PTCB/Pharmacy Tech Information
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) developed the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) to insure that individuals have the proper knowledge to work as pharmacy technicians.
The PTCB exam consists of 90 multiple choice questions (80 scored and 10 unscored). The exams are developed and administered by Pearson Vue. The following topics ("knowledge domains") are covered by the exam:
- Pharmacology for Technicians
- Pharmacy Law and Regulations
- Sterile and Non-sterile Compounding
- Medication Safety
- Pharmacy Quality Assurance
- Medication Order Entry and Fill Process
- Pharmacy Inventory Management
- Pharmacy Billing and Reimbursement
- Pharmacy Information Systems Usage and Application
The PTCB is overseen by five separate organizations: The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, the American Pharmacists Association, The Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists, The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and the Michigan Pharmacists Association. The PTCB is a national certification program. Individual states, however, have separate regulations that manage the licensing of pharmacy technicians within their state.
If you pass your PTCB exam, you are authorized to use the CPhT (Certified Pharmacy Technician) credential. To maintain the credential, however, a pharmacy tech must complete 20 hours of continuing education every 2 years.