PTCE Exam information
What it is, what's tested, and how it's scored.
PTCE exam details
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) assesses your knowledge and skills in various areas crucial for pharmacy technicians. In order to receive a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential, you must first pass the PTCE. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is a non-profit organization that offers the CPhT, the most widely recognized and respected credential for pharmacy technicians in the United States. As a PTCB-certified pharmacy technician, your vital role includes accurately processing prescriptions, managing medications, providing patient counseling, and handling billing and insurance. These tasks are integral to ensuring efficient pharmacy operations and promoting patient safety.
The PTCE exam is hosted by PTCB and costs $129 to register. Participants have 2 hours to answer 90 multiple choice questions. The passing score is 1,400 / 1,600.
The PTCE is a computer-based exam that consists of 90 multiple-choice questions. The length of the PTCE is approximately 2 hours long, with a breakdown of:
5-minute tutorial
1 hour and 50-minute exam
5-minute post-exam survey
Remember: there are no breaks on the PTCE, so the time above is the total time you’ll have to complete the questions.
PTCE exam summary
Medications
35%
28 questions
The Medications section of the PTCE evaluates your knowledge of various aspects of medications, including their generic and brand names, therapeutic classifications, therapeutic equivalence, potential drug interactions and contraindications, dosage forms, routes of administration, storage requirements, indications, and safety considerations.
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
23.75%
19 questions
The Patient Safety and Quality Assurance section of the PTCE assesses your understanding of patient safety principles, error prevention techniques, quality assurance procedures, patient engagement, and education. This section is crucial for ensuring that pharmacy technicians are able to provide safe and effective care to their patients.
Order Entry and Processing
22.25%
18 questions
The Order Entry and Processing section of the PTCE covers the essential tasks involved in accurately processing and dispensing medications. It assesses your ability to calculate and convert medication doses, ensure proper drug administration, and manage medication returns.
Federal Requirements
18.75%
15 questions
The Federal Requirements section of the PTCE covers the federal requirements for healthcare substances and waste. It includes regulations for controlled substances, restricted drug programs, and FDA recall requirements.
Achievable PTCE content outline
1
Medications
Provides foundational knowledge of medications, including generic and brand names, drug classifications, and regulatory categories. Explores drug interactions, contraindications, organ system-based therapies, dosage forms, and administration routes. Also emphasizes medication safety, side effects, storage, and stability.
2
Patient safety and quality assurance
Introduces strategies to prevent medication errors, such as identifying look-alike/sound-alike drugs, following safe dispensing practices, and applying proper labeling techniques. Highlights the importance of error reporting systems, root cause analysis, and hygiene standards. Includes quality assurance processes like drug utilization reviews and outlines the technician's role in promoting safe and effective medication use.
3
Order entry and processing
Details the key responsibilities involved in handling prescriptions, including intake, data entry, and interpretation of sig codes. Covers non-sterile compounding, pharmaceutical calculations, inventory control, and insurance processing. Stresses the importance of accuracy, efficiency, and compliance throughout the prescription workflow.
4
Federal requirements
Explains the laws and regulations that govern pharmacy practice, focusing on drug safety, controlled substances, hazardous waste disposal, and HIPAA privacy protections. Discusses federal programs such as REMS, CMEA, and OBRA, as well as prescription monitoring, FDA recalls, and DEA reporting. Addresses labeling, storage, and documentation standards critical to regulatory compliance.
Frequently asked questions
- What is on the PTCE exam?
- The PTCE exam has 90 multiple choice questions, and candidates have 2 hours to complete it. The content outline on this page lists every tested topic with the number of questions and the percentage of the exam it accounts for.
- How long is the PTCE exam?
- Candidates have 2 hours for the PTCE exam, covering 90 multiple choice questions.
- What score do you need to pass the PTCE exam?
- The passing score for the PTCE exam is 1,400 / 1,600.
- How much does the PTCE exam cost?
- Registering for the PTCE exam costs $129, paid to PTCB. Prep materials are a separate cost.
- Who administers the PTCE exam?
- The PTCE exam is administered by PTCB, which sets the official content outline and scoring.
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