PTCB Exam

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board examination is taken by pharmacy technicians for certification purposes. Becoming certified shows that a candidate has become proficient in the field. For a person attempting to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), the first step is to successfully complete the national PTCE, after which the acronym CPhT may be used after his or her name for professional purposes. In order to keep the pharmacy technician certification, a CPhT will need to acquire 20 hours of continuing education in the following two years.

Before taking this assessment, a candidate must meet the following requirements:
• High school diploma or GED
• No felony convictions in the five years before taking the test; no felony convictions regarding drugs or pharmacy.

This assessment is computer-based. It contains 90 multiple-choice items. Ten questions on the test are for pre-trial purposes, and the remaining 80 will be scored. Candidates will not know which questions are scored and which are not. It is best to attempt to answer every question. The test tutorial, PTCE and exit survey takes two hours, but the PTCE alone takes 110 minutes. Every test covers the same basic material, but no two tests have the same questions in the same order. Candidates need a minimum scaled score of 650 in order to pass. If unsuccessful in the attempt, a candidate must wait until the next testing window, and a minimum of 90 days, before trying again. There are four testing windows annually.

The main areas tested in the PTCE are as follows:

• Assisting the Pharmacist in Serving Patients - 66%
• Maintaining Medication and Inventory Control Systems - 22%
• Participating in the Administration and Management of Pharmacy Practice - 12%