Continuing education (CE) is required in order to maintain an active certification.
All CE activity completed on or after January 1, 2015 must be pharmacy technician-specific.
In order to qualify as pharmacy technician-specific, a CE program's objectives must assess or sustain the competency critical to pharmacy technician practice stated in PTCB’s Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination Content Outline.
- For recertification, PTCB requires 20 continuing education hours, including 1 hour in the subject of pharmacy law and 1 hour in the subject of patient safety.
- For reinstatement, PTCB requires 20 continuing education hours, including 2 hours in the subject of pharmacy law and 1 hour in the subject of patient safety.
- A maximum of 10 hours of the 20 hours may be earned by completing a relevant 3 academic credit hour college course with a grade of “C” or better.
- Beginning January 1, 2018, PTCB no longer accepts what is known as ‘in-service’ continuing education (CE) hours. More information can be found here.
- Records of CE hours earned during each recertification period must be maintained for at least 1 year after the certification cycle ends.
More information on PTCB’s continuing education requirements can be found here.