ptcb

[pharm tech]

i have been studying for a while and im schedule to take it feb 20th, but i was wondering, it said you wasnt allowed a calculator or anything , which i understand, but is the questions so easy u dont need one, or do you have to be really good adding things in your head, i know its a stupid questions, but i was just wondering, how hard is the test , and has anyone taking the new format one yet, for this year.....

Also does anyone have and advice on what books to study to make sure i know everything i need to know...

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[Farmercyst]

i have been studying for a while and im schedule to take it feb 20th, but i was wondering, it said you wasnt allowed a calculator or anything , which i understand, but is the questions so easy u dont need one, or do you have to be really good adding things in your head, i know its a stupid questions, but i was just wondering, how hard is the test , and has anyone taking the new format one yet, for this year.....

Also does anyone have and advice on what books to study to make sure i know everything i need to know...

Took it yesterday. They've an onscreen calculator you can click on when you need it. The test center I went to in Ontario, CA gave you a calculator and a dry erase board. That should be enough. Some of the calculations were pretty easy, but I enjoy math, so easy is relative.

 

[omar586]

what kind of question u would expect in the ptcb exam?

 

[Farmercyst]

what kind of question u would expect in the ptcb exam?

Several questions on preparation from a different concentration. A few preparation from two different concentrations. A lot of how much does the patient get based on different criteria (mg/kg/day, mg/kg ?id x days, mg ?id/day). A few match the generic to the brand. A couple inventory control questions. A couple questions on what criteria is this rule based on. Those are probably the major ones. That's about as specific as I can get I think.

 

[omar586]

Does Anybody Know Which Names U Have To Know The Generic Drugs Names Or The Brand Names, WHEN U BECOME A PHARMACY TECH.??

 

[Farmercyst]

Does Anybody Know Which Names U Have To Know The Generic Drugs Names Or The Brand Names, WHEN U BECOME A PHARMACY TECH.??

It varies. For PTCE you should technically know both. In terms of real life experience some meds are almost always written generic other will only be proprietary. For PTCE I'd concentrate on the C2's and then pick up a few of the more common ones. Diazepam/Valium, Diphenhydramine/Benadryl, etc. Know what class they are sedatives vs antihistamine.

 

[phcharm]

Hi farmercyt,

Is it true that ptcb exam is more on calculations? Im going to take an exam this march im so nervous. Pls. give me some advice what area should i focus. pls. thank you!

 

[Farmercyst]

Hi farmercyt,

Is it true that ptcb exam is more on calculations? Im going to take an exam this march im so nervous. Pls. give me some advice what area should i focus. pls. thank you!

Well, it's hard to say what yours will be like. I'd assume they are generally similar, but now that it's computerized it wouldn't necessarily have to be. I will tell you mine was probably 60% calculations of various types. So studying conversions and dosages would probably do you the most good. There were some question that had to do with everyday pharm stuff not related to calculations. I remember 3-4 that dealt with inventory functions. A few where you had to know proprietary/generic match. One required knowledge of what category a specific drug belonged in. You had to pick which one matched the drug they were asking for (word problem style.) One was regarding which piece of legislation a particular requirement in pharmacy came from. (Intentionally being as specifically generic as possible.) That's about all I can remember from mine. It said you can check your scores online about 2 weeks after the test. Good Luck

 

[omar586]

what are the C2's?

 

[Farmercyst]

what are the C2's?

Can't give specifics, sorry. They were quite common though. If I asked you to pick out a C2 from a list. It's one that would be easily recognizable.

I found a list online if you're up for memorization.
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/listby_sched/sched2.htm

 

[phcharm]

thank you farmercyst!
Hope I can make it.

 

[Farmercyst]

Just got the PTCE results from my 2/9 test on Sunday, I passed. Never stepped foot in a pharmacy, nor any labwork compounding. Both scary and satisfying. The scariest part is I have absolutely no experience and I'm thinking I'll look rather stupid my first day in a pharmacy, certified as a tech, and have no idea what to do other than math. Compounding, IVs, heck counting even. I've never touched a pill in my life (in terms of behind the counter).

 

[Leb]

Just got the PTCE results from my 2/9 test on Sunday, I passed. Never stepped foot in a pharmacy, nor any labwork compounding. Both scary and satisfying. The scariest part is I have absolutely no experience and I'm thinking I'll look rather stupid my first day in a pharmacy, certified as a tech, and have no idea what to do other than math. Compounding, IVs, heck counting even. I've never touched a pill in my life (in terms of behind the counter).

I did not know that you can take the test without being a technician already. If so, i want to take the test.
Where can you get the studying material from?

 

[Farmercyst]

I did not know that you can take the test without being a technician already. If so, i want to take the test.
Where can you get the studying material from?

ASHP has the books I used for my classes, but I don't know where you'd get study materials solely for the test. I just went over stuff I learned in class. Normally I would've completed coursework and gotten licensed w/o the test, but the coursework conflicted with pharm school prereqs, so I skipped the rest of the coursework and just took the test. The only stuff I hadn't learned was the inventory/compounding stuff, which wasn't tested all that much anyway. I would imagine if you check PTCB.org you can find their suggested study guides, since they administer the test.

 

[zoeypharm]

I am taking the PTCB exam on thursday.What book did you use to study? Also did you feel that you had enough time? How many questions about did you have on CII's? What other questions did they ask? Thanks

 

[Farmercyst]

I am taking the PTCB exam on thursday.What book did you use to study? Also did you feel that you had enough time? How many questions about did you have on CII's? What other questions did they ask? Thanks

I had tons of time. I forget how much time they give, but I know it was at least 90 minutes. It was 100 questions and I was done in 50 minutes. I had to go back and fill in four questions that I had skipped. I'd say no more than 5 questions about C2's. Again, I can't say my test will remotely resemble yours now that they're computerized. Can't go into specifics, but if you spend 75% of your time on pharmacy calcs, you should have no problem. I just went through my notes from pharmacology class before the test and then just looked over 1 problem on mixing different concentrations to yield an intermediate concentration. (Keep in mind I finished a whole semester on pharmacy calcs in November so it was pretty fresh in February.) I didn't use any study guides, and didn't really look in my Pharmacology for technicians textbook, though I did have it.
Good luck on Friday.

 

[Sirius77]

I am taking the PTCB exam on thursday.What book did you use to study? Also did you feel that you had enough time? How many questions about did you have on CII's? What other questions did they ask? Thanks

I bought two different books, to study for the exam. There were some what helpful. But the best thing I did for studying was buying a CD-ROM study guide and 200 flash cards.

CD-Rom

flash cards


Trust me they worked very well. I just received my passing score of 858 out of 900, yesterday from the PTCB.

Good luck

 

[starfish18]

hi i am going to take the test this month and i am really nervous. did anyone used the entire 120 minutes? is it really difficult? since i haven't prepared in months, what are important things i need to study? thanks!

 

[Farmercyst]

hi i am going to take the test this month and i am really nervous. did anyone used the entire 120 minutes? is it really difficult? since i haven't prepared in months, what are important things i need to study? thanks!

I bumped the thread from the last test, it covers these questions. I'll merge the two to keep everything in one place.

 

[Farmercyst]

I bumped the thread from the last test, it covers these questions. I'll merge the two to keep everything in one place.

bump