TRY OUR FREE PTCB PRACTICE TEST 2023
Are you prepared for your exam? Find out by taking our free PTCB practice test, featuring questions from the 2023 PTCB syllabus
About the
PTCB Practice Test
On this page you will see five PTCB Practice Test sections that includes All topics, Patient safety, Order Entry And Processing, Federal Requirements, and Medications. Each section contains 15 questions which cover all five of the knowledge domains the PTCB tests you on:
Just choose what you think is the right answer, then enter your email address so we can send you a detailed breakdown of what you got right and wrong on your practice exam.
Then cross your fingers, and click through to see your score!
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Your Preparation is Paid Off
15 QUESTIONS
How to Prepare for Your PTCB Exam
1. As you’ll know when you’ve taken the free PTCB practice exam, the PTCE isn’t easy! Even if you’ve completed a Pharmacy Technician program or logged hundreds of hours of work experience, you should not expect to just show up on the day and be able to pass.
2. Many people go into the exam totally unprepared…which is why nationwide only 58% of people pass!
3. We know – that sounds scary. But don’t worry: the exam isn’t impossibly difficult. The problem is that most students aren’t told how to prepare properly, and they’re given giant textbooks that are impossible to memorize.
4. We were sick of seeing people waste hundreds of dollars on making multiple attempts to pass their PTCB exam, and being unable to start their career as a pharmacy technician.
5. Taking online quizzes is a good start, but it’s an inefficient form of exam practice.
6. That’s why we put together PTCB Hero, which tells you exactly what you need to know and gives you all the tools we need to prepare. It’s so good, our students’ pass rate is 98% – and if you don’t pass first time, we’ll give you a full refund!
7. We’ll tell you more about PTCB Hero after you’ve taken the practice test. Taking the PTCB practice test and answers is a great place to start, because the practice questions you get right and wrong will you an idea of which knowledge domains you need to focus on.
Career Facts
Pharmacy technicians have plenty of choices when it comes to their work environment. As they gain experience and expertise, they can discover various exciting career opportunities and focus on specific areas within the pharmacy field.
The below image refers the average salary of pharmacy technicians as of August 2023:
As of August 2023, the following table shows the average salary of Pharmacy Technicians:
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy IT Technician | $52,539 | $4,378 | $1,010 |
| Research Pharmacy Technician | $48,000 | $4,000 | $923 |
| Nuclear Pharmacy Technician | $48,000 | $4,000 | $923 |
| Oncology Pharmacy Technician | $48,000 | $4,000 | $923 |
| Clinical Pharmacy Technician | $48,500 | $4,041 | $932 |
The following are 5 career paths you can take after completing your pharmacy technician training:
Pharmacy IT Technician
In the pharmacy field, there are technicians who specialize in IT-related tasks. They work on supporting and taking care of various pharmacy information systems, like electronic health record (EHR) systems, dispensing software, and automated dispensing machines. Their job is crucial to ensure smooth and efficient operations within the pharmacy.
Research Pharmacy Technician
There are pharmacy technicians who play a role in clinical trial settings in medical research. They help with the preparation and dispensing of investigational medications, which are used in research studies to test new treatments or drugs. Additionally, they are responsible for managing necessary documentation related to these studies.
Nuclear Pharmacy Technician
In the world of nuclear medicine, specialize in handling radioactive medications. These medications are used in procedures like PET scans and SPECT scans. Nuclear pharmacy technicians are responsible for safely managing and dispensing these specialized medications for patients’ diagnostic and therapeutic needs.
Oncology Pharmacy Technician
In the field of oncology, there are pharmacy technicians who work in cancer centers. Their role involves preparing and dispensing chemotherapy medications to patients who are undergoing cancer treatment. They also offer support and assistance to these patients during their challenging journey.
Clinical Pharmacy Technician
In some hospitals or clinics, there are pharmacy technicians who focus on clinical aspects. They work closely with pharmacists and healthcare teams to make sure patients receive the best medication therapy possible. This involves things like medication reconciliations, ensuring patients get the proper medications at the correct times, and providing helpful information to patients about their medications.
Final Outcome
Once you’ve successfully passed your PTCB exam, you become a certified pharmacy technician, opening up various possibilities for your career. With your experience as a pharmacy technician, you have the option to explore different paths. For instance, you can move into office-based roles, like handling insurance claims processing. Some pharmacy technicians might also choose to specialize in specific areas of medicine, such as oncology, focusing on cancer treatment. The field offers numerous opportunities to grow and develop in various directions based on your interests and aspirations. Additionally, you may decide to continue your education to become a pharmacist, laboratory technician, or physician assistant.
Test Statistics
A picture of the pass rate of PTCB, as of December 2022, can be seen in the infographic below:
A picture of the PTCB specialization pass rate, as of December 2022, can be seen in the infographic below:
Common Questions About
the Pharmacy Tech Exam
WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE PTCB EXAM?
The PTCB exam is a computer-based exam with 90 multiple-choice questions – 80 of which are scored, and 10 are unscored. Each multiple-choice question will have four possible answers.
WHICH TOPICS ARE COVERED ON THE PTCE?
Questions are categorized across four knowledge domains and they are:
Medications (40% of the exam’s content)
Federal Requirements (12.5%)
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance (26.25%)
Order Entry and Processing (21.25%)
HOW LONG IS THE PTCB EXAM?
The exam lasts 2 hours. You have 1 hour and 50 minutes to answer questions. You will have five minutes to read the tutorial and five minutes for a post-exam survey.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I FAIL MY PHARMACY TECH EXAM?
You can retake it 60 days later. A 60-day waiting period applies if you fail on your second and third try. After four attempts, "acceptable preparation activities" are required.
HOW IS THE PTCB EXAM SCORED?
The PTCE is scored using a “scaled scoring system.” A passing score on the PTCE is 1,400 or higher. There are 1,000 to 1,600 possible points. Your chances of success will improve if you take our free pharmacy technician practice test.
WHAT IS PEARSON VUE?
Pearson Vue is the company that administers the PTCE. They run the test centres that you’ll attend to take your exam, and you’ll need to book your exam through them too.
WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE PTCB EXAM?
The PTCB exam is called the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE). It is a computer-based exam with 90 multiple-choice questions – 80 of which are scored, and 10 of which are unscored. Unscored questions are placed randomly throughout the exam, and you won’t know which ones they are. Each multiple-choice question will have four possible answers; you must select which you think is the correct answer for each question.
WHICH TOPICS ARE COVERED ON THE PTCE?
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board implemented its most recent update to the exam in 2020, with questions categorized across four knowledge domains. Questions are randomly distributed throughout the exam – i.e. they are not presented in the order of the knowledge domains below.
The four knowledge domains are:
- Medications (40% of the exam’s content)
- Federal Requirements (12.5%)
- Patient Safety and Quality Assurance (26.25%)
- Order Entry and Processing (21.25%)
Important: if you see any study guides or practice tests that mention different numbers or knowledge domains, they are outdated and should not be used.
HOW LONG IS THE PTCB EXAM?
You’ll have one hour and 50 minutes to answer the questions, although the entire exam is two hours long. This is because you’ll be given five minutes at the start to read the tutorial (which contains important instructions on how to navigate the exam questions), and there will be five minutes at the end for a post-exam survey.
HOW IS THE PTCB EXAM SCORED?
Not everyone who takes the PTCB exam in the same year will receive the same exact set of questions. The exam is designed to test the same content, but the number of “difficult” questions can fluctuate. As a result, the PTCE is scored using a “scaled scoring system,” which takes the exam variability into account. Scaled scores are comparable across candidates despite differences in exam difficulty, which allows all candidates to be held to the same scoring standard.
A passing score on the PTCE is 1,400 or higher. The possible score range is 1,000 to 1,600.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I FAIL MY PHARMACY TECH EXAM?
Don’t worry: you can apply to retake the exam 60 days after your first attempt. If you don’t pass your second attempt, you must wait a further 60 days to apply for your third attempt. After your third attempt, you must wait six months for your fourth attempt. You’re not limited to a finite number of exam attempts, but you will have to pay each time you re-apply.
(After four attempts, you’ll need to provide the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board with evidence that you’ve completed “acceptable preparation activities,” which the organization will review and approve before you can apply for additional attempts. Don’t worry, though: you’ll pass before you reach this stage!)
WHAT IS PEARSON VUE?
Pearson Vue is the company that administers the PTCE. They run the test centers that you’ll attend to take your exam, and you’ll need to book your exam through them too.
