National Pharmacy Technician Certification is currently not required by any Federal agency, however, many States require certification and most employers prefer to hire Certified Pharmacy Technicians.
The PTCB exam and the ExCPT exam are the two certification exams accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board grants a designation of CPhT (certified pharmacy technician) to those that pass the PTCB exam. The exam costs $129 and the certification is valid for 2 years. The National Healthcareer Association administers the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) and those that pass are also awarded the title of CPhT. This exams costs $105.
The National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA) is a large professional organization for pharmacy techs and students. They offer specialty certificate programs to enhance a CPhT. The programs can be taken online and are offered for sterile products, chemo and compounding.
The Sterile Product Certification Course is structured so pharmacy technicians learn about sterile product preparation and aseptic technique, including USP. It meets all applicable State Board of Pharmacy training requirements for IV Certified Pharmacy Technicians.
The Chemo Certification Course trains pharmacy professionals on the proper handling of hazardous drugs. It is designed to comply with applicable State Board of Pharmacy training requirements for Chemo Certification. The Compounding Certification Course trains pharmacy technicians on the topic of extemporaneous, non-sterile pharmaceutical compounding. Pharmacy technicians that have a comprehensive knowledge of compounding as well as experience with the latest equipment, techniques and methods, have advanced career options.
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