Subject guide

Pathology MCQs for Pharmacy Exams

Inflammation, neoplasia, haematological and infectious disease processes.

Practice Pathology MCQs

Pathology studies how disease develops and changes the structure and function of tissues. It is taught in the Pharm-D programme and appears in hospital pharmacist and NTS tests, where understanding a disease helps explain why a particular therapy is chosen.

These pathology MCQs cover cell injury and inflammation, neoplasia, blood disorders and infection at the level pharmacy students are examined on.

Topics covered

What Pathology questions on PharmaPrep cover.

High-yield Pathology topics

  • Cardinal signs and cells of acute inflammation
  • Tumour nomenclature: adenoma, carcinoma, sarcoma
  • Classification of anaemias
  • Sickle cell disease and thalassaemia
  • Granulomatous inflammation in tuberculosis

Exams that test Pathology

Sample Pathology MCQs

Original practice questions with answers and explanations.

  1. 1The predominant cell in the early phase of acute inflammation is the:

    • ANeutrophil
    • BLymphocyte
    • CPlasma cell
    • DEosinophil
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A. Neutrophil

    Neutrophils arrive first, within hours, in acute inflammation. Lymphocytes, macrophages and plasma cells characterise chronic inflammation, and eosinophils are typical of allergic and parasitic reactions.

  2. 2A benign tumour arising from glandular epithelium is called:

    • AAdenoma
    • BAdenocarcinoma
    • CSarcoma
    • DLipoma
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A. Adenoma

    Benign epithelial tumours of glands are adenomas; their malignant counterparts are adenocarcinomas. Sarcomas are malignant tumours of mesenchymal tissue and lipomas are benign tumours of fat.

  3. 3Sickle cell anaemia is caused by substitution of:

    • AValine for glutamic acid in the beta-globin chain
    • BGlutamic acid for valine in the alpha-globin chain
    • CLysine for glutamic acid in the beta-globin chain
    • DDeletion of all alpha-globin genes
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A. Valine for glutamic acid in the beta-globin chain

    A point mutation replaces glutamic acid with valine at position 6 of the beta-globin chain, producing HbS, which polymerises when deoxygenated. Loss of alpha-globin genes causes alpha-thalassaemia.

Practice all Pathology MCQs

Pathology FAQs

Why do pharmacists study pathology?

Understanding how a disease develops explains why particular drugs are used and what their treatment is trying to achieve.

Which pathology topics are most tested?

Inflammation, neoplasia terminology and haematological disorders such as anaemias are the most common.

Is pathology included in hospital pharmacist tests?

Yes, usually as disease background that supports clinical pharmacy questions.

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