The PTCB exam is a critical step in the pursuit of a career as a pharmacy technician. It’s important to know the ins and outs of the exam so you can make smart preparations for it.
This study guide will help you get ready for the exam with a comprehensive study plan, PTCB practice test, and review of the most important topics. It includes two full length practice exams, a review of the most important material, and online flashcards to make it an all-in-one resource for your PTCB prep needs. Here are some tips that will help you prepare for the exam:
Review and practice math
A big part of the exam focuses on calculations, so spend some time practicing those skills. This will ensure that you can complete the test without having to rely on memory or trial and error.
Use the official PTCB Calculations Practice Questions App
If you have an Android or iPhone, you can download the official PTCB Calculations Practice Questions app to try out questions from previous exams before taking the actual one. This will give you an idea of what you can expect during the real exam and help calm your nerves.
Study the Patient Safety and Quality Assurance Topics
You will likely be asked to answer questions about the safety of patients and the quality of medications and supplies you provide. These topics occupy about 12.5% of the exam, so it’s worth reviewing them before you take the test.
Use a Study Plan
If you’re not sure where to start, check out the PTCB content outline. This will help you prioritize the topics you need to study and identify any concepts that you need more knowledge on.
Build effective and routine revision into your study strategy
The best way to remember material is by writing it down in your own words, using a pen and paper or making flash cards. This will help you to understand the information more clearly and speed up your studying process.
Make flashcards or notecards for each topic you’re studying to help you remember what you have learned. Also, it’s helpful to create your own mnemonic breakdown of drug names and classes. This will help you to memorize the names of drugs easier, and will increase your confidence on the actual PTCB exam.
Learn the Top 200 Drugs and Their Functions
It’s not easy to memorize all the drugs on the exam, so it’s important to be able to recall the names of the most common drugs you’ll see. You can do this by memorizing the brand name and generic names of the most common drugs, as well as their functions.
Another helpful tip is to recognize drug names and classes by their suffixes, like adverbs or modifiers. This will also help you memorize the drug names and classes more easily and quickly.
Memorize the Top 200 Drugs and Their Functions
To memorize the top 200 drugs on the exam, it’s a good idea to do flashcards or notecards for each drug. You can also do a mnemonic breakdown of drug names and class to help you memorize them more quickly and easily.
