Pharmacy Technician Study Guide

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Core Competency Areas

The exam tests for 'Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities' (KSAs) in the following core competency areas:

10%Medical & Pharmacy Terminology

15%Law, Ethics, Professionalism & Regulation

15%Medication Safety

20%Anatomy, Physiology, Diseases & Pharmacology

5%Units of Measure, Conversion, and Calculations

25%Drug Classification

10%Pharmacy Policies & Procedures

 

Topical Breakdown

I.  Medical & Pharmacy Terminology (10%)

  • Common medical and pharmacy terminology and abbreviations

II.  Law, Ethics, Professionalism & Regulation (15%)

  • Healthcare laws applicable to pharmacy
  • Role of ethics in the pharmacy
  • Confidentiality, privacy, and security
  • Professional workplace behavior
  • Regulatory agencies

III.  Medication Safety (15%)

  • Infection prevention and control
  • Prevention of medication errors
  • Patient and staff safety

IV.  Diseases & Pharmacology (20%)

  • Common infectious and non-infectious diseases
  • Symptoms of common diseases
  • General principles of pharmacology
  • Medication administration and dosage forms

V.  Units of Measure, Conversion, and Calculations (5%)

  • Basic measurements and calculations
  • Math and time conversions
  • Units of measure in pharmacy

VI.  Drug Classification (25%)

  • Names and categories of common medications
  • Medication side effects

VII.  Pharmacy Policies & Procedures (10%)

  • Billing and insurance
  • Pharmacy procedures, workflow, and operations
  • Pharmacy equipment

 

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