GPAT 2020: How to Study ?

GPAT 2020: How to Study ?

What is GPAT ?

• GRADUATE PHARMACY APTITUDE TEST (GPAT) is a national level entrance examination for entry into M. Pharm programmes.
• Till 2018, it was conducted by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) every year.
• The Test will now be conducted by the NTA (National Testing Agency).

Why Need of GPAT Score ?

• Not only to get admission to post-graduate course (M. Pharm/ PhD) but also to get scholarship during M. Pharm (2 years) and PhD (4-5 years course)

Who are eligible for GPAT ?

• Bachelor's degree holders in Pharmacy or final year of B. Pharmacy
• B. Tech (Pharmaceutical and fine chemical technology) / Equivalent Students are NOT eligible

Time Management

• Complete the study preparation before mid of November 2019  (prepare your own notes)
• Complete First revision till December 2019 end.
• Second revision should complete 2-3 days before GPAT exam date.
• Last 2-3 days before exam (revision of):
• Schedules of D and C acts
• Formula’s from Pharmaceutics, Biopharm and Pharmaceutical analysis.
• IP microbiological Assays
• Medicinal chemistry: Synthesis, basic rings and some basic reactions
• Pharmacological classifications of drugs
• Date of Exam: Be relax; Do not read any study material or MCQs

Time management during Exam 

• Total number of Questions – 125 Q.
• Each correct Answer = 4 marks and Each Wrong Answer = -1
• Try to Solve each 25 Q in Half an hour (30 min)
• Q 1-25 – 30 Min
• Q. 25-50 – 30 Min Total – 1 h
• Q. 50 -75– 30 min Total – 1.5 h
• Q. 75 -100 – 30 min Total – 2 h
• Q. 100-125 – 30 min Total – 2.5 h
• Last Half hour – To rethink on unsolved Q.

How to Study ?  - Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry 

• Classifications
• IUPAC Name, SAR, Basic ring of molecule, Synthesis of prototype drugs
• Prepare flow chart or figure for MOA, or receptor on which drug act.
• Adverse effects of specific drugs
• Specific PK parameter of some drugs like AUC, Protein binding ability

Books:

• Pharmacology: Rang and Dale, KD Tripathi, and Lippincott
• Medicinal Chemistry: Wilson and Gisvold; Basic Ring and Synthesis: Harkishan Singh

How to Study ? - Pharmaceutics

• Prepare notes – refer 2-3 books
• Refer various charts and figures from Lachman and also from book by Aulton
• Sort out formula’s from each chapter and make separate list along with meaning of symbols
• Understand basic role of each ingredients with concentration used in pharmaceutical formulations

Books:

• Tablets and Capsules: Industrial Pharmacy – Lachman and Lieberman
• Parenteral and Ophthalmic Preparations – Gilbert Banker;
• Pharmaceutics by Aulton; Ansel’s Pharmaceutical Dosage forms

How to Study ? - Pharmacognosy

• Biological Source, Family, Chemical Constituents
• Identification and Chemical tests
• Some important drugs microscopy – Stomata, Trichomes, Cal. Oxalate crystals
• Structures of Chemical Constituents
• Biosynthetic pathways

Books:

• C.K Kokate - Pharmacognosy
• Trease and evans – Biosynthetic pathways

How to Study ? - Pharmaceutical Analysis

• List Down Principles, Source, Detectors from instrumentation of each analytical technique like Spectroscopy, Chromatography…
• Prepare table for analysis of drug by which method (Spectroscopy or chromatographic)
• Try to Solve max. problems from UV, NMR and Mass spectra
• Various ranges of IR spectra and Delta or tau values from NMR Data
• List all the formula’s along with symbols and principle of various laws.

Books:

• UV- IR Spectra – Chatwal Anand, Scoog
• NMR spectra – Willam Kemp, Pavia
• Mass Spectra – Silverstein
• Chromatography – Remington, Scoog
• Titration – Chatwal Anand,
• Vogels (Analysis technique)

How to Study ? - Physical Pharmacy, Dispensing Pharmacy, Bio-pharmaceutics

• Derivation from equation like Kinetics studies
• Definitions and principles behind various laws
• Latin term meaning involved in prescriptions
• Pharmaceutical incompatibility of various drugs

Books:

• Physical Pharmacy: Martin
• Dispensing Pharmacy: Cooper and gunn
• Bio-pharmaceutics – Brahmankar

How to Study ? - Organic Chemistry, BiochemistryOrganic chemistry

• Stereochemistry
• Various reactions like addition, substitution, elimination and rearrangements

Biochemistry

• Vitamins, Enzymes – Structure, role, deficiency defect and disease names
• All biochemical cycles (ATP and NADP - numbers)

Books:

• Organic chemistry: Morson and boyd
• Biochemistry: U. Satyanarayan, A.C. Deb

How to Study ? - Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence

• All Schedules and forms mentioned in D and C act
• Try to remember number of elected and nominated members from PCI / State Pharmacy
• Study acts and remember approval years of those acts

Do and Don’t

• Time management: Daily routine and divide syllabus accordingly
• Revise the same topic after 8 to 10 days
• Search data and collect at one place
• Stick important formula’s, basic rings in your study area
• Don’t solve MCQs before reading chapter. First thoroughly read the chapter and then solve multiple MCQs
• During exam: First solve only those Q. on which you are confident
• If you are unsure : try to delete one by one option and reach to single option
• Don’t solve those Q. which are totally unknown for you