PTCE Exam Topics

Complete breakdown of every topic covered on the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE). Use this as your study roadmap.

Medications (40%)

Generic & Brand Names

  • Top 200 drugs
  • Brand name recognition
  • Generic equivalents
  • Therapeutic alternatives

Drug Classifications

  • Pharmacologic classes
  • Therapeutic categories
  • Drug mechanisms
  • Indications & uses

Side Effects & Interactions

  • Common adverse effects
  • Drug-drug interactions
  • Drug-food interactions
  • Contraindications

Dosage Forms & Administration

  • Routes of administration
  • Dosage form types
  • Storage requirements
  • Reconstitution procedures

Controlled Substances

  • DEA schedules I-V
  • Prescribing limits
  • Transfer rules
  • Emergency dispensing

OTC Medications

  • Behind-the-counter products
  • Patient counseling points
  • Age restrictions
  • Pseudoephedrine regulations

Federal Requirements (12.5%)

DEA Regulations

  • Registration requirements
  • DEA number validation
  • Controlled substance ordering
  • Inventory requirements

HIPAA

  • Protected health information
  • Minimum necessary standard
  • Patient rights
  • Breach notification

FDA Regulations

  • Drug approval process
  • NDC numbers
  • Drug recalls
  • MedWatch reporting

State & Federal Laws

  • OBRA 90
  • CMEA
  • PPPA
  • DSCSA track and trace

Patient Safety & QA (26.25%)

Error Prevention

  • Tall Man lettering
  • ISMP recommendations
  • High-alert medications
  • Root cause analysis

Compounding Standards

  • USP 795 non-sterile
  • USP 797 sterile
  • USP 800 hazardous drugs
  • Beyond-use dating

Quality Assurance

  • Quality improvement programs
  • Medication reconciliation
  • Adverse event reporting
  • Recall procedures

Pharmacy Calculations

  • Dosage calculations
  • IV flow rates
  • Dilutions & concentrations
  • Alligation method

Order Entry & Processing (21.25%)

Prescription Processing

  • Rx interpretation
  • Sig code translation
  • DAW codes
  • Refill authorization

Insurance & Billing

  • Third-party adjudication
  • Prior authorization
  • Formulary management
  • Coordination of benefits

Inventory Management

  • Ordering procedures
  • Receiving & storage
  • Rotation & expiration
  • Return-to-vendor

Technology & Automation

  • Automated dispensing cabinets
  • Barcode scanning
  • E-prescribing
  • Pharmacy information systems
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