Online proctored testing is now available for all PTCB exams. Learn more.

Viewpoints

"I am probably the bigger voice in the room sometimes. I am in the profession. I don’t have to be a pharmacist to be able to understand the topic that we are talking about.”

Diane Halvorson, RPhTech, CSPT, CPhT-Adv, Member, North Dakota Board of Pharmacy


"It’s great to know that my voice is heard and my vote is counted. Often, they’ll say, ‘Well, Cathy is the technician, let's refer to her.’ It’s nice to have a relationship with the other board members so I can be honest and share my experiences.”

Catherine Haraden, CPhT, Pharmacy Technician Representative, Vermont Board of Pharmacy


""It’s important to treat all patient interactions as personal; everyone is a person, not a number, and certainly not their prescription. I try to always assume positive intent.”

Jeffrey Samuelson, CPhT-Adv, Contract Pharmacy Services Specialist, TotalMed, Alameda, CA; Member, Alameda County Medical Reserve Corps; PTCB Item Writing Mentor


"In my position, I enjoy helping facilities implement best practices to reduce the potential for diversion. It’s rewarding to know that these changes can reduce the likelihood of major incidents. Most of my current work is centered on teaching prevention techniques to facilities. I’ve also been involved in investigating actual diversions of large quantities taken to be sold on the streets.”

Allison Gallien, CPhT, Senior Project Specialist in Pharmacy Operations, Cardinal Health, Houston


"PTCB’s new credentials for pharmacy technicians hold technician’s advanced roles to a higher standard while empowering technicians to assume new positions. Advanced credentials allow pharmacy technicians to demonstrate their level of competency while showing their importance to pharmacies.”

Whitney Jo Hummel, CPhT-Adv, CSPT, Registered Pharmacy Technician II and Safety Coach, Lee Health System; Advanced Certified Pharmacy Technician, CVS Pharmacy, Fort Myers, FL


"I am so excited about receiving my CPhT-Adv Certification. It truly shows the skills I have as a pharmacy technician. It demonstrates to everyone that pharmacy technicians are big assets to the pharmacy world and worth so much more.”

Charlie Ann Montgomery, CPhT-Adv, Transplant Medication Access Coordinator, University of Louisville Health Jewish Hospital Trager Transplant Center, Louisville, KY


"I am proud to be a CPhT-Adv because it demonstrates my passion for pharmacy and my commitment to advancing medication safety!”

Bannout Aoun, CPhT-Adv, CSPT, AAS, Certified Pharmacy Validating Technician, Novant Health, Kernersville, NC and Chemotherapy Pharmacy Technician, Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, NC


"Traditionally, billing and reimbursement roles have been occupied by business professionals, who have little knowledge of pharmacy processes, or by pharmacists. The difference in experience and skill set between these two is striking.”

Nichole Foster, MBA, MEd, CPhT, Program Director, Pharmacy Technician Training and Advancement, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN


"With the understanding of hazardous drug management assessed by this program, pharmacy technicians will be better able to help protect, serve, and care for their patients.”

Jennifer Sayomac, CPhT, Site Lead Pharmacy Technician, Rogel Cancer Center, Michigan Medicine, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI


"One of the biggest advantages of telepharmacy is increased access to healthcare for those who live in underserved areas, and the COVID-19 outbreak has highlighted the importance of that access more than ever.”

Dane Nealson, CPhT, NuCara Pharmacy, State Center, IA, and Technician Member of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy


"Pharmacy technicians play an essential role in pharmacy practice. With appropriate training and education, they are vital in advancing patient safety. As the program director of an ASHP-accredited advanced-level educational program.”

Nicole Barriera, CPhT, Pharmacy Technician Department Chair and Program Director, Pikes Peak Community College, Colorado Springs, CO


"PTCB is developing an Assessment-Based Certificate Program in Controlled Substances Diversion Prevention to be released later in 2020. I believe this program will equip CPhTs with the knowledge to make an impact in...”

Kayla Bourgeois, P4, University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy


"I perform face-to-face patient interviews daily. I hear and transcribe medication histories to verify that patients are taking medications correctly. By doing this accurately and thoroughly, I help reassure our patients that they’re receiving excellent care.”

LaKeisha Mayo, CPhT, Specialist Certified Pharmacy Technician, Cone Memorial Hospital, Greensboro, NC


“The scope of pharmacy technician responsibilities continues to expand. This provides great opportunities for technicians to function at a higher level of practice. Earning additional pharmacy technician credentials, such as the Medication History Assessment-Based Certificate, is a way for me to advance professionally and build my career.”

Miranda Peek, CPhT, Clinical Manager, Technician/Support Staff, Hospital Pharmacy, Gundersen Health System


“The more opportunities we give our technicians to advance, the better chance we have to retain motivated and dedicated technicians in our city. We prepare approximately 500+ sterile preparations each day. Therefore, we seek to find tools that will advance our technicians’ knowledge and skill set in sterile preparations.”

Andreece Gandy, PharmD, MBA, Pharmacy Operations Manager, Baptist Memorial Hospital, Memphis, TN


"PTCB's new Assessment-Based Certificate Programs and CPhT-Adv credential will provide exciting opportunities for pharmacy technicians as we continue to expand our critical roles on the healthcare team. Medication safety will be improved across pharmacy..."

Angela Faszczewski, CPhT, Ehardt's Pharmacy and Medical Supply, Patient Care Services Coordinator, Croswell, MI


“Every day, our CSPTs use what they learned studying for the CSPT. They must perform conversions quickly, review labels and compounding instructions, assess patient history sheets for allergies, and know to thoroughly clean the hood if making something for a patient who has, say, a penicillin allergy...”

Glen J. Gard, CPhT, CSPT, Pharmacy Compliance Manager, Option Care, Bannockburn, IL


“I worked with a technician who confused Diflucan and Diprivan for a hip replacement post op med order. This led to a sentinel event due to the resulting death of the patient. The technician was not certified....”

Mark Brunton, MSHE, CPhT, Northwest Career College, Las Vegas, NV


"One of my greatest challenges was a humanitarian mission deployment overseas. As a CPhT onboard a ship, I was the authority on ensuring over 10,000 medications were properly prepacked for our missions in Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Philippines."

Gregory Gonzales, HM3, CPhT, Corpsman/Pharmacy Tech, US Navy


“As a PTCB CPhT, I created and established patient care services for our new specialty pharmacy service lines of Rheumatology and Multiple Sclerosis. This was the greatest, most rewarding challenge I’d faced in my role...."

Ashley Ackerman, CPhT, Center Operations Director, Concentra Fern Valley Urgent Care, Lexington, KY