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Taking the PTCB

by Nervous
(Texas)

Has anyone out there taken the PTCB recently? If so, what do we need to concentrate on more: math, flow rates, law?? Are there really any questions about what year Hippocrates or anyone else invented whatever in 17 A.D??!! Myself and a co-worker took the test 15 yrs ago but did not keep it up because our company said as long as we were registered w/ the state of TX we didn't need to unless we ever planned on leaving TX, which we knew we never would!! Now they say we NEED the PTCB to apply for lead tech positions and such!! Any help is appreciated, we are both in our 40's and are very nervous.

Comments for Taking the PTCB

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You have a big head start.
by: Jerry

Although anyone who has taken the PTCB is under oath to not tell you what they were asked on it, they can offer up advice on what they studied. Personally, I focused lots on Math, Top 100 drugs and DEA Laws and Scheduling. However, I also heavily reviewed everything else. I feel if I'd had a decade working in pharmacy, I'd have probably felt much more confident going into it.
Every test is different
by: Nora

My friend is taking the PTCB next week, I'm taking it in two weeks. As we were taking our finals, we were told to expect about 20-25% math, 20-25% Federal regulations, 30% meds (generic-to-brand or therapeutic class), and the rest will be a mix of insurance, retail/hospital questions, etc. Good luck!
Be prepared for anything
by: Anna

I haven't taken my test yet but done with school. Everybody that I went to school with and my teachers say the test is different for everybody.
Study everything
by: Margaret

Study what the Red & Orange books are used for, some Medicare questions - D is your meds coverage, generic meds, pick the med out of the group that isn't for heart, etc., BMI, ques on how the hood is cleaned, dispensing for infants, a few cancer med questions, a few where you had to add up how many pills were subscribed by following the prescription, know right & left ears & eye acronyms. Math. I passed mine on the second try. I have to get re certified but I don't even know where to begin. Good luck! It's a timed test, you can flag questions to go back to them, and you get a pass or fail instantly. Know some metric measurement formulas too! Most important: pick the question out of all the gibberish they add in. Don't let it throw you off.
Areas to focus on
by: Anonymous

I took my test 3 weeks ago and my test had hardly any math. Maybe like 10 questions.
focus on :
Pharmacy system information usage and application
Pharmacy inventory management
Medication entry and fill process
Medication safety
Pharmacology for technician
Pharmacy Test
by: Anonymous

I took the test May 30, 2015 and I FAILED, the test was very HARD. I have been studying for over three months, taking practice test, over 500 questions. Not one single thing I studied was on the test, it was stuff on there I never even heard of, and I been working in a retail pharmacy for over 10 years!
Impossible
by: Turtle

The previous comment author says they've worked in retail pharmacy for 10 years, studied for the PTCB for three months and practiced with 500 test questions. And then, not a single thing they studied was on the test. Either they were given the wrong test or are a solid liar.

I had zero pharmacy experience, studied for 6 months using only 2 books, this website and bought the practice tests and passed the first time with a high score. And, I'm not lucky or incredibly studious.

I'd say that 85% or more of what the PTCB threw at me was stuff I had studied or seen in practice tests.

I think that person got a nursing test or something on accident. At the testing center they give 100 different tests. Or, maybe they just don't take tests really well? Because that's an outrageous claim!
FOR TURTLE
by: Anonymous

First off I am not a liar, nor was I given the wrong test. What do I have to gain by lying? Congrats to you for passing the test on the first try! If you have nothing positive to say, than I advice you not to say anything at all!
Nana p
by: Anonymous

I have worked a as a tech for a total of 30 years and was grandfathered in. Do I need to take the test now to get my renewal licenses?
What percentage is required to pass the ptcb?
by: Anonymous

I'm super nervous about taking the Pharm Tech exam even though I went to school and graduated with honors. Can anyone tell me what percentage is required to pass? I heard that it was 70% or something like that.
FOR TURTLE
by: Anonymous

I have the same experience as the person that you called a lair. I've studies for 3 weeks I PASSED a 90% score on my handbook. I self-studies. I was confident that I will do well on my test day. But like that person said my questions was not what I had studies. I would say 5 out of 110 was what I had studies. So I failed because of that. I asked the person that gave me the test if that was the right test he said yes. I told my friend about it , he didn't believe me until he went took the test himself he said I was correct. Long story short he didn't pass either. So as for you TURTLE don't come into conclusion unless you know the fact. calling people a liar when you have no slice of an ideal of about what we was giving us at the test Center. You might passed this at one try but I am sure you didn't pass on other things at one try nether. Just because you passed don't mean you're better or smarter.
Test
by: Anonymous

In regards to the people that said their test was different from what they studied. Maybe you studied the outdated version books or material, but it should have a major change. I mean I would personally believe that testing centers are not there to trick test takers, but to make sure you know all the material to become a CphT. They may updated a few things but probably not like everything was changed. As I study my materials, even the practice test on the PTCB website states that the material on the practice test is a mimic of the actual test, so if you study and expect to see the exact same questions, it's not how that works.

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