Pharmacy technicians who want (or in some cases need) to earn certification can sit for an exam administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT).
Both are similar, though a few more states require pharmacy technicians to obtain the credential offered by the PTCB than the ICPT. Therefore, this article is going to focus on the PTCB exam.
Are There Exam Requirements?
Yes, those who wish to become certified must have:
- A high school diploma or GED
- No drug or pharmacy related convictions
- No felony convictions
- No restrictions on registration, licensure, or regulations misconduct
About the Exam
The Pharmacy Technician Certification exam takes two hours to complete and contains ninety multiple-choice questions that give exam takers a choice of four possible answers.
Questions Will be Similar to the Following:
- A pharmacy technician may perform all of the following tasks except?
- The federal agency that administers and enforces federal laws for controlled substances such as narcotics is the?
- Biennial inventory is inventory of all controlled substances on hand that is conducted?
- What does it mean to adhere to ethical principles?
- A bothersome or unwanted effect from the use of a drug that is unrelated to its intended effect is a?
- When a patient drops off a prescription for the first time, which of the following information is not necessary for the pharmacy to obtain?
- A system in which all medications are available for a prescriber to use on his or her patients is a (an)?
- Historically, hospital pharmacy services were?
- A pharmacy technician’s responsibilities in a hospital pharmacy include all of the following except?
- Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in all of the following except?
- When adding fractions,the three steps in the correct order are?
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- What does percentage mean?
- One dram is used to represent?
- IV administration of a medication is advantageous for what reasons?
- The concentration of heparin locks is generally?
- When a prescription is filled with the wrong strength of medication because of illegible handwriting, it is to be classified as?
- A drug’s bioavailability depends on?
- True or false: The DEA Form 41 is required when controlled substances are expired and need to be disposed of?
- In which Controlled Substance Schedule does morphine belong?
- Which of the following is an atypical antipsychotic?
- What is the brand name for loratidine?
- Which abbreviation stands for at bedtime?
- Which of the following is an anticonvulsant?
- What is one kg equal to?
- Which abbreviation stands for before meals?
- Which route of administration will give the highest blood concentration level in the shortest time?
- In a retail pharmacy setting, who is allowed to counsel a customer who has questions about a vaccine they are considering?
- When a community pharmacy orders stock from a new wholesaler, which drugs are required to be ordered using a DEA Form 222?
- Which of the following insulins has the slowest onset time?
- Which types of antibiotics inhibit growth and reproduction of bacteria, but do not kill it?
Once passed, pharmacy technicians earn the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) designation.
Which State Require Certification?
Currently, the states that require pharmacy technicians to obtain certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board are:
- Arizona
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wyoming
Is Obtaining Certification Worth if it’s Not Required in My State?
Yes. Obtaining certification is worth it even if you don’t legally need it to gain employment. Earning the credential is likely to give you better job prospects and a higher salary.
If you have any questions about the pharmacy technician certification exam, please contact us at Pharmacy Technician today.
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