PTCB Exam Question

[GT500]

How many questions generally do you have to get correct in order to pass the PTCB exam. I know the passing rate is 650 and there are 100 questions, 10 of which are not counted against you. I am guessing you have to get 60% of the questions correct or something similar. Thanks for your help.

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[mochiko]

From what I understand, some questions are weighed more heavily than others (with math questions usually counting for more points). Thus, it's kind of hard to say that getting a set number of questions correct will earn you a passing score. Just nail the math problems, read up on law a little, and you should be fine. Although I had no previous pharmacy experience and completely guessed on most of the drug questions, I managed to get a 805/900. 👍

 

[GT500]

I guess I am worried about missing questions on the generic-->brand names. The math calculations seems to deal alot with proportions and conversions such as (kg to lb or tsp to mL). Much of it is algebra related. I am studying the top 200 generics so hopefully that will be enough before test time at the end of August. I am also using the pharmacy trainer CD to help study pharmacy law.

 

[Sparda29]

Yeah, some questions are weighed more heavily than others.

What I don't understand is the Scaled Scores on the side of the report.

Like this is what it says on mine:

Total: Passing Score - 650 - Your Scaled Score - 790
Assist Pharmacist in Serving Patients - - 782
Maintain Med. Inventory Control System - - 789
Admin. Mgmt. of Pharmacy Practice - - 837

 

[prepharmdude]

hey guys, what review books do you recommend for the test? I am taking it on Aug 28. thanks

 

[WestTXisGr8]

Don't worry. I thought for sure I failed it. However, some of the questions don't count against you at all. They put in questions that they are determining if they should be on the next round of tests. Those questions don't count towards your grade. I don't know how many questions they add in there. But again, I thought for sure I failed it. I had only worked retail at the time I took the test and my test had a seemingly large number of questions regarding flow hoods and things that were related to hospital pharmacy. But I passed. I felt like I got about 50% of the questions right. I took the test a year ago. So you can't really base it on that. Good Luck and keep us posted!

 

[GT500]

EastTXisGr8, do you remember what score you received on the exam? Right now, I am studying the top 200 generics to brand name and reviewing pharmacy law using the pharmacytrainer CD. I will be taking the exam August 22nd. I figured a month of studying should be enough. Hopefully, a good portion of the exam will be math based, proportions, allegations, conversions, and flow rates because I seem to do well in this area. Well if anyone has any more advice let me know.

 

[bananaface]

L&E is where most PCTB threads initially show up. I'll move your thread here for consistency. There may also be other threads of interest to you in this forum. 🙂

 

[WestTXisGr8]

EastTXisGr8, do you remember what score you received on the exam? Right now, I am studying the top 200 generics to brand name and reviewing pharmacy law using the pharmacytrainer CD. I will be taking the exam August 22nd. I figured a month of studying should be enough. Hopefully, a good portion of the exam will be math based, proportions, allegations, conversions, and flow rates because I seem to do well in this area. Well if anyone has any more advice let me know.

I don't remember my score. And I hardly studied. I was working for CVS at the time and they paid for the exam and were supposed to supply me with a study guide. I had downloaded a free study guide from my college library that was REALLY old. After 2 months of weekly ordering the study guide from CVS, they sent it to me 3 days before I took the exam. Way to go CVS. I hardly knew any drug names. Basically I knew that by the name I could tell what "type" of drug it was. I studied the math for the most part, how to determine to get the right strength of a solution with more than 2 combined drugs, etc. There was a lot of math on the exam. Some proportions but a lot of calculations. At least on my exam it seemed like it was a greater percentage of math than anything else. There were several questions giving the name of 4 drugs and determining which one was not in that family of drugs. Most I guessed by deduction and name. But it would have definitely helped had I known the top 200 drugs.

When I went into the exam I felt unprepared. I hadn't had a chance to hardly study the CVS study guides - which would have definitely helped. The book I studied was OLD. I figured since CVS was paying for the first exam, if I failed, I would keep the CVS study guides and pass the exam the second time and just pay for it myself. So I really didn't have a lot to lose.

When I got out of the exam I knew I aced the math, and pretty sure I passed the legal, but the rest of it I was VERY unsure about. I felt liked I had given a semi "educated" guess on a lot of it. I had a whole section on flow hoods and sterile procedures and IVs. I knew absolutely NOTHING about any of that. I'm not sure why it was there because you have to be certified separately (at least in my state) in order to do IVs. Maybe those are the questions they threw in for possible future use.

I was extremely nervous until I got my results. I was sure I had failed. But I passed, and no, I can't remember my score but I do recall I didn't pass by leaps and bounds, but I passed.

From all your studying you should be just fine. Just don't freeze up during the test. You have plenty of time. I finished with an hour to spare. Take your time, go with your gut, and use common sense. That combined with your studying should bring you a great score!

Good luck!

 

[i am lost]

what should we really focus on the ptcb exam to pass and which area really helps you in the pharmacy setting?

 

[qannoon]

oh !take time you will do it!