Martinsburg College is an online distance learning college offering an industry leading health care education certificate program. We are proud to serve the military community including veterans and military spouses.

Pharmacy Technician Disclosure Information

Information for Martinsburg College Pharmacy Technician Students

Martinsburg College’s Pharmacy Technician program provides students with the skills commonly expected of entry-level Pharmacy Technicians and the knowledge required to sit for the two most recognized national certification exams: the PTCE (administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board – PTCB) and the ExCPT (administered by the National Healthcareer Association – NHA).

Upon graduation, students seeking certification will receive specific information in preparation to sit for the PTCB or the ExCPT exams which are the two national certifications that qualify students to apply for registration or licensure in the majority of states. Students who have not worked in the pharmacy technician field must complete a pharmacy technician training program offered by an accredited or state-recognized institution or provider in order to take the ExCPT certification exam. Our program meets this requirement

As state requirements to work as a Pharmacy Technician vary from state to state, prospective students should check with their state’s Board of Pharmacy or equivalent licensing body for details prior to enrolling in a pharmacy technician program. If you plan on moving to another state, check that state’s requirements also. Please note that completion of the training program alone may not permit you to work in a state as a Pharmacy Technician; you may also need to pass a national certification test (please see below for further information.) As the regulations vary from state to state, we strongly advise prospective students to check the state-specific requirements relating to the requirements for Pharmacy Technicians in the state in which they plan to work. Listed below is a link to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) in order for prospective students to check the requirements in the states in which they plan to work as a Pharmacy Technician: https://www.nabp.net/boards-of-pharmacy/

Martinsburg College has determined that its curriculum meets the state requirements for graduates to be registered/licensed as a pharmacy technician in the following states, upon passing a national certification test, when required:

Alabama* Alaska Arizona* Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut**
Delaware D.C.* Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois
Indiana* Iowa* Kansas*** Kentucky Louisiana* Maine Maryland*
Massachusetts* Michigan* Mississippi Missouri Montana* Nebraska Nevada**
New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York** North Carolina** Oklahoma Oregon
Pennsylvania Rhode Island* South Carolina South Dakota** Tennessee Texas* Vermont
West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming*

*State requires students to pass either the PTCE or the ExCPT exam.
** State requires students to pass the PTCE exam.
*** State requires students to pass either the PTCE or ExCPT within 1 – 2 years of working as a Pharmacy Technician.

Martinsburg College’s Pharmacy Technician program does not meet the requirements in the following states:

Minnesota North Dakota Ohio Utah Virginia Washington State

Martinsburg College does not accept enrollments from residents of these states in this program. Prospective students residing in these states on a temporary basis may request a waiver indicating that they have no plans to work as a pharmacy technician in these states.

In addition to the requirements listed above, most states have the following prerequisites to work as a pharmacy technician:

  • Must be a high school graduate or equivalent
  • Must not have any felony convictions (this varies by states, for example, some states require individuals not to have any felony convictions within the last five years.
  • Must be required to pass a background check and/ or drug screen
  • Currently 21 states require passing a national certification test (see below for more information)
  • Must be fluent in English

As technician training grows and technicians increase their presence in the pharmacy, regulation of their practice will most likely become more standardized. Thus, students that complete their Martinsburg College Pharmacy Technician program should seek certification by completing either the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) offered through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), or the Examination for Certified Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) offered through the National Healthcareer Association. Upon completion of your program, you will be advised if there are any restrictions on which test you may take depending upon the state in which you plan to work.

Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)

The PTCB develops, maintains, promotes, and administers a certification and recertification program for pharmacy technicians. The goal of PTCB’s certification program is to enable pharmacy technicians to work more effectively with pharmacists to offer greater patient care and service. Practice tests and other resources are available to Martinsburg College students to help them successfully complete the PTCE examination.

Individuals who meet all eligibility requirements and who successfully pass PTCB’s Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (PTCE) become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). There are two parts to being a CPhT. First, pharmacy technicians must sit for and pass the national PTCE. Once a pharmacy technician has passed the exam, he or she may use the designation of CPhT. Second, to continue to hold certification, a CPhT is required to obtain 20 hours of continuing education for recertification within two years of original certification or previous recertification.

The PTCE is available year-round at over 200 Pearson Professional Centers nationwide. See PTCB’s Web site for more information at www.ptcb.org

The fee to take the PTCE is currently $129 (as of August 2022). As fees may change, please check the PTCB website for the most up-to-date information.

National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Since 1989, the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) has awarded more than 750,000 certifications to healthcare students and professionals, providing them with nationally recognized measurements of competency.

NHA engages with both regulatory and legislative bodies to promote certification for the industry and for the people working in it. The association is committed to developing, advancing, and advocating for the frontline healthcare worker.

Practice tests and other resources are available to Martinsburg College students to help them successfully complete the ExCPT examination.

Students may take the ExCPT in an online, proctored environment.

The fee to take the ExCPT is currently $125 (as of August 2022). As fees may change, please check the NHA website for the most up-to-date information www.nhanow.com

The ExCPT test may be taken at PSI Testing Centers www.psiexams.com