AMCA PCTC

The exam has 144 questions, and candidates are allotted 3 hours. That works out to roughly 75 seconds per question, so pacing matters. Practice with timed sets so you can move steadily through the exam and still have time to revisit flagged items before the clock runs out.

The cost is $119.00, and study material is included with that fee. Confirm current pricing and any promotions with AMCA at the time you register, since fees and package details are set by the certifying body and can change between testing windows.

The modality available is online or paper/pencil, and live remote proctoring is available. If you need a testing accommodation, review AMCA's Special Accommodations for Testing information before you schedule so arrangements can be made in advance rather than on test day.

Patient Care Skills carries the largest weight at 36%, followed by Medical Law and Ethics at 15%, Safety and Infection Control at 14%, Medical Terminology at 13%, Anatomy and Physiology at 12%, and Pharmacology at 10%. Because patient care skills is more than a third of the exam, it deserves the most study time.

Start with Patient Care Skills, since it is the largest domain and overlaps with safety and terminology content. Then study Safety and Infection Control and Medical Law and Ethics, which together are nearly another third of the exam. Finish with Medical Terminology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Pharmacology, integrating terminology as you review the clinical material.

AMCA does not publish a passing score or difficulty rating on its program page, so difficulty is best judged by your preparation. The exam is broad rather than deeply technical, spanning six domains. Candidates who neglect the smaller domains, especially law and ethics at 15%, often lose easy points there.

Underestimating the non-clinical domains is a frequent problem. Medical Law and Ethics (15%) and Safety and Infection Control (14%) together outweigh Anatomy and Physiology and Pharmacology combined. Candidates who study only hands-on care skills can be surprised by ethics, scope-of-practice, and infection control questions.

AMCA's program page states that discounted retakes are offered, but it does not publish a specific retake policy, waiting period, or number of attempts on that page. Check the AMCA Candidate Handbook and confirm details with AMCA directly before relying on any retake terms.

The AMCA page directs candidates testing before December 31, 2026 to one Certification Program Outline and Exam Blueprint, and candidates testing after January 1, 2027 to a separate PCTC blueprint. Confirm which window your test date falls in and study from the matching document.

No. AMCA notes that laws and regulations for minimum requirements and the allied health industry vary by state, and it highly recommends that candidates familiarize themselves with their state's rules and regulations regarding certification requirements. Check your state's rules in addition to preparing for the national exam.