Pharmacy Technician Certification
Did you know?
As of March 30, 2020 all technicians in CO will need to be certified (or in the process of becoming certified) to practice? HB 19-1242 was passed into law by Governor Polis in May 2019 and states that all pharmacy technicians, regardless of practice area, must become certified with the State Board of Pharmacy within the state of Colorado. This will serve to increase safety of the patients we all serve each day and elevate baseline knowledge, thus ensuring a consistent level of competency in our workforce.
This new law goes into effect on October 1, 2019, and requires pharmacy technicians practicing in Colorado on or after March 30, 2020, to obtain a certification or provisional certification from the State Board of Pharmacy (Board). An applicant for certification by the Board must pass a criminal history record check and provide proof of certification by a board-approved, nationally-recognized organization that certifies pharmacy technicians. To allow time to meet the requirements, the Board may grant a one-time provisional certification of up to 18 months to an applicant who has not satisfied certain requirements for certification. The provisional certification may be extended due to hardships. Pharmacy technicians also must meet continuing education requirements before renewing a certification. The new law states that any pharmacy technician on duty must be certified or have a provisional certification. Finally, the law includes a sunset date of September 1, 2021.
Learn More and Read the Actual Law Here
What do I need to do?
Details on everything you need can be found at through the State Board of Pharmacy which is part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) which will be the official regulatory body for technicians just like it is for pharmacists. You’ll need to check here for the official and updated information on how to get certified, including timelines.
The application is now available online. Applicants should begin the process as soon as possible to ensure they obtain a certification, and can practice on and after March 30, 2020
*Remember, you need to start this process now and obtain a “provisional” certification if you are not already certified or you won’t be able to continue to practice. If you are already certified you still need to start the process as soon as possible.
Technician certification in Colorado consists of 3 main components:
- Paying the registration fee
- Submit to a background check (CBI Background Check)
- Passing an exam from a nationally accredited organization (eg. PTCB or NHA) within 18 months of provisional status in Colorado (ie. You can still work while you are preparing to pass the test)
How do I take the certification test?
There are two nationally accredited certifying organizations that can administer the exam for you to become a certified pharmacy technician (CPhT). You will need to consult them directly to obtain all current information including prerequisites:
They are:
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) administered by PTCB
2. Pharmacy Technician Certification (ExCPT) Empowered by NHA – National Healthcareer Association
There are multiple ways to prepare for the test, and simply working in a pharmacy environment is a proven success story. If your employer does not have an established program, you can prepare in different ways:
- Self-Preparation: Materials from national certifiers like PTCB and NHA (see above) may be available (practice tests, etc)
- Formal Education and Training Programs in CO: Examples include Arapahoe Community College, Emily Griffith Technical College, Front Range Community College, Pike’s Peak Community College, Pima Medical Institute , Pueblo Community College (and others)
- Your employer may have a training program for you already! Check with your supervisor!
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Mike Bemis
mike.bemis@rxplus.com
Phone: 720-556-6694 ext. 2