OFTC Pharmacy Technology Class Again Garners One-Hundred Percent Pass Rate

OFTC Pharmacy Technology class of 2022 garners 100% first-time pass rate to become Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhT)

Oconee Fall Line Technical College’s (OFTC) Pharmacy Technology class of 2022 recently received a 100% first-time pass rate on the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) which allows them to officially be recognized as Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhT).

With the average National pass-rate at about 57%, the 100% pass-rate by these students on their first attempt is exceptional, shared OFTC Pharmacy Technology Instructor Jack Shepherd.

“The PTCE is the nationally recognized certification exam for Pharmacy Technicians and more and more pharmacies are requiring certification numbers for technicians,” Shepherd said.  “We work hard to equip our students with the knowledge and skills to pass this exam the first time they take it.”

About the PTCE

The PTCE was created by PTCB to establish a baseline assessment to denote pharmacy techs that have acquired the education and expertise essential to work in the field,” Shepherd shared.

PTCB certification ensures that pharmacy technicians can effectively assist pharmacists to provide quality customer service and valuable vocational training. Certification improves the overall experience and service for healthcare providers, customers, and industry personnel.

Once a technician has met application requirements and has completed the PTCB exam they can tack on the CPhT title.

A History of Excellence

And this isn’t the first OFTC Pharmacy Technician class to receive this type of recognition. “I have been program director for 19 years and we’ve had a 100% pass rate each year,” Shepherd said.

“We are excited to once again have all our 2022 graduates passing the national certification exam to become CPhT’s and either employed in-field or furthering their education toward the associate degree,” he added.

But this remarkable success isn’t without hard work and great effort on behalf of the students and instructors.

OFTC’s Pharmacy Technician Program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). Shepherd cites their great curriculum and teaching standards as one of the reasons his program has achieved such success.

“The Technical College System of Georgia standards and the ASHP/ACPE goals and objectives provide an excellent format to prepare the student to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam,” he said.

One piece of the curriculum that helps OFTC instructors prepare their students is the use of several mock exams which allow them to determine a student’s readiness for the official PTCE.

“Our goal for every graduate is to see they complete the curriculum to receive a diploma or degree, that they are registered with the State Board of Pharmacy, and that they pass the National Certification Exam,” Shepherd said. “All of this leads to a very successful job-placement rate for our graduates.”

The following students are now Certified Pharmacy Technicians: Jessica Renew, Telfair; Jordan Beck, Dodge; Tommie Devero, Laurens; Laura Lopez, Bleckley; Whitney Price, Wilkinson; Takia Rozier, Laurens; and Isabella Summerlin, Telfair.

For more info about OFTC’s Pharmacy Technology program, visit the Pharmacy Technology program page on the College’s website, OFTC.edu, or contact Jack Shepherd at jshepherd@oftc.edu.

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