OPRA: Pharmacology & toxicology
Pharmacology and toxicology is about ~15% of OPRA — mechanism-driven content that rewards understanding over memorising.
High-yield areas
- Autonomic pharmacology & receptor theory
- CYP450 inhibitors/inducers and clinically important interactions
- Adverse drug reactions and key drug toxicities
- Toxicology: the high-yield poison–antidote pairs
How to study it
Learn the mechanism first, then the drugs fall out of it. Our Crash Course teaches the underlying logic (e.g. transmitter → receptor → effect) before testing it.
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How much of OPRA is pharmacology?
Pharmacology and toxicology is approximately 15% of the exam.
What does the pharmacology and toxicology domain cover?
Drug mechanisms and receptor theory, autonomic and CNS pharmacology, CYP450 and other drug interactions, adverse drug reactions, and toxicology including the common poison-antidote pairs.
Is toxicology examined separately?
No — it sits inside the pharmacology and toxicology domain, and is usually tested as overdose recognition and antidote selection rather than as standalone theory.