Requirements

At this time, to achieve PTCB Certification, candidates must satisfy the following eligibility requirements: 

•High school diploma or equivalent educational diploma (e.g., a GED or foreign diploma) 

•Full disclosure of all criminal and State Board of Pharmacy registration or licensure actions 

•Compliance with all applicable PTCB Certification policies 

•Passing score on the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE)  

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) has decided to suspend the implementation of the planned 2020 accredited education requirement for pharmacy technicians who seek PTCB Certification for the first time. PTCB originally announced in 2013 that the requirement would take effect in 2020 as part of a road map of program changes designed to keep pace with the evolution of technician roles in the pharmacy. 

Last updated on 10/04/2017

In addition to the high school diploma or GED, fees, and a criminal background check, a Pharmacy Technician in the state of California must meet one of the following requirements: 

•Have an Associate’s degree in Pharmacy Technology from a program accredited by the American Society of Health–System. 

•Programs cover a variety of subjects, such as arithmetic, recordkeeping and data entry, ways of dispensing medications, and pharmacy law and ethics. Technicians also learn the names, uses, and doses of medications they will come into contact with during the course of their job. Many programs also include clinical experience opportunities, so that the student has some practical training and experience. 

•Complete a course of training specified by the board. 

•This can be any other course that provides a training period of at least 240 hours of instruction, which includes training in pharmaceutical and medical terms, abbreviations and symbols that are often used in prescribing, knowledge of dosage and storage requirements, and an ability to calculate required dosages employing both the metric and apothecary systems. More detailed curriculum requirements can be found here:http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/applicants/index.shtml#faq_tech  

•Graduate from a School of Pharmacy recognized by the board. 

•Obtain certification by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board by passing the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam 

•The newest version of the PTCE was recently reorganized. The exam now has a total of nine sections, as opposed to the three sections that were used on previous exams. All nine sections have sub-sections, and the focus of the exam has shifted to include specialties like medication safety and pharmacy information systems. There are 90 total questions on the exam at this time.  

Continuing Education: The PTCB requirements mandate that certified technicians must seek recertification every two years. Pharmacy technicians must complete at least 20 hours of pharmacy-related continuing education in order to recertify themselves with the PTCB. Up to ten hours can be earned through on-the-job training under the supervision of a pharmacist, completing tasks that challenge and teach the technician in new ways. Per PTCB requirements for pharmacy technicians in the state of California, at least one hour must be spent studying pharmacy law.