Your Path to Certification

Pharmacy Technician Essentials

About the Courseware

Author: Sarah M. Lawrence, PharmD, MA, BCGP, CPTEd
Copyright: 2025

Mapped to the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam, Paradigm’s new Pharmacy Technician Essentials program includes a comprehensive textbook, 20 pharmacy lab simulations, and several student resources. Aspiring pharmacy technicians will quickly build the skills base for exceptional, safe service to patients and the knowledge to continue advancing their career through certification.

First edition features:

  • Alignment with PTCE, ASHP/ACPE, and ExCPT domain areas
  • Real-world case studies in every chapter
  • Study tools including information tables and appendices
  • Coverage of certification exam topics
  • Access to the Paradigm Pharmacy Technician Lab Simulations

Chapter 1: Introduction to Pharmacy
Chapter 2: Customer Service, Communication, and Professionalism
Chapter 3: Pharmacology Basics
Chapter 4: Medications by Body System
Chapter 5: Other Medications
Chapter 6: Federal Requirements
Chapter 7: Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
Chapter 8: Order Entry and Processing
Chapter 9: Pharmacy Conversions and Calculations
Chapter 10: Nonsterile Compounding
Chapter 11: Sterile and Hazardous Compounding
Chapter 12: Pharmacy Inventory Management

Appendices
Appendix A: Preparing for a High-Stakes Exam
Appendix B: Common Pharmacy Abbreviations and Acronyms
Appendix C: Commonly Prescribed Controlled Substances
Appendix D: PTCE Credentialing Guidelines and Requirements

PTCE Exam Review from PharmCon freeCE

Access to PTCE Exam Review from PharmCon freeCE

Included with all of Paradigm’s Pharmacy Technician titles, this tool generates personalized study plans based on each student’s individual strengths and knowledge gaps. The PTCE Exam Review from PharmCon freeCE helps students identify the fastest path to a passing score and even indicates when they are ready to pass—taking the guesswork out of PTCE study.

PTCE Exam Review from PharmCon freeCE features:

  •  Optimized PTCE-aligned content
  •  Award-winning adaptive learning technology
  •  ReadySCORE proprietary exam readiness indicator
  •  700+ multiple-choice questions
Pharmacy Technician Essentials Lab Simulations by SimTutor

Real-World Lab Simulations

Paradigm partnered with SimTutor to create state-of-the-art laboratory simulations that correspond to the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam domains. Easily gauge student comprehension and competency in and outside the classroom. Plus, SimTutor integrates with all major LMS platforms, which automatically send scores to the grade book.

Lab 1 Dispensing a Controlled Substance Ch. 6
Lab 2 Reviewing a Patient Profile for Completeness Ch. 8
Lab 3 Filling a Prescription Ch. 8
Lab 4 Preparing an Immunization for Administration Ch. 11
Lab 5 Creating Patient Instructions from Prescriptions Ch. 8
Lab 6 Aseptic Hand Washing Ch. 11
Lab 7 Preparing an Ointment Ch. 10
Lab 8 Choosing Professional Attire Ch. 2
Lab 9 Developing Professional Communication Skills Ch. 2
Lab 10 Receiving and Reconciling Pharmacy Stock Ch. 12
Lab 11 Cleaning Up a Hazardous Drug Spill Ch. 11
Lab 12 Preparing Oral Syringes for Administration Ch. 11
Lab 13 Obtaining and Reconciling a Patient's Medication History Ch. 8
Lab 14 Medication Therapy Management Ch. 7
Lab 15 Product Verification Ch. 7
Lab 16 Point-of-Care Testing Ch. 4
Lab 17 Event Reporting Ch. 7
Lab 18 Identifying Prescription Errors Ch. 7
Lab 19 Reviewing Controlled Substance Prescriptions Ch. 6
Lab 20 Reviewing and Referring Issues to Pharmacist Ch. 7

 

Pharmacy Technician Essentials Competency Guides

Competency Guides

Connect with us to receive the following competency guides for Pharmacy Technician Essentials.

  • PTCE Credentialing Guidelines and Requirements
  • ASHP/ACPE Alignment and Accreditation
  • ExCPT Credentialing Guidelines and Requirements
Pharmacy Technician Series

A Complete Solution

Our Pharmacy Technician series is a complete program solution that develops the skills and knowledge students need to become certified pharmacy technicians. Our full suite of products, competency mapping guides, and program support are designed for success and meet ASHP and ACPE standards.