PTCB study guide
PTCB, administered by The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) owns the PTCE and issues the CPhT credential, is mapped here as 4 topic areas; the heaviest are Medications (35%), Patient Safety & QA (23.8%) and Order Entry & Processing (22.5%).
About this course: 1400 is the number. Let's drill the top-200 brand and generic names hands-free, make pharmacy math un-scary - conversions, dilutions, days-supply, organized by type - and tell you honestly when you're ready. Every card spoken aloud for the commute and the after-shift study.
PTCB at a glance
- Questions
- 80
- Time allowed
- 1 hour 50 minutes (questions)
- Format
- 90 questions (80 scored + 10 unscored pretest), 1 hour 50 minutes for questions (~2-hour session), computer-based at Pearson VUE, IRT-scored on a scaled 1000-1600, pass = 1400
- Standard / edition
- Current PTCB content outline
- Administered by
- The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) owns the PTCE and issues the CPhT credential
Source: Current PTCB content outline, The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) owns the PTCE and issues the CPhT credential. Confirm current details with the exam owner before you book.
Topic areas and weights
| Topic area | Weight | Concepts | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medications | 35% | 0 | Section below |
| Patient Safety & QA | 23.8% | 0 | Section below |
| Order Entry & Processing | 22.5% | 0 | Section below |
| Federal Requirements | 18.8% | 0 | Section below |
Study plan in this course
- Top-200 Brand & Generic — 200 cards · free
- Drug Classes & Name Stems — 8 cards · free
- OTC Essentials & Key Interactions — 9 cards · full course
- High-Alert Meds, LASA & Tall-Man — 10 cards · full course
- Sig Codes, Do-Not-Use & QA Systems: Sig Codes & Do-Not-Use Abbreviations — 9 cards · full course
- Pharmacy Math: Conversions & Dosing: Pharmacy Math: Conversions — 11 cards · full course
- Business Math & Order Processing — 10 cards · full course
- DEA Schedules & Controlled Substances — 8 cards · full course
- Federal Pharmacy Law, Recalls & USP — 8 cards · full course
Medications
Medications carries 35% of the PTCB blueprint used in this course, the largest of its 4 weighted areas.
Official references for Medications
- Standard pharmacy drug references for top-dispensed brand/generic, class, indication, and key safety facts
- FDA-approved labeling via DailyMed
- FDA drug-interaction guidance and standard pharmacology references
- FDA labeling and standard pharmacogenomics references
Patient Safety & QA
Patient Safety & QA carries 23.8% of the PTCB blueprint used in this course, the second-largest of its 4 weighted areas.
Official references for Patient Safety & QA
- ISMP error-prevention guidance + FDA/USP medication-safety standards
- The Joint Commission official "Do Not Use" list + ISMP error-prone abbreviation list
- Standard pharmacy sig-code / prescription-abbreviation references + ISMP error-prone abbreviation guidance
Order Entry & Processing
Order Entry & Processing carries 22.5% of the PTCB blueprint used in this course, the third-largest of its 4 weighted areas.
Official references for Order Entry & Processing
- Standard pharmacy calculations references per common pharmacy-tech texts
- Standard pharmacy calculations references + USP storage-condition definitions
Federal Requirements
Federal Requirements carries 18.8% of the PTCB blueprint used in this course, the 4th-largest of its 4 weighted areas.
Official references for Federal Requirements
- DEA Controlled Substances Act schedules I-V and controlled-substance handling rules
- U.S. federal pharmacy law + FDA recall classes and USP standards
Official references
- DEA Controlled Substances Act schedules I-V and controlled-substance handling rules
- U.S. federal pharmacy law + FDA recall classes and USP standards
- PTCB content outline + "At-a-Glance: CPhT Exam"
- DEA Controlled Substances Act schedules I-V + controlled-substance handling
- U.S. federal pharmacy law + FDA recall classes + USP standards
- Standard pharmacy drug references for top-dispensed brand/generic, class, indication, and key safety facts
- FDA-approved labeling via DailyMed
- FDA drug-interaction guidance and standard pharmacology references
- FDA labeling and standard pharmacogenomics references
- ISMP error-prevention guidance + FDA/USP medication-safety standards
- The Joint Commission official "Do Not Use" list + ISMP error-prone abbreviation list
- Standard pharmacy sig-code / prescription-abbreviation references + ISMP error-prone abbreviation guidance
- Standard pharmacy calculations references per common pharmacy-tech texts
- Standard pharmacy calculations references + USP storage-condition definitions
- Standard drug references for top-dispensed brand/generic, drug class, indication, key safety
- ISMP error-prevention resources + FDA/USP medication-safety standards