achieve it. - North Carolina Association of Pharmacists

Hannah Peabody, CPhT
2014 PTCB Certified
Pharmacy Technician
of the Year
Preparing Pharmacy
Technicians for Success
What is a Certified Pharmacy
Technician?
Established in 1995, the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
(PTCB) is the largest certification body for pharmacy technicians
and offers the only nationally accepted certification program for
pharmacy technicians. More than 555,000 certifications have
been granted by PTCB. PTCB’s Pharmacy Technician Certification
Exam (PTCE) is the only competency-based exam endorsed
by major pharmacy organizations, including the American
Pharmacists Association, the American Society of Health-System
Pharmacists, and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
Certification is the process by which a non-governmental
organization grants recognition to an individual who has met
predetermined qualifications specified by that organization. In
PTCB’s case, certification and use of the Certified Pharmacy
Technician (CPhT) credential is granted to individuals who meet
eligibility requirements, complete the program, and pass the PTCE.
Pharmacy Technician
Certification Program
Quick Facts:
•
Priced at $129
•
Endorsed by the American Pharmacists Association,
the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists,
and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
•
More than 555,000 pharmacy technician
certifications have been granted by PTCB nationwide
•
The PTCE is offered at 260 Pearson test centers, as
well as 120 military on-base sites
PTCB Mission
®
PTCB develops, maintains, promotes, and administers
a nationally accredited certification and recertification
program for pharmacy technicians to enable the most
effective support of pharmacists to advance patient safety.
www.ptcb.org
PTCB Certification is accepted in all 50 states, DC, Guam, and
Puerto Rico. Of the 45 states that regulate pharmacy technicians,
22 require national certification. Pharmacy technicians should
contact the State Board of Pharmacy in the state where they
wish to gain employment to ensure they meet state regulatory
requirements.
Active PTCB Certified
Pharmacy Technicians
®
NEW HAMPSHIRE
775
as of December 31, 2014
WISCONSIN
4611
WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON
3,772
4975
MONTANA
1138
OREGON
4008
IDAHO
1444
DON’T DREAM IT,
NEVADA
2168
ACHIEVE IT.
WYOMING
618
NORTH DAKOTA
732�
NEBRASKA
1102
UTAH
3570�
COLORADO
5174
CALIFORNIA
22658
ARIZONA
11796
PHARMACY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION BOARD
MAINE
1010�
MASSACHUSETTS
5307
PENNSYLVANIA
6686
RHODE ISLAND
1135
INDIANA
4769�
CONNECTICUT
1990�
NEW JERSEY
4452
DELAWARE
890�
NEW�
MEXICO
2878
KANSAS
2306�
OKLAHOMA
2168
OHIO
11409
IOWA
3506
KENTUCKY
4717�
MISSOURI
4343�
HAWAII
980�
*Source: 2014 NABP Survey of Pharmacy Law and independent research
WEST VIRGINIA
1407
GEORGIA
8394�
LOUISIANA
4751�
DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA
210�
NORTH �
CAROLINA
10674
SOUTH�
CAROLINA
4760�
MISSISSIPPI
ALABAMA�
2263
ALABAMA
3,236
4391
TEXAS
40778
GUAM
107�
TENNESSEE
10601
ARKANSAS�
1181
MARYLAND
4528
VIRGINIA
8282
ILLINOIS
12258
This map represents 279,852 active PTCB CPhTs.
March 2015
VERMONT
330�
SOUTH DAKOTA
1157�
ALASKA
390�
Take the next step and become a
PTCB‰ Certified Pharmacy Technician.
MINNESOTA
5330�
NEW YORK�
7085
MICHIGAN**
8254
FLORIDA
18872�
PUERTO RICO
103
The PTCB® Advantage
How do I become certified?
Why become certified? Pharmacy technicians play an
important role in supporting pharmacists in hospitals,
health-systems, and community pharmacies. Pharmacists’
responsibilities are expanding to include more direct patient
care. PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technicians are increasingly
relied on to support new pharmacy information systems and
help run pharmacy operations. Through PTCB’s Certification
Program, pharmacy technicians are prepared to serve the
profession by working with pharmacists to offer safe and
effective patient care.
To become a PTCB CPhT, a candidate will need:
PTCB certification:
•
May be required by employers
and/or State Boards of Pharmacy
for employment
• Provides pharmacy technicians
with a sense of
accomplishment that
benefits themselves,
employers, and patients
• Allows pharmacy
technicians to keep
up with the latest
advances in the
field through
Continuing
Education (CE)
•Positions
pharmacy
technicians
for career
advancement
•
•
•
A high school diploma or its equivalent
A record free of felony and/or criminal convictions
A passing score on the PTCE
Once a candidate has applied to take the PTCE, met
eligibility requirements, and been approved, he or she will
be authorized to schedule and take the PTCE. Candidates
may schedule exam appointments online. The PTCE
is conveniently delivered at 260 Pearson test centers
nationwide, as well as select military on-base test sites.
(Please note: To gain access to military test sites you must
have valid Federal ID.) Test centers are continually opening
in new locations. Visit www.pearsonvue.com/ptcb to find
the most convenient center for you.
Recertification
CPhTs are required to recertify every two years to
maintain certification. The purpose of recertification is
to ensure that pharmacy technicians stay up-to-date
in pharmacy practice. Many employers and/or State
Boards of Pharmacy require that pharmacy technicians
maintain certification for employment.
Continuing Education
Recertification candidates must complete 20 hours of
pharmacy technician-specific (T-specific) CE. One of
the 20 hours must be in pharmacy law and one hour
must be in patient safety.*
Employment Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS),
employment of pharmacy technicians is expected
to increase more than 20% by 2022.** The BLS also
suggests that pharmacy technicians with formal
education or training, previous work experience, and
national certification will be specifically sought after to
meet these demands.
*Visit www.ptcb.org for details of recertification requirements.
**Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Handbook, 2012 Edition.
Select Pearson Test Centers
ALABAMA
Birmingham
Decatur
Dothan
Mobile
Montgomery
ALASKA
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Juneau
ARIZONA
Chandler
Phoenix
Tucson
ARKANSAS
Fort Smith
Little Rock
Texarkana
CALIFORNIA
Anaheim
Daly City
Fairfield
Fresno (2)
Gardena
Los Angeles (2)
Milpitas
Oakland
Ontario
Pasadena
Redding
Redlands
Roseville
Sacramento
San Diego (2)
San Dimas
San Francisco (2)
San Marcos
Santa Maria
Visalia
Westlake Village
COLORADO
Durango
Grand Junction
Greenwood Village
Pueblo
Westminster
CONNECTICUT
Norwalk
Wallingford
Wethersfield
DELAWARE
Dover
Newark
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Washington, DC
FLORIDA
Altamonte Springs
Deerfield Beach
Gainesville
Jacksonville
Miami
Orlando
Plantation
Port Charlotte
St. Petersburg
Tallahassee
Tampa
GEORGIA
Albany
Atlanta
Augusta
Macon
Savannah
Stockbridge
HAWAII
Honolulu
IDAHO
Boise
Pocatello
ILLINOIS
Buffalo Grove
Chicago (2)
Marion
Peoria
Schaumburg
Springfield
INDIANA
Evansville
Fort Wayne
Indianapolis (2)
Merrillville
Terre Haute
IOWA
Coralville
Davenport
Sioux City
West Des Moines
KANSAS
Hays
Overland Park
Topeka
Wichita
KENTUCKY
Bowling Green
Lexington
Louisville
LOUISIANA
Baton Rouge
Metairie
Shreveport
MAINE
Bangor
Westbrook
MARY LAND
Baltimore
Bethesda
Columbia
Salisbury
MASSACHUSETTS
Boston (2)
Springfield
Waltham
Wellesley
Worcester
MICHIGAN
Ann Arbor
Grand Rapids
Lansing
Marquette
Southfield
Troy
MINNESOTA
Bloomington
Brooklyn Park
Eagan
Hermantown
Rochester
St. Paul
MISSISSIPPI
Jackson
Tupelo
MISSOURI
Columbia
Joplin
Kansas City (2)
Springfield
St. Louis (2)
MONTANA
Billings
Helena
Missoula
NEBRASKA
Lincoln
North Platte
Omaha
NEVADA
Las Vegas
Reno
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Concord
NEW JERSEY
Atlantic City
Jersey City
Lyndhurst
Princeton
Somerset
NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque
NEW YORK
Albany
Brooklyn
East Syracuse
Endicott
Islandia
Jamaica
Manhattan (4)
Queens (2)
Rego Park
Rochester
Staten Island
Utica
Watertown
White Plains
Williamsville
NORTH CAROLINA
Asheville
Charlotte (2)
Durham
Greenville
Raleigh (2)
Wilmington
Winston-Salem
NORTH DAKOTA
Bismarck
Fargo
OHIO
Akron
Beachwood
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Dayton
Gahanna
Mason
Maumee
Westlake
OKLAHOMA
Norman
Oklahoma City (2)
Tulsa
OREGON
Beaverton
Medford
Portland
Salem
PENNSYLVANIA
Allentown
Erie
Harrisburg
Horsham
King of Prussia
Lancaster
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh (2)
Plymouth Meeting
Scranton
St. Marys
Washington
RHODE ISLAND
Warwick
SOUTH CAROLINA
Columbia
Greenville
North Charleston
Spartanburg
SOUTH DAKOTA
Sioux Falls
TENNESSEE
Chattanooga
Johnson City
Knoxville
Memphis (2)
Nashville
TEXAS
Abilene
Amarillo
Austin (2)
Bellaire
Christi
Corpus
Dallas
El Paso
Harlengen
Houston (2)
Hurst
Lubbock
UTAH
Bountiful
Draper
Ogden
VERMONT
South Burlington
VIRGINIA
Alexandria
Chesapeake
Glen Allen
Lynchburg
Newport News
Richmond
Roanoke
Vienna
WASHINGTON
Renton
Seattle
Spokane Valley
Yakima
WEST VIRGINIA
Charleston
Morgantown
WISCONSIN
Brookfield
Eau Claire
Kenosha
Madison
Milwaukee
WYOMING
Casper
U.S. Territories
GUAM
Tamuning
PUERTO RICO
San Juan
Visit www.pearsonvue.com/ptcb for a current searchable listing.