How To Pass The National Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination
Those who are aiming to break into the medical industry can choose from a number of paths to achieve their goal
. One of them is to take a certification and work as a professional pharmacy technician. Pharmacy technicians typically perform all duties required in a pharmacy, hospital, or retail operation, that would not require professional judgment. Among their responsibilities are drug packaging, preparation and acquisition from various pharmaceutical companies. Technicians may dispense medications under the direction of a Licensed Pharmacist. Often, they are given the patient's prescriptions so that they can prepare them in advance. Technicians also maintain patient files and perform billing and insurance claims.
The certification program covers prescriptions, billing, medical ethics, pharmaceutical terminology, math related to preparing prescriptions and patient care. Aside from attending lectures and taking tests, candidates are expected to garner hands-on experience by training at a local medical facility.
Pharmacy Technician Certification Types
There are two organizations that can provide legal certification to pharmacy technicians: the PTCB (National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) and the ICPT (Institute for Certification of Pharmacy Technicians), now part of the NHA (National Health Association). While both are recognized in the industry, each body's certification has its own history. They are also acquired and appreciated differently in the medical field. Let's start with the PTCB certification which boasts of universal recognition across all states and an effective period of 2 years. At the end of this timeframe, continuing education is required to renew the certification. This should comprise of no less than 20 hrs worth of classes on drug distribution, pharmacy legislation, and inventory management. Students may take classes online or at a local college or university. There are states that allow people to work as pharmacy technicians without taking a certification but most direct applicants to complete the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination and produce a satisfactory score before they can practice. This is the minimum requirement and other tests might be mandated depending on the laws of the state. Contact the local board for related inquiries.
As for the privately owned ICTP, the organization espouses the Certified-Pharmacy Technician exam. The PTCB began serving the industry in 1995 and is more established than the ICTP. State regulations differ on which exam is accepted in each state. The ICPT is a private organization, and the PTCB is a nonprofit organization that is administered by a group of professional pharmacy associations. The Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians administers the CPhT Pharmacy Technician Certification exam. The PTCB Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam is the most popular, with over 300,000 technicians certified with this exam. The CPhT exam allows for more flexibility in scheduling, and exam fees are lower. Most U.S. states, however, recognize the CPhT exam as a valid work credentials
Eligibility for Pharmacy Technician Certification
Candidates must meet the following requirements to be eligible certification:
High school graduate, GED diploma, or equivalent;
A clean criminal record;
Have no offenses related to drug possession, use or sales ; and
Have no record of a previous suspension or denial by the Board of Pharmacy in any state.
Academic Requirements to Become a Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy technician programs are widely available at community colleges. Those who want more information on them can simply contact the school's admissions office. Some programs can be completed in as little as two to six months. There are even more advanced programs that offer not just a certification but an associate degree which can take up to two years to complete. A viable option for pharmacy technician training is an online learning program. These programs can be substantially equivalent to in class programs, and allow persons with family of employment responsibilities to complete a pharmacy technician program. Some online programs, but not all, are able to offer federal student aid to applicants. Those programs that are not accredited will not be able to offer this type of financial help. However, the school may provide private financing options. Above all, you must make sure the program offers adequate preparation for you to pass either one of the two available pharmacy technician national certification examinations.
Information About Taking the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam
The PTCB's exam is composed of 90 questions which in the multiple choice format. Examinees have a maximum of 2 hours to finish it. Technicians, educators and licensed pharmacists are responsible for creating exam content. The content is constantly reviewed for relevancy to practice in the real world. For questions that require computations, calculators are allowed to be used. Exam questions are discussed and developed by a group of licensed pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and other education professionals to test the candidate on essential concepts that must be grasped in order to perform well as a pharmacy technician.
Testing categories include inventory control, medication maintenance, drug administration and pharmacy management. Test questions alternate every time it is given but each version has the same level of difficulty attached to it. Around 10% of the questions are for the purpose of analysis and their results do not count for or against the test takers. The questions may or may not be included on future exams depending on the evaluation results. The test is computer-driven, and your score is immediately provided upon completion of the exam. The test may be retaken, if necessary, after 90 days. Another re-testing would require a six-month wait.
by: edw69orwhe
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