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How To Get Nationally Certified As A Pharmacy Technician?

How To Get Nationally Certified As A Pharmacy Technician
A great number of pharmacists are turning to national certification as a benchmark that can correctly determine the level of expertise possessed by a pharmacy technician. A great number of pharmacists are turning to national certification as a benchmark by which to precisely determine the level of expertise possessed by a pharmacy technician.

  1. It is now widely acknowledged that obtaining a technician certification is essential; as a result, attaining one is either required or recommended for obtaining a license in 29 states.
  2. According to William Schimmel, assistant executive director of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, certification is quite useful regardless of whether or not the state requires it (PTCB).

According to an interview with Pharmacy Times conducted by Schimmel, “Employers place a high importance on certification since it indicates your competence as a technician and your devotion to your work in the pharmacy.” “As we watch things shift in the industry and advanced jobs become available for technicians, certification will make a lot of previously unavailable possibilities available.” According to Schimmel, obtaining a national certification also functions as a “portable credential.” He continued by saying, “You may take it with you to verify your expertise even if you move to a different state if you have to.” Schimmel estimated that there are around 280,000 technicians who are currently actively certified via the PTCB, and he recommended both already practicing technicians and future technicians who are interested in joining those numbers to pursue these steps: 1.

Determine Eligibility First and foremost, prospective candidates need to determine whether or not they meet the requirements to become PTCB certified. Applicants are needed to have a high school diploma or an educational degree comparable to a high school diploma, such as a GED. There is no minimum age requirement, and previous experience working in a pharmacy is not required.

In addition to this, applicants are required to reveal any prior convictions as well as any disciplinary measures taken against them by a state pharmacy board. Although Schimmel stated that a candidate may be disqualified for having a single black mark on their record, the PTCB does treat a number of infractions, particularly those that include drug-related offences, extremely seriously.2.

Get yourself ready for the Test. A passing grade on the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam administered by the PTCB is unquestionably one of the most important requirements for obtaining PTCB certification (PTCE). According to Schimmel, the best way for applicants to get ready for this exam is to enroll in a technician training course, particularly one that has been approved by an organization like the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists or the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

Applicants should consider enrolling in such a course. Candidates might benefit from a variety of additional resources, such as books, flashcard applications, and smartphone games, when it comes to their academic preparation. In addition, the PTCB provides candidates with an online practice exam; however, Schimmel was quick to point out that achieving a passing mark on the practice test does not guarantee achieving the same score on the actual PTCE.3.

Fill out the Application Online. Applicants who are confident in their ability to pass the examination will need to apply for certification and register with the PTCB online in order to do so. There is a price of $129 associated with the application and the exam; however, many pharmacies will sponsor their employees and pay the money for them.

Applicants who need special testing accommodations will have the opportunity to make that request on the application form. Candidates have a window of time of ninety days after the application has been approved to arrange and take their exam through Pearson VUE.

Applicants who need to reschedule or cancel their appointment with Pearson can do so up to 24 hours prior to the scheduled time of the exam. On the other hand, applicants who wish to withdraw their application completely must do so within the 90-day period; after this period, the majority of the testing fee will be refunded.4.

Attempt the Test, and Stay Tuned for the Results Candidates should make it a priority to obtain adequate rest the night before every significant test they take, including the examination. On the day of the exam, you should make plans to come thirty minutes before your appointment time and carry a picture identification card that was issued by the government and is still current.

  1. At the location of the exam, you will be required to put all of your other belongings, including any personal goods, in a locker.
  2. Applicants will get an unofficial test result immediately following the exam, with the final results being made available online within two to three weeks after the exam has concluded.
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Those who were successful in passing the examination will have their certificates mailed to them between four and six weeks following the date of the test. Schimmel cautioned that the PTCE is a highly difficult exam, and because of this, the pass rate is only 57%.

Those who are unsuccessful, on the other hand, are given three other opportunities to do so; however, they are required to wait either sixty days or six months before taking the examination once more. Each time they take the exam, candidates are required to submit a new application and pay the associated price.5.

Maintain Certification In order to keep their certifications current, certified technicians need to participate in 20 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years. Since 2015, all continuing education credits obtained need to be tailored to the needs of technicians.

Should I take the PTCB or ExCPT?

I’m interested in getting certified. Does it matter which exam I take? If the tests are so identical, does it make a difference which one you choose to take? The answer is yes. The quick answer is yes, but the longer answer is that it depends on where you reside and what your professional aspirations are.

The examinations are not identical, despite the fact that legally they are treated as equivalents. The certification curriculum offered by the PTCB is considered to be the industry standard for certifying pharmacy technicians. There are still nations that do not acknowledge the ExCPT. In addition, some employers provide a test that they like more than others.

The PTCE is the exam of preference for hospitals and other major businesses, whereas the ExCPT is the best option for those looking for job in a commercial pharmacy. This is the usual norm (at Walmart , Walgreens , CVS , Rite Aid and similar places). In addition, the PTCE is acknowledged in over 44 states.

This is due to the fact that a significant number of companies continue to believe that the PTCE is the more challenging test. Some people believe that the PTCE has more mathematical problems and questions that are more difficult about pharmaceuticals. Therefore, the conventional wisdom is that a prospective worker is qualified for employment if they are able to achieve a passing score on the PTCE.

To help you choose which exam to take, you can get in touch with the hospitals where you would like to work and inquire as to which credential they value the most. In a nutshell, certified pharmacy technicians (CPhTs) report greater salaries, more advancement prospects, more self-worth, improved job satisfaction, and increased knowledge.

This is in comparison to non-certified pharmacy technicians. Check out various online jobs and the certification that is required to get a better idea of which test body may be the one that is chosen by companies in your state. Indeed.com is a great resource to use if you want to find out what some of the businesses in your state are searching for in prospective employees.

To learn more about the laws and guidelines that govern your state, choose one from the list below and click on it.

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What percentage do you need to pass PTCB?

How I became a Certified Pharmacy Technician in 2 weeks 🧪💊💉 | CPhT Tips. My experience 📊

What exactly does this imply for your preparation for the PTCB exam? – Scaling makes it difficult to specify what proportion of questions answered correctly constitutes a “pass” on the PTCE. If you are a stats geek, all of this information may be intriguing to you; but, the basic line is that scaling.

  • If you want to get a passing grade on the test, it is in your best interest to attempt to get as many of the questions right as you can, rather than waste time and effort trying to determine the precise threshold at which you would be considered successful.
  • Despite this, you do have a general roadmap.

Are you able to consistently achieve a score of 80% or above on practice tests similar to those featured in our PTCB Hero study guide? If this is the case, even if there are no guarantees, you have a very good chance of passing your test provided that you can obtain a performance level that is comparable to that of the actual exam.

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