PTCB exam

[stikahvickie]

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Hey guys! I was wondering if anyone took the PTCB exam recently? Were the questions basically calculations? or was there more generic/brand name stuff? Also how does the computerized test change things? Thanks!

 

[Eviscerate]

Probably about 50% is calculations. There are some generic/brand stuff, but if you have not had any exposure to it, don't bother learning it, there are more efficient ways to boost your score, like getting your PTCB-specific math down pat.

 

[elissicawhat]

well, you're always told that everyone's test is different. I took mine in July. It had more retail math(mark-up pricing, dosage calculations). I had more Controlled brand name/generic questions. I was TIcKED....I studied all 200!!🙁
And then you have the questions on there that aren't even graded, so you can't calculate your grade from the ones you know you got correct.
I also wasn't prepared to write on a dry erase board. That was very distracting!
But I've talked to a lot of people who have no pharmacy experience, and they studied a test prep book and passed. Good luck!

 

[Farmercyst]

Moved to L&E, there should be several PTCE/PTCB posts in this forum to give you a fair idea as to what to expect.

 

[kthomp]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum, I just found it. I am about to take my PTCB exam on Dec 18th. I was just wondering, can you use scrap paper? I am brushing up on my math right now and I know I would be pretty lost without paper for the calculations.

Thank you!

 

[Splack]

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum, I just found it. I am about to take my PTCB exam on Dec 18th. I was just wondering, can you use scrap paper? I am brushing up on my math right now and I know I would be pretty lost without paper for the calculations.

Thank you!

When I took it, they gave me a dry-erase sheet of paper and a marker w/ no eraser. Once you ran out of space, you had to raise your hand and were given another one.

Focus on the calculations, a lot of easy ones to boost your score. I came across about a handful of brand/generic questions. Had a couple of what schedule does this drug fall under. I came out of that test not feeling good about 20 of them and still ended up passing w/ a pretty decent score.

 

[kthomp]

I had another question- is it possible to skip a question and come back to it later or must you answer all of the questions in order? Like if say #8 was something you weren't sure on, would you have to guess at an answer right away or could you skip it and come back to it at the end?

 

[PharmDY]

I had another question- is it possible to skip a question and come back to it later or must you answer all of the questions in order? Like if say #8 was something you weren't sure on, would you have to guess at an answer right away or could you skip it and come back to it at the end?

yes u can skip. u can also take a guess and still mark it as a review item. by the end of the exam, u will have a chance to see all the "to review" items u marked and go back to change it.

 

[subzerox2]

I just got back from taking the PTCE, not too sure if I passed since I studied pretty briefly for it. The calculations were easy as long as you know the various conversions and abbreviations like bid, tid etc. But only about a third of my test had calculations though; other than that there was a fair amount of protocol stuff and drug classification q's.

 

[JONDLOU]

Blessings to all the new CPhTs out there.

This may help size-up an average test at the end of 2007. I just took the PTCE at the end of November. It was like what everyone had described, so don't panic.

Once I got home and I couldn't stop thinking about what I may have missed. So, I began to make vague notes to see if I was right on ones I wasn't sure about, which also lead to writing down as many as I could remember in general. This way I had some good with the bad.

Amazingly, about 40 questions came to mind out of 100. None of these were math since I wasn't interested in recalling the simple algebra, which composed approximately 50% of it altogether. I would have to say I was a little hung on processes that weren't covered obviously enough for me in the book, like: known more about the different types of flow hoods (vertical and horizontal), storing temperatures of various medications, and some more medical terminology outside of my exam guide would have eliminated some educated guessing.

I would do all the math right. Plus, remember the drug's classifications and what they do to you.

Anyways, I found I probably missed close to 15 for sure, and the math should be heavily weighted (or curved) since it is basically impossible to do a good job without it (on the test or in the pharmacy).

Hope you pass, and post if you have any more questions/facts.

Thanks for reading,

😎Jon

 

[Nova6287]

Hi,
Did you study from any books in particular? Can you please give me the name and author. I looked for books on Amazon, but after reading the comments from reviewers I was discouraged. Can you please give any advise. Thank you.

 

[subzerox2]

Wow...so I actually passed. Honestly I think that as long as you know the conversions, calculations, and sig codes/abbreviations you should be set. If you want to be more secure, look into the controlled drugs, hoods/cart/drug storage etc. stuff.

 

[nhc20042000]

Well I took it today, not sure if I pass or not we'll see! Test mostly calculations, know inventory stuff like, group purchasing, turnover rate stuff like that. Only had one abbreviation questions, just make sure you know, inventory, flow hood, schedule drug infor really well, and calculations!

 

[Bez604]

So focus a lot on the inventory stuff? What about schedule of drugs information? Anything else? I'm taking it on wed.

 

[Bully Worm]

I just took a few hours ago.

On my test:

Very basic stuff about:
-Flow hoods
-Schedule I-V (know the common ones like Codiene/Xanax/Valium)
-Assisting a pharmacist(these should be common sense)
-Know a few Laws. Again, just the basic ones.(HIPAA)
-Know the very common drugs both generic and brand. (Top of my head - Penicillin,Cepha-, Vicodin, Singulair, Norvasc, Anti-hypertensive, etc etc.)
-Know the basic sig codes. (qid, tid, stat, gtt, po, au, ou, q etc)
-Touch up on the section about which drugs require package inserts
-Know the different basic kinds of pharmacy books(Orange, red book etc)
-Know what should be needed on a label of a presciption
-Know basic terminology like hydrophobic, buccal, elmusion, levigation, MSDS etc.
-Know your math. Basically, its probably a good 98% that all of them are proportion/rates. There are some flow rates and I encountered 1 allegation problem.
-Know your conversions from pints-quarts-lbs-ounces.
-Know your DEA forms. Particularly 222 and 106 and when they should be used.

I bought this PTCB exam book :

Also, the author of this book held a seminar at my school. That helped alot.
But with this book, you should pass with flying colors easily. Don't bother buying those thick 36inch exam books. This one is very concise, less then 200 pages with just about everything you need to know, practice tests included. I sound like I'm promoting this book. 😛

Anyways, if your interested in this book, it can be obtained here:
http://www.techprepsolutions.com/

 

[AntiviralsRule]

I took the exam yesterday. It was 100 questions, and they gave you two hours. I finished with about 30 minutes to spare, and then had plenty of time to go over my answers.

The computerized system is pretty simple and straightforward. But I ran into a problem with the calculator the testing center gave me -- it was set to automatically round up the numbers, so some of my answers were off. When I finally clued in to the problem, I asked the worker about it and she was like, "You shouldn't mess with the settings on the calculator." I was like, "I didn't. That was how it was given to me." So it was a bit stressful because I had to go back and recheck the first 10 questions, most of which were calculations.

I'd say about 3/5 of the test involved calculations. So if you know how to do them, you should be OK. I studied with Mosby's PTCE book, which was adequate. I did notice quite a few typos in the book, but it does give you everything you need to know.

 

[hana]

hello all.

my pharmacy degree from another country and I want to write the PEBC evaluation exam july/2008 and looking for study partner (online) any one intersted? and if any one has the material sold online form the pharmacy prep site. it is candian stuff at
http://www.pharmacyprep.com/default.htm just wondering if any one find those suff useful.

Thanks

hana

 

[kthomp]

I took the exam yesterday. There was a lot of math, especially calculating dosages. There were also a lot of questions about procedures, C dispensing rules, and drugs that require special handling.

If you took the test, how long did it take you to get the result? The paper they gave me said Jan 2nd, but the thought of this dragging on through Christmas is killing me.

 

[hana]

hi Kthomp,

I do not think you wrot the canadian PEPC evaluation exam. they will have one in january/ 08 and july/08.

good luck

 

[kthomp]

hi Kthomp,

I do not think you wrot the canadian PEPC evaluation exam. they will have one in january/ 08 and july/08.

good luck

No, I took the American PTCB exam. But thank you for the good wishes!

 

[Starlet]

just new in the board been browsing for a quite awhile and just decided to join in. lol


anyways... i been reading what people say about the ptcb exam in here. I was planning to take mine this year but got scared that i wouldn't pass it. So I rescheduled it again for next year. lol


quick question though: What's the best study guide out there for the ptcb?

 

[Bully Worm]

quick question though: What's the best study guide out there for the ptcb?

Day1. - Pharm. Laws
a.Acts and Admendments
b.Recalls and NDC's
c. Controlled Drugs schedules and verifying a DEA number
d. Pharmacy Books

Day2. - Quick Drug Classification

Day3. - Common drugs
a. diabetes
b. Thyroid and osteoporosis
c. cardiovascular system

Day 4 - Common drugs
a. central nervous system
b. Gastrointestinal

Day 5 - Common drugs
a. respiratory
b. anti-infectives

Day 6 -
a. pregnancy categories and category drugs
b. photo sensitivity and discoloration
c. refrigeration and temperatures
d. vitamins and antidotes
e. dosage forms
f. common and miscellaneous pharmacy abbreviations

Day 7-
a. intravenous solutions and routes of administartion
b. laminar airflow hoods
c.systems of measurement
d. roman numerals

Day8-
a.fractions ratios, decimals, and proportions
b.percent and conversions
c.weight and volume problems
d.dilution and allegation problems
e.flow rates
f.business math.

Day 9+
-take practice tests.


This is all you need to know. I guarantee it.👍

 

[Starlet]

Day1. - Pharm. Laws
a.Acts and Admendments
b.Recalls and NDC's
c. Controlled Drugs schedules and verifying a DEA number
d. Pharmacy Books

Day2. - Quick Drug Classification

Day3. - Common drugs
a. diabetes
b. Thyroid and osteoporosis
c. cardiovascular system

Day 4 - Common drugs
a. central nervous system
b. Gastrointestinal

Day 5 - Common drugs
a. respiratory
b. anti-infectives

Day 6 -
a. pregnancy categories and category drugs
b. photo sensitivity and discoloration
c. refrigeration and temperatures
d. vitamins and antidotes
e. dosage forms
f. common and miscellaneous pharmacy abbreviations

Day 7-
a. intravenous solutions and routes of administartion
b. laminar airflow hoods
c.systems of measurement
d. roman numerals

Day8-
a.fractions ratios, decimals, and proportions
b.percent and conversions
c.weight and volume problems
d.dilution and allegation problems
e.flow rates
f.business math.

Day 9+
-take practice tests.


This is all you need to know. I guarantee it.👍

Thanks but my question is there a study guide that cover all of this 🙂

 

[Bully Worm]

Well thats a 'study guide outline' I received from a seminar. I used that 'Concise Review for PTCB' up there to study according to the 'study guide outline'.

 

[AntiviralsRule]

Mosby's is a decent book. It has a lot of practice calculations and five complete practice exams (plus a CD-ROM). You can find it on Amazon. Here's a link. The only caveat: look out for typos. There are quite a few in this book. Still, I think it's worth the $33 just for the practice problems and summary of information.

 

[Starlet]

Mosby's is a decent book. It has a lot of practice calculations and five complete practice exams (plus a CD-ROM). You can find it on Amazon. Here's a link. The only caveat: look out for typos. There are quite a few in this book. Still, I think it's worth the $33 just for the practice problems and summary of information.

yeah just ordered that in barnes and nobles would arrive there in a week.

I use to work for SAV ON FOR 3 MONTHS AS A PHARMACY TECHNICIAN and I got their reviewer book (2006 ) and i got the PHARMACY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION EXAM REVIEW 2SCND EDITION (DELMAR) BY PATRICIA ANTHONY.

 

[Farmer83]

Mosby's is a decent book. It has a lot of practice calculations and five complete practice exams (plus a CD-ROM). You can find it on Amazon. Here's a link. The only caveat: look out for typos. There are quite a few in this book. Still, I think it's worth the $33 just for the practice problems and summary of information.

I used this book and it was semi helpful. It lacked a glossary for sigs, which would've been useful. I bought the book mainly because I had no pharmacy experience but wanted to make sure I could pass the exam. I'd have to say at least 50% of the exam was calculations and the next most common group of questions were generic/brand name types of questions. The rest (a small %) were about procedures and pharmacy law. If you're good with math, and know what the general sigs are, you should have a good chance of passing the exam. I passed the exam with a 718, with no experience and just an idea of basic sigs. If you're worried about it, don't worry! 🙂 I got worried when I saw the recent passing rates on the PTCB site and how they were lower than in past years when they changed the test. But if I was able to wing the test, you guys can do it too! 🙂 (Well, don't try to wing it. Study if you can 🙂 )

 

[AntiviralsRule]

I took the exam yesterday. There was a lot of math, especially calculating dosages. There were also a lot of questions about procedures, C dispensing rules, and drugs that require special handling.

If you took the test, how long did it take you to get the result? The paper they gave me said Jan 2nd, but the thought of this dragging on through Christmas is killing me.

I took the test on the 17th of December, and they told me the same thing: you have to wait 'til Jan. 2nd. Bah humbug! 😉

 

[kthomp]

I took the test on the 17th of December, and they told me the same thing: you have to wait 'til Jan. 2nd. Bah humbug! 😉

I know! It really was killing me to not know over Christmas, I was refreshing the site constantly.

I found out Thursday afternoon, I passed! I'm so glad to have the chip off my shoulder. I was quite under the weather with a horrible cold but I swear the minute I found out I started getting better. 🙂

Have you found out if you passed yet? Good luck!

 

[AntiviralsRule]

I know! It really was killing me to not know over Christmas, I was refreshing the site constantly.

I found out Thursday afternoon, I passed! I'm so glad to have the chip off my shoulder. I was quite under the weather with a horrible cold but I swear the minute I found out I started getting better. 🙂

Have you found out if you passed yet? Good luck!

I passed too! Woohoo! 😀