Top 5 PTCB Study Guides for 2019
This article has been updated for 2024! Please click here: Top 5 PTCB Study Guides for 2024
If you have completed Pharmacy Technician training your next best step is to earn your Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) designation. Here we’ve put together the Top 5 PTCB Study Guides for 2019 to help you earn it.
This esteemed credential is essential in most states while also providing pharmacy techs more job opportunities and higher income potential. Many states actually make it a requirement to have the CPhT designation in order to be employed as a pharmacy technician.
Prior to becoming certified as a pharmacy technician, there are several requirements that must be met. One of these important requirements is taking and passing the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE).
The PTCE is administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and which is recognized in all 50 states. The PTCB establishes the national standard for pharmacy technicians in order to improve upon the safety of medication and patient care.
The PTCE is a nationally accredited certification exam for pharmacy technicians, through which over 600,000 pharmacy technicians have been certified.
In addition to passing the exam, to be eligible to earn the PTCB certification you must also:
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent (such as a GED or diploma from a foreign country)
- Fully disclose any and all criminal and license actions or registration from a State Board of Pharmacy
- Comply with applicable policies for the PTCB Certification
After all of your hard work to a complete pharmacy tech program and meeting the requirements from your State Board Pharmacy, your next step is to prepare to take and pass the PTCE. You should focus on passing the PTCE exam on your first try!
Therefore, we highly suggest a good PTCE study guide (or two) to help assist you pass this very important exam.
Prepping with a solid, well-respected study guides can make all the difference in your test score. At the same time, these guides will help give you the confidence needed while sitting to take the test.
Below we have compiled a list of the top 5 PTCE study exam guides for 2019 available.
Top 5 PTCB Study Guides for 2019
1. Mosby’s Review for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (Mosby’s Reviews) 4th Edition by James J. Mizner BS MBA RPh
Mosby’s Review for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination, 3rd edition continues to be one of the top PTCB exam guides available this year – with the 4th edition of the study guide available on 9/17/2019.
The author, James Mizner, is an educator for pharmacy techs. It is not often that you will find many other books written by someone who is well regarded in the pharmacology industry.
The guide includes study materials on all of the exam content, as well as outlines, strategies, test taking-tips and digital flash cards.
Each chapter of the exam guide aligns along with a domain knowledge required for you to know and understand. The structure of the book allows you to practice in sections, allowing you to increase your understanding in blocks of information.
Included in the exam guide are the following:
- 1,700 review questions within 17 practice exams
- 700 digital flash cards to increase your recall of facts about medicines, sound-alike drugs, and abbreviations
- 7 practice exams in the same format and knowledge domain of the exam
- Suggestions and test taking tips to increase your success rate
- Current drug info and practice procedures based on the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam Blueprint from the PTCB
2. PTCB Exam Study Guide: Test Prep and Practice Test Questions Book for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Examination– by
Ascencia’s PTCB Exam Study Guide is not just another exam study guide. By providing tons of real-world information, examples and graphic diagrams, a full review of the exam content is in this one book.
The guide covers the following and more:
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacist assisting
- Pharmacy law and ethics
- Pharmacy management and administration
- Compounding of pharmaceuticals
- Pharmacy math
The exam guide also includes one full practice exam.
3. Secrets of the PTCB Exam Study Guide: PTCB Test Review for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Examination Stg Edition – by
This thorough and challenging PTCE study book is another widely regarded tool for preparing to take the PTCB exam.
Everything you need to perform well is all in this book. It provides explanations of the principles, procedures, vocabulary, and concepts that you will be expected to know well.
Sections of the exam guide include:
- Medication safety
- Pharmacy law and regulations
- Pharmacy safety
- Inventory management
- Billing and reimbursement
- Compounding
- Application and usage of information systems
4. PTCB Exam Simplified, 3rd Edition: Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam Study Guide – by David A Heckman PharmD
This updated and expanded edition of this popular exam guide covers all of the 9 knowledge areas that make up the PTCB exam.
The PTCB Exam Simplified study guide focuses on providing the key elements that are outlined on the PTCB exam blueprint. The author structured this guide to have you actually solving questions with tons of practice problems and real life examples.
Written by a pharmacist, the guide is very effective, efficient and practical for your preparation of the PTCB exam.
Features of the book include:
- Listing of the top 300+ prescription drugs, over the counter (OTC) drugs, and herbal supplements
- Secrets to solving almost any pharmacy math problem
- Review of pharmacy law
- Simple guide to interpreting prescriptions
- Secrets to solving pharmacy math problems
- Visual guides using tables, illustrations and charts to assist learning quickly
5. Complete Math Review for the Pharmacy Technician (Apha Pharmacy Technician Training Series) 5th Edition – by
Many people have a fear of performing math. If you’re one of them, we recommend that you get an additional book that is focused entirely on math for pharmacy techs.
The review book contains practice problems from the real world so that you’ll be able to easily transfer your knowledge to your first job.
Main features of this book includes:
- 100 test questions to aide in improving skills for standardized exams
- 850 math practice problems with the solutions in the back of the book
- Over 75 challenge questions to interpreting pharmaceutical product package inserts
Bonus PTCE study material
Flashcard Study System for the PTCB Exam: PTCB Test Practice Questions & Review for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Examination (Cards) – by
If you are interested in an alternate method of preparing for this challenging exam – this flashcard system may be the next best thing for you.
Using spaced repetition with the Flashcard Study System for the PTCB Exam makes studying fun, fast and portable! You can take these flashcards with you anywhere for any amount of time – even for just a few minutes.
The flashcards provides an in-depth review of all of the sections within the PTCB exam and more.
Conclusion
All of the top PTCB study guides for 2019 discussed above will provide the knowledge and confidence you need to successfully pass the PTCB exam.
Keep in mind to get your CPhT credential from the PTCB, you also must:
- Have a high school diploma, or the equivalent of – such as a GED
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Provide a disclosure of any criminal actions against you and any State Board of Pharmacy registration actions or licensure actions taken in the past against your license
- Agree to comply with all the PTCB Certification rules, regulations and policies
- Pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam!
With one or two of the guides listed above, along with your determination and focus – you’re well on your way to becoming a Certified Pharmacy Technician!