What do I need to know about continuing education (CE)?

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 Blueprint. 

• 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.