PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board)

PTCB CPhT

Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) — Certified Pharmacy Technician

The national certification exam for pharmacy technicians. Most states require or strongly prefer PTCB certification to register and work as a pharmacy tech in retail and hospital pharmacies.

$1291 hour 50 minutes of testing (2-hour appointment)Required to practice

What's on the exam

PTCE Content Outline (2020)

Medications

40%

Generic and brand names · Therapeutic classes and indications · Side effects and interactions · Dosage forms and routes · Storage, stability, and handling · Narrow therapeutic index drugs

Federal Requirements

12.5%

Controlled substance schedules and handling · DEA prescription requirements · Recalls and FDA regulations · Hazardous substance handling and disposal · Restricted drug programs (REMS)

Patient Safety and Quality Assurance

26.25%

Medication error prevention · High-alert and look-alike/sound-alike drugs · Issues requiring pharmacist intervention · Event reporting procedures · Hygiene and cleaning standards

Order Entry and Processing

21.25%

Pharmacy calculations · Days' supply and quantity calculations · Sig codes and prescription interpretation · NDC numbers, lot numbers, and expiration dates · Compounding equipment and supplies

Frequently asked questions

How much does the PTCB CPhT cost?

The PTCB CPhT costs $129. Plus any state registration/licensure fees.

How long is the PTCB CPhT and how many questions does it have?

90 items (80 scored, 10 unscored) — 1 hour 50 minutes of testing (2-hour appointment).

What do you need to pass the PTCB CPhT?

Scaled score of 1400 (range 1000–1600).

Can you retake the PTCB CPhT?

After 60 days for second/third attempts; 6 months thereafter; up to 4 attempts before special permission.

What is the best way to study for the PTCB CPhT?

Study the official blueprint, not random material: the exam is weighted by domain (Medications 40%, Federal Requirements 12.5%, Patient Safety and Quality Assurance 26.25%, Order Entry and Processing 21.25%). Spaced-repetition flashcards built domain-by-domain against that blueprint are the most time-efficient way to cover everything the exam tests.

Program in development

We're building a blueprint-complete program for this exam. Meanwhile, explore live programs across 7 exam.

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