How to Pass the PTCB Exam

Pharmacy technicians prepare medication in pharmacies and hospitals.

A pharmacy technician provides assistance to a licensed pharmacist in preparing patient medication. Pharmacy technicians can enhance job prospects and career potential by obtaining certification. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board provides certification to candidates who pass the PTCB exam. PTCB provides several test-prep resources for test takers. Several schools also offer courses for pharmacy technicians. Certification candidates should use the resources to study for and pass the PTCB pharmacy technician exam.

Things You'll Need

• Exam reference materials
• Internet access

Instructions

1. Access the "Exam Preparation" page on the PTCB website. Use the three links for the exam content outlines to the right of the page to figure out the content of the PTCB certification exam. Use the content outlines to focus your studies when attending any courses or using reference materials to prepare for the exam.

2. Access the EducationCenterOnline list of courses for pharmacy technician training . Schools on this list have either online or campus-based training courses for pharmacy technicians. You may fill in a form on the website to get additional information from each school. PTCB does not require any specific training before applying for the PTCB exam and certification. However, attending a course can form part of an overall plan to gain the knowledge necessary to pass the PTCB exam.

3. Click on the links for the individual publications on the PTCB "Pharmacy Technician Education Materials" web page. Purchase and study the educational resources on the list to prepare for the PTCB exam.

4. Purchase the books on the "Bibliography" page. PTCB used the books on this list to make the questions on the certification exam. Accordingly, mastering the material in all of these textbooks will provide you with the knowledge required to pass the pharmacy technician exam.

5. Open the PTCB "Practice Exam" page. You may click on the exam banner to register for and take four different PTCB practice tests. As of 2010, the fee for each exam is $29, payable by credit card when you register online. Use the practice exams to gauge your knowledge of the material and ability to finish the exams on time. The real exam is a two-hour test with 90 questions. Therefore, you need to practice answering the questions in about 80 seconds each. You need to master the knowledge plus manage your time to pass the PTCB exam.

Tips & Warnings

• Seek entry-level work as a pharmacy aide or technician. Pharmacies and hospitals sometimes have training materials and even in-house training programs to assist you in learning the knowledge and skills required of a pharmacy technician.

References

• EducationCenterOnline: Pharmacy Technician Training--Pharmacy Technician Courses
• PTCB: Exam Preparation
• PTCB: Bibliography
• PTCB: Pharmacy Technician Education Materials
• PTCB: Practice Exam