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Exam

• The first step to becoming a Certified Pharmacy Technician is to sit for and pass the certification exam. Once the technician has passed the exam, they are considered certified. After that point, they must obtain twenty continuing education credits every two years for their certification to be renewed.
  
  

Certifcation Requirements

• Before a pharmacy technician can sit for the certification exam, they must meet some prerequisites. According to the PTCB, the prerequisites include a high school diploma or equivalent GED, no prior felonies, no prior drug or pharmacy convictions and no previous denials, suspension, revocation or restriction of registration or licensure by any state board of pharmacy.
  
  

Exam Structure

• The Certified Pharmacy Technician test may be administered by other institutions offering certification programs, but all exams are from the PTCB. The exam itself consists of 90 questions in a computerized, multiple-choice format, and covers assisting pharmacists in serving patients, maintaining medication and inventory control systems, and participating in the administration and management of pharmacy practice.
  
  

Certification Programs

• There are hundreds of schools across the United States that offer Certified Pharmacy Technician programs. There are two well-known online programs available through the University of Phoenix and Kaplan University. People wishing to find a program in their area should contact or visit the website of their state's board of pharmacy.
  
  

Considerations

• Once someone has obtained the status of Certified Pharmacy Technician, they must obtain twenty continuing education credit hours every two years from the date of certification to remain certified. The National Pharmacy Technician Association website has a regularly updated list of CEs that meet the requirements set forth by the PTCB.