoxin toxicity, drug-induced lupus, misoprostol, and abrupt steroid withdrawal.
Q- A 25-year-old man is treated with chloramphenicol for typhoid fever. He later develops pallor, fatigue, and pancytopenia. Which adverse effect best explains this presentation? A- Dose-dependent reversible anemia B- Folate deficiency C- Irreversible aplastic anemia D- Vitamin B12 deficiency Q- A 60-year-old woman with hypertension is prescribed hydralazine. Which adverse effect is most … Read more
Q- Topical benzocaine overuse can cause sudden cyanosis with normal PaO₂. Which one of the following substances can reverse this reaction? A- Atropine B- Methylene blue C- Naloxone D- Sodium bicarbonate Q- A 32-year-old woman with a history of migraines is prescribed sumatriptan. What is its mechanism of action? A- 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonist B- … Read more
Q- A 64-year-old man with atrial fibrillation is started on warfarin therapy. After 3 days, he develops skin necrosis. Which of the following best explains this complication? A- Direct inhibition of thrombin B- Immediate depletion of clotting factors II, VII, IX, X C- Rapid decline in protein C leading to transient hypercoagulability D- Vitamin K … Read more
Q- Which of the following best describes the mechanism of action of carvedilol in treating high blood pressure? A- Calcium channel blocker in vascular smooth muscle B- Central α₂-adrenergic stimulation C- Nonselective β-adrenergic blockade with α₁-adrenergic blockade D- Selective β₁-adrenergic blockade only Q- Which of the following best describes the mechanism of action of … Read more
Q- A patient with hypertension and gout needs a prescription for a diuretic. Which one of the following drugs should be avoided? A- Amiloride B- Furosemide C- Hydrochlorothiazide D- Spironolactone Q- Which of the following antibiotics is most likely to cause pseudomembranous colitis due to Clostridium difficile? A- Ampicillin B- Ciprofloxacin C- Clindamycin D- … Read more