Pharmacy technicians aid pharmacists in preparing prescription medications and handling customer service issues. Some of their duties may include taking prescription requests, taking inventory of pills and tablets, labeling bottles and clerical duties. Not all states require pharmacy technicians to be certified, but employers often prefer that prospective employees have passed a pharmacy technician certification exam before hiring them.
Description
1. There are two private institutions that offer pharmacy technician certification exams: the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT). Since states have different licensing and certification requirements, candidates should consult their State Board of Pharmacy to determine which exam to take. The PTCB exam, the PTCE, consists of 90 multiple-choice questions; candidates are given two hours to complete the test. The test administered by the ICPT, the ExCPT, also has a two-hour testing period, but there are 110 multiple-choice questions.
Eligibility Requirements
2. Both the PTCE and the ExCPT require that candidates have a high school diploma or equivalency degree. In addition, neither exam can be taken by candidates with felony convictions or individuals who have drug or pharmacy convictions. If candidates have had any registration or license revoked or suspended or faced disciplinary action by a state board, they're also not permitted to take either exam.
Application and Registration
3. The PTCE is offered continuously throughout the year. A candidate can apply to take the test online; once the application is approved, he will be sent a letter that lists the dates that he's eligible to take the exam and instructions on how to schedule a testing appointment. A fee is required when a candidate applies to take the PTCE. The ExCPT is offered more than 310 days a year at PSI-LaserGrade Testing Centers throughout the United States. Registration is done over the phone by calling PSI-LaserGrade's toll-free number and setting up a testing date and location. Like the PTCE, a fee is required when a candidate registers for the ExCPT.
Preparation
4. A candidate planning to take the PTCE should familiarize herself with the material contained in basic pharmacy technician training manuals or books, according to PTCB. The pharmacist who supervises the candidate may also be able to help her create a study plan. ICPT recommends consulting the latest edition of The National Pharmacy Technician Training Program manual to prepare for the ExCPT. Both the PTCE and ICPT websites have sample tests available online; there's a fee to access the ExCPT practice test.
Results
5. Both the PTCE and ExCPT are computer-based exams, so a candidate will have his results within moments of finishing the exam. Scaled scores and certificates are mailed out a few weeks after the tests. If a candidate fails the PTCE, he's permitted to retake it up to three times; a candidate can take the ExCPT as many times as necessary. Both the PTCB and ICPT require pharmacy technicians to be recertified every two years. This may require continuing education courses or a recertification fee.
Description
1. There are two private institutions that offer pharmacy technician certification exams: the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT). Since states have different licensing and certification requirements, candidates should consult their State Board of Pharmacy to determine which exam to take. The PTCB exam, the PTCE, consists of 90 multiple-choice questions; candidates are given two hours to complete the test. The test administered by the ICPT, the ExCPT, also has a two-hour testing period, but there are 110 multiple-choice questions.
Eligibility Requirements
2. Both the PTCE and the ExCPT require that candidates have a high school diploma or equivalency degree. In addition, neither exam can be taken by candidates with felony convictions or individuals who have drug or pharmacy convictions. If candidates have had any registration or license revoked or suspended or faced disciplinary action by a state board, they're also not permitted to take either exam.
Application and Registration
3. The PTCE is offered continuously throughout the year. A candidate can apply to take the test online; once the application is approved, he will be sent a letter that lists the dates that he's eligible to take the exam and instructions on how to schedule a testing appointment. A fee is required when a candidate applies to take the PTCE. The ExCPT is offered more than 310 days a year at PSI-LaserGrade Testing Centers throughout the United States. Registration is done over the phone by calling PSI-LaserGrade's toll-free number and setting up a testing date and location. Like the PTCE, a fee is required when a candidate registers for the ExCPT.
Preparation
4. A candidate planning to take the PTCE should familiarize herself with the material contained in basic pharmacy technician training manuals or books, according to PTCB. The pharmacist who supervises the candidate may also be able to help her create a study plan. ICPT recommends consulting the latest edition of The National Pharmacy Technician Training Program manual to prepare for the ExCPT. Both the PTCE and ICPT websites have sample tests available online; there's a fee to access the ExCPT practice test.
Results
5. Both the PTCE and ExCPT are computer-based exams, so a candidate will have his results within moments of finishing the exam. Scaled scores and certificates are mailed out a few weeks after the tests. If a candidate fails the PTCE, he's permitted to retake it up to three times; a candidate can take the ExCPT as many times as necessary. Both the PTCB and ICPT require pharmacy technicians to be recertified every two years. This may require continuing education courses or a recertification fee.
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