Curriculum

A complete pharmacy technician training path, from foundations to job-ready practice.

Explore 17 chapters organized into 5 learning phases that move from science foundations through medications, regulation, workflow, safety, and PTCE preparation.

  • 17 chapters
  • 5 phases
  • PTCE preparation
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Built for real competency across the full PTCB CPhT knowledge requirements, not just exam memorization.

Curriculum roadmap

Five phases from core foundations to workflow confidence and PTCE readiness

The Pharmacy Technician Certificate Course is organized into five clear phases, moving step by step from fundamentals and pharmacology into medications, compliance, operations, and exam preparation.

Phase 1

Foundations

Build core professional context, communication skills, and baseline health-science understanding for pharmacy practice.

  1. Chapter 1: Introduction to Pharmacy

    What a CPhT does, when pharmacist support is required, certification and licensure basics, continuing education, interpersonal communication, and pharmacy history.

  2. Chapter 2: Basics of Human Health and Pharmacology

    Anatomy and physiology, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, social determinants of health, and health-emergency fundamentals.

Phase 2

Medications & Calculations

Strengthen medication literacy and dosage-calculation skills through progressively deeper medication handling scenarios.

  1. Chapter 3: Meds & Calculations I

    OTC, prescription, and controlled meds; dosage forms and strengths; generics and bioequivalence; basic calculations and abbreviations; top 1–50 medications.

  2. Chapter 4: Meds & Calculations II

    High-alert and look-alike/sound-alike meds, abbreviations part two, intermediate calculations, injectables, reconstitution, dilution, and top 51–100 medications.

  3. Chapter 5: Meds & Calculations III

    Drug labels, indications, side effects, stability and storage, advanced calculations, allergies, toxicology and antidotes, plus key drug interactions.

Phase 3

Advanced Therapeutics (Drugs by Class)

Apply class-based therapeutic knowledge across major body systems, disease states, and specialized treatment categories.

  1. Chapter 6: Cardiopulmonary, Pain & Neuro Therapeutics

    Cardiovascular and respiratory drugs, pain medications including NSAIDs and opioids, autonomic nervous system drugs, and central nervous system drugs.

  2. Chapter 7: Anti-Infectives, GI, Allergy & Oncology

    Antibiotics, antifungals, antiparasitics, antiprotozoals, GI drugs, antihistamines and allergy medications, and chemotherapy fundamentals.

  3. Chapter 8: Endocrine, Immune & Specialty Therapies

    Endocrine and diabetes medications, immunosuppressants, dermatology medications, and specialty medications with related medical supplies.

Phase 4

Practice, Compliance & Regulation

Develop operational, legal, and compliance fluency needed for safe, accountable, and audit-ready pharmacy support.

  1. Chapter 9: Insurance & Billing

    Private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, PBMs and claims, formulary tiers, manufacturer coupons, coordination of benefits, and medication therapy management.

  2. Chapter 10: Pharmacy Inventory Management

    Receiving, recordkeeping, DSCSA, cold chain, storage and stability, shortages, recalls, returns, controlled inventory, pseudoephedrine rules, NDC barcode verification, and perpetual inventory.

  3. Chapter 11: Immunizations & Point-of-Care Testing

    Common vaccines and schedules, consent workflows, VAERS reporting, and point-of-care testing including glucose, strep, and flu.

  4. Chapter 12: Administration for Pharmacy Technicians

    Facility management, staff roles, audits, safety, state/federal/accreditation authority, diversion prevention, PDMPs, teamwork, accessibility, and pharmacy software systems.

  5. Chapter 13: Important Federal Regulations

    HIPAA, Controlled Substances Act, hazardous substances, drug recalls, REMS, DSCSA, OSHA and bloodborne pathogens, USP standards, AMDUCA, and additional federal law essentials.

  6. Chapter 14: Basics of Nonsterile Compounding

    USP 795 requirements, compounding suspensions and solid forms, veterinary compounding, and beyond-use dating practices.

Phase 5

Workflow, Safety & Exam Prep

Integrate full workflow execution, patient-safety systems, and final preparation for successful PTCE progression.

  1. Chapter 15: Pharmacy Workflow

    Complete prescription lifecycle, prioritization, data-entry validity checks, filling/counting, patient communication, counseling and packaging rules, refills/transfers, controlled workflow, and equipment use.

  2. Chapter 16: Ensuring Patient Safety

    Systems-based safety, Tallman lettering, NDC checks, look-alike/sound-alike separation, error prevention and reporting, diversion prevention, DUR, medication reconciliation, and core professional resources.

  3. Chapter 17: Conclusion & PTCE Preparation

    Course recap, final exam preparation, program final exam expectations, PTCE-focused prep materials, and guidance for PTCE registration and test day.

This curriculum is designed to build real, job-ready competency across full PTCB CPhT knowledge requirements, not only the content most commonly tested on the PTCE.

Curriculum highlights

A focused curriculum built for depth and day-to-day pharmacy readiness

  • Science foundations

    Build core anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology context for safe support work.

  • Medication knowledge

    Learn major drug classes, common uses, and medication safety essentials.

  • Dosage calculations

    Practice accurate math for quantities, strengths, conversions, and labeling checks.

  • Compliance and regulation

    Understand privacy, documentation, and legal standards that guide pharmacy practice.

  • Pharmacy workflow

    Follow prescription intake, processing, fulfillment, and team communication flow.

  • PTCE preparation

    Review exam-style domains so you can test confidently and apply skills at work.

Together, these pillars prepare students for PTCE performance and dependable real-world pharmacy support.

Curriculum outcomes

What this curriculum means for students

This quick FAQ translates the curriculum into practical expectations, so you can see how each phase supports both real-world pharmacy tasks and exam readiness.

How is the curriculum organized?

The curriculum is sequenced in clear phases: core foundations first, then applied pharmacy workflow skills, followed by focused review so you can connect concepts and build confidence step by step.

Does the curriculum focus only on the PTCE?

No. The program includes PTCE-oriented preparation, but it is built for broader pharmacy technician competency, so students develop practical knowledge they can use in real workplace settings as well as on exam day.

What do students learn beyond medications?

Beyond drug-related content, the curriculum reinforces calculations, safety expectations, pharmacy operations, and professional communication that support accurate, compliant day-to-day performance.

How does this training support job readiness?

Because the course is fully online and self-paced, students can steadily build workforce-relevant skills while progressing through structured modules designed to reflect common pharmacy technician responsibilities.

How does the final phase prepare students for the PTCE and the program’s final exam?

The final phase emphasizes targeted review and synthesis, helping students apply what they learned across the curriculum so they are prepared for both PTCE-style expectations and the academy’s final course assessment.

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