The Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT®) is administered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) to assess the knowledge and skills of prospective pharmacy technicians. Passing this exam will award you the CPhT certification.
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Eligibility
To be eligible for the exam, you must hold a high school diploma or some equivalent, and you must meet ONE of the following requirements:
- You must have at least one year of work experience within the last three years that includes a minimum of 1,200 hours of supervised pharmacy-related work
- You must have completed a pharmacy technician education/training program within the last five years
Exam Outline Review
The ExCPT contains 120 multiple-choice questions, 20 of which are unscored, and you will be given a time limit of 2 hours and 10 minutes. The unscored questions are used by the administrators to gauge their validity for use on future versions of the exam.
The exam is split into five content domains.
1. Role, Responsibilities, and General Duties of the Pharmacy Technician
(15 scored questions)
The questions in this section cover basic duties, workplace responsibilities, and the knowledge needed to perform them safely and effectively. This includes technician-pharmacist roles, communication, inventory, storage, medication safety, and key pharmacy reference resources.
2. Laws
(15 scored questions)
The questions in this section cover the laws and regulations that govern pharmacy practice, including patient privacy, prescription requirements, fraud prevention, recordkeeping, and hazardous drug handling. This section also covers controlled substances.
3. Drugs and Drug Therapy
(13 scored questions)
The questions in this section cover drug classifications, dosage forms, routes of administration, and the uses of various medications. They also test you on brand and generic drug names, side effects, contraindications, interactions, incompatibilities, and common vaccines.
4. Dispensing Process
(43 scored questions)
The questions in this section cover the full dispensing process, and it tests you on your knowledge of pharmacy calculations, compounding, repackaging, sterile and non-sterile products, and the equipment, safety, and documentation standards involved.
5. Medication and Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
(14 scored questions)
The questions in this section cover error prevention, identifying high-risk situations, matching medications to the correct patient, and maintaining a clean and safe work area. This section also includes questions on error reporting, adverse event systems, and quality checks.
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Registration
To register for the ExCPT exam, visit the NHA’s website. At the top of the landing page, on the right-hand side, you will see an orange button that allows you to either log in to an existing account or create a new account.
When you create the account, you will provide your first and last name, email address, and mobile phone number. Additional information like your mailing address will also be required. When you are ready to register for the test, you simply log into your NHA account and follow the onscreen prompts.
Remember your login information; when you are ready to see your test scores, you will need to log into your account again.
Test Day
On the day of the exam, you should report to the assigned PSI test center 30 minutes before the scheduled testing time. Once you arrive, you will begin the check-in process, which involves providing proof of identification.
If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the designated testing time, you will not be able to take the exam. If you fail to appear for an exam without providing the required two business days’ notice, your exam fees will be forfeited.
The test will begin no later than one hour after all scheduled candidates have checked in and taken their seats.
How the Exam is Scored
Your ExCPT exam score is calculated using a scaled scoring system. This system takes you raw score, which is the number of questions you answered correctly, and converts it to a numerical scaled score from 200 to 500. A scaled score of 390 is the minimum needed to pass the exam.
You should receive your official score report within 4 weeks of testing.
Retaking the Exam
If you do not pass the exam on your first attempt, you may retake it up to two times per year. After your second retake, you must wait a whole calendar year before your third retake.
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FAQs
Q
What is ExCPT?
A
ExCPT stands for Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians.
Q
Is ExCPT nationally certified?
A
Yes, the ExCPT exam is a nationally accredited exam that leads to certification as a pharmacy technician in the United States.
Q
How many questions are on the ExCPT exam?
A
There are 120 multiple-choice questions on the exam.
Q
How long is the ExCPT exam?
A
The time limit for the exam is 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Q
What is the passing score for the ExCPT exam?
A
To pass the exam, you must achieve a minimum scaled score of 390.
Q
How much does the ExCPT exam cost?
A
The examination fee is $129.
ExCPT is a registered trademark of Assessment Technologies Institute, LLC, which is not affiliated with Mometrix Test Preparation and does not endorse this product.
