The Pharmacy Technician certification is a valuable addition to your resume and a great stepping stone for those interested in pursuing a career in the field. These certifications can help you target your dream job.
Working as a pharmacy tech is a great opportunity, but it is also a challenging one. That is why you need to put in as much effort as you possibly can when preparing for your pharmacy tech certification exam.
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If you are interested in becoming a pharmacy technician and you don’t know where to start, this article is for you.
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A pharmacy technician (or pharm tech) is a licensed health professional who works in a retail pharmacy and provides support to pharmacists in various tasks. Technicians fulfill a variety of roles. It ranges from filling prescriptions and preparing medications, to handling customer service and inventory management.
Pharmacy technicians often work in a team alongside pharmacists, physicians, and other health care professionals to help patients manage their medications.
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The duties of a pharmacy technician depend on the setting. In hospital settings, technicians often prepare, measure, and administer medications for patients in hospitals and nursing homes. While pharmacy techs in a retail pharmacy often perform similar functions but they may also be responsible for selecting and ordering inventory and restocking shelves.
Aside from fulfilling their primary duties, most pharmacy techs also help the pharmacists with administrative tasks like billing and insurance processing. They also need to keep records of every product they handle.
Some technicians also specialize in compounding and mixing medications that are difficult to make or unavailable in a standard dosage.
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) administers two certification tests for pharmacy technicians. First is the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) exam and then the Certification in Advanced Pharmacy Practice (CAP).
The CPhT exam tests pharmacy technicians’ knowledge of the functions of a pharmacy. On the other hand, the CAP exam tests pharmacy technicians’ knowledge of common practices in advanced pharmacy practice.
These two tests are often used interchangeably, and both tests examine the same knowledge required for success as a pharmacy technician. Both exams cover the same material and the CPhT is a general test that’s open to anyone.
However, the CAP is a more specialized test that’s only open to those who have completed an approved advanced pharmacy program.
To increase your chances of passing both exams, it is recommended to take a free pharmacy technician practice test to familiarize yourself with the exam. Do this alongside the best preparation and strategies that will help you get ready and reach your goal.
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The best preparation strategies for Pharmacy Tech exams can help you study smarter and improve your chances of passing the exam. But what are they?
When it comes to studying for pharmacy tech exams, there are a few key things you can do to set yourself up for success. Make a study schedule you will follow. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you’re covering all the material you need to know.
Schedule specific times each day or week to review pharmacy technician concepts. Staying consistent with your studies will help you retain information better and be less stressed come test time.
Organizing your study plan and following it diligently will help you avoid procrastinating.
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Don’t underestimate the importance of taking a practice PTCB exam. By going through a full-length mock test, you can get a feel for the question format and what to expect on test day. You will become familiar with the types of questions that will be on the exam and learn how to apply your knowledge to solving problems.
In addition, practicing under timed conditions will help you manage your time during the actual exam. This will ensure that you don’t run out of time during the real thing.
Taking practice tests will help you build confidence and allow you to practice your test-taking strategies. Reviewing your score after each practice exam will help you identify any weak areas.
One of the best ways to study for your pharmacy tech test is to create a study group. You can create this study group with your classmates or with people from other pharmacy tech schools.
Study groups can keep you accountable and ensure that you are focusing on understanding the information. Meeting with these people once or twice a week and quizzing each other on the information will help you to retain the information for the long term.
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Find out and acquaint yourself with the location of your testing site. Make sure you know where your test will be held and any parking restrictions there. Some schools may not permit GPS devices or cell phones. Make sure you find that out well in advance. If you can’t get to the test on time, you might be disqualified and not allowed to return for a make-up test.
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When it comes to pharmacy tech exams, preparation is key. Dedicating more than two hours per day to studying will give you the best chance of success. Create a study schedule and stick to it. Review crucial material daily so that the information stays fresh in your mind.
There are many ways to prepare for the PTCB exams. Those that have previous pharmacy experience have a distinct advantage. Being familiar with drug names and their respective uses makes studying a lot easier. However, with the right preparation, anyone can pass the pharmacy tech exam.
The tips above will help you get ready for your pharmacy tech exams to build your confidence and ensure you are fully prepared. We hope this article helps you with your upcoming pharmacy board exam.
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