Few Things You Should Know about Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam
If you want to become a certified pharmacy technician and increase your career opportunities, you must first pass the pharmacy technician certification exam administered by the PTCB. In order to prepare for this, it is best to have attended a pharmacy technician school or program, although it is not required. Having this type of in depth training will greatly help you when sitting for the exam.
To apply for the exam, you must ensure you meet the requirements. The requirements to take the exam are a high school diploma, no felony convictions, no drug related convictions, and no violations on record by a State Board of Pharmacy. If you meet these criteria, then you are ready to apply. To do so, you will need to reference the PTCB’s certification application guidelines on their website and apply there. Applications are accepted year round and require a fee of $129. The exam will be taken at one of the 200 Pearson Professional Centers reference by the PTCB.
Studying thoroughly is a must. The PTCB publishes an exam guide to help technicians prepare for the exam. If you are serious about passing the exam, you should obtain a copy of the guidebook and spend a decent amount of time reviewing its contents. There are also practice test on the official website for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.
On the day of the exam you should arrive a half hour early and remember to take a photo I.D. with you. No other personal belongings are allowed in the testing center. Lockers are provided your belongings. You will be given an erasable board to serve as scratch paper and a handheld calculator. The exam itself is administered via computer and made up of 90 multiple choice questions. You will have two hours to take the exam. When you have completed the test, a pass or fail result will be shown immediately on the computer screen. You will also be given a paper copy of the results.
If you should need to retake the exam due to an unfavorable score, you can apply to take the exam again immediately, but your 90 eligibility period does not begin until 60 days after the date of the unsuccessful test. If you should fail the second test the wait period increases to six months. After three failed exams, you will need to appeal with the PTCB for another retake.
Upon passing the exam pharmacy technicians can add the designation “CPhT” after their name and on their resume. The Pharmacy Technician Certification board will provide you with a certificate and wallet ID. This is valid for two years and must be renewed. Please see the section on continuing education for more information.