ExCPT study guide
ExCPT · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The ExCPT is the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), an NCCA-accredited certification that signals a technician has met a national standard for knowledge and workplace readiness. It is built for people entering the field - recent pharmacy technician program graduates, high school health science students on the certification pathway, and career changers - as well as for working technicians who want formal recognition of their skills. The ExCPT study guide has 8 sections and about 2,714 words.
01Pharmacology
Pharmacology questions reward pattern recognition. Learn drug classes by prototype and mechanism-beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, statins, proton pump inhibitors, benzodiazepines, SSRIs, anticoagulants, insulins, opioids, and antibiotics-then attach the usual indication, the most common adverse effects, the serious or boxed warnings, key contraindications, and required monitoring.
305 words, about 2 min02Pharmacy Law and Ethics
The Controlled Substances Act places drugs in Schedules I–V. Schedule I has no accepted medical use; Schedule II (oxycodone, morphine, amphetamine, methylphenidate) carries the tightest handling rules; Schedules III–V step down in abuse potential.
338 words, about 2 min03Medication Order Processing and Dispensing
Screen every order for patient identifiers, drug name, strength, dosage form, quantity, complete directions, date, refills, prescriber signature, and-for controlled substances-a valid DEA number. Verify the DEA check digit: add digits 1, 3, and 5; add digits 2, 4, and 6 and double that sum; add both totals; the last digit must equal the seventh digit.
363 words, about 2 min04Sterile and Non-Sterile Compounding
USP 795 covers non-sterile compounding, USP 797 covers sterile compounding, and USP 800 covers hazardous drugs. Know which standard applies before you touch a mortar or a needle.
341 words, about 2 min05Medication Safety and Quality Assurance
ISMP designates high-alert medications-anticoagulants, insulin, opioids, concentrated electrolytes, chemotherapy, and neuromuscular blockers-as those with heightened risk of harmful error. Use Tall Man lettering for look-alike/sound-alike pairs such as hydrOXYzine and hydrALAZINE, or glipiZIDE and glyBURIDE, and require an independent double check for high-alert doses.
344 words, about 2 min06Inventory and Supply Management
Inventory management balances availability against waste. Know perpetual inventory, par levels, min/max ordering, ABC classification, and cycle counting.
341 words, about 2 min07Billing, Reimbursement, and Insurance Claims
Patients pay a premium for coverage; a deductible is paid before benefits begin; a copay is a flat amount and coinsurance a percentage; the out-of-pocket maximum caps spending. The formulary lists covered drugs by tier, with lower tiers costing less.
348 words, about 2 min08Patient Communication and Professionalism
Effective counseling is a dialogue. Use plain language at roughly a fifth-to-sixth-grade reading level, avoid jargon, speak at a moderate pace, and confirm understanding with teach-back: ask the patient to explain in their own words how they will take the medicine.
334 words, about 2 min