PTCB Practice Test: 100 Free MCQs with Answers (2025)

Are you preparing for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam and looking for high-quality practice questions? Our free 100-question PTCB practice test is designed to help you:

The PTCB exam covers:

  • Medications (40%) – Drug classifications, interactions, side effects
  • Federal Requirements (12.5%) – Laws, controlled substances
  • Patient Safety & Quality Assurance (26.25%) – Medication errors, safety procedures
  • Order Entry & Processing (21.25%) – Prescriptions, calculations, labeling

Whether you’re a first-time test-taker or need a refresher before exam day, this free PTCB practice exam will help you build confidence and improve your score!

PTCB Practice Test Questions & Solution

1. Pharmacology & Drug Interactions

Q1: Which of the following medications is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI)?
A) Metformin
B) Omeprazole
C) Loratadine
D) Furosemide
✅ Answer: B) Omeprazole

Q2: A patient taking Warfarin should avoid excessive consumption of which food due to drug-nutrient interaction?
A) Bananas
B) Kale (Vitamin K-rich foods)
C) Apples
D) Rice
✅ Answer: B) Kale

Q3: Which drug class is used to treat bacterial infections?
A) Antivirals
B) Antifungals
C) Antibiotics
D) Antihistamines
✅ Answer: C) Antibiotics

2. Pharmacy Law & Regulations

Q4: Which federal act requires prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs)?
A) Controlled Substances Act (CSA)
B) Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA)
C) Ryan Haight Act
D) Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA)
✅ Answer: C) Ryan Haight Act

Q5: How long must a pharmacy maintain controlled substance (C-II) records?
A) 1 year
B) 2 years
C) 5 years
D) 10 years
✅ Answer: B) 2 years

Q6: Which schedule of controlled substances has no accepted medical use in the U.S.?
A) Schedule II
B) Schedule III
C) Schedule IV
D) Schedule I
✅ Answer: D) Schedule I

3. Medication Safety

Q7: Which abbreviation is NOT recommended due to safety concerns?
A) PO
B) QD (mistaken for QID)
C) BID
D) PRN
✅ Answer: B) QD

Q8: Which drug requires special packaging (child-resistant caps)?
A) Aspirin
B) Acetaminophen
C) Oral contraceptives
D) All of the above
✅ Answer: D) All of the above

Q9: A patient reports itching and hives after taking Penicillin. This is likely a:
A) Side effect
B) Allergic reaction
C) Therapeutic effect
D) Drug interaction
✅ Answer: B) Allergic reaction

4. Pharmacy Calculations

Q10: If a prescription requires 250 mg of amoxicillin, and the available suspension is 125 mg/5 mL, how many mL should be dispensed?
A) 5 mL
B) 10 mL
C) 15 mL
D) 20 mL
✅ Answer: B) 10 mL

Q11: A patient is prescribed 1.5 g of medication. The available tablets are 500 mg each. How many tablets should be given?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
✅ Answer: C) 3 tablets

5. Sterile & Non-Sterile Compounding

Q12: Which type of hood is used for chemotherapy drug compounding?
A) Laminar airflow hood (LAFH)
B) Biological safety cabinet (BSC)
C) Horizontal flow hood
D) None of the above
✅ Answer: B) Biological safety cabinet (BSC)

Q13: What is the beyond-use date (BUD) for a non-sterile compounded oral suspension stored at room temperature?
A) 7 days
B) 14 days
C) 30 days
D) 180 days
✅ Answer: B) 14 days

6. Pharmacy Inventory & Billing

Q14: Which term refers to expired medications that must be removed from stock?
A) Formulary
B) Quarantine
C) Recall
D) Outdated
✅ Answer: B) Quarantine

Q15: Which organization assigns NDC (National Drug Code) numbers?
A) FDA
B) DEA
C) CDC
D) CMS
✅ Answer: A) FDA

1: Pharmacology & Top Drugs

Q1: Which of the following is a beta-blocker?

A) Lisinopril
B) Metoprolol
C) Atorvastatin
D) Sertraline
✅ Answer: B) Metoprolol
📌 Explanation: Beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol, atenolol) treat hypertension and arrhythmias by blocking adrenaline effects.

Q2: What is the brand name for albuterol?

A) Advair
B) ProAir
C) Flonase
D) Singulair
✅ Answer: B) ProAir
📌 Explanation: Albuterol (a bronchodilator) is sold as ProAir, Ventolin, or Proventil.

Q3: Which drug is an ACE inhibitor?

A) Losartan
B) Amlodipine
C) Lisinopril
D) Hydrochlorothiazide
✅ Answer: C) Lisinopril
📌 Explanation: ACE inhibitors (e.g., lisinopril, enalapril) end in “-pril” and treat hypertension.

Section 2: Pharmacy Law & Regulations

Q21: Which act regulates compounding pharmacies?

A) FDCA
B) DSCSA
C) USP <795>
D) HIPAA
✅ Answer: C) USP <795>
📌 Explanation: USP <795> (non-sterile) and <797> (sterile) set compounding standards.

Q22: A Schedule III drug prescription expires after:

A) 6 months
B) 1 year
C) No refills allowed
D) 5 refills in 6 months
✅ Answer: A) 6 months
📌 Explanation: C-III to C-V prescriptions expire in 6 months (C-II: no refills).

Section 3: Medication Safety

Q36: Which abbreviation is error-prone and should be avoided?

A) PO
B) QD (mistaken for QID)
C) BID
D) PRN
✅ Answer: B) QD
📌 Explanation: “QD” (once daily) is confused with “QID” (four times daily).

Q37: Tall Man Lettering is used for:

A) Insulin vials
B) Look-alike/sound-alike drugs (e.g., hydrOXYzine vs. hydrALAzine)
C) Controlled substances
D) OTC medications
✅ Answer: B) Look-alike/sound-alike drugs

Section 4: Pharmacy Calculations

Q51: How many 125 mg tablets are needed to make 500 mg?

A) 2
B) 4
C) 6
D) 8
✅ Answer: B) 4 tablets
📌 Explanation: 500 mg ÷ 125 mg/tablet = 4 tablets.

Q52: If a drug’s concentration is 20 mg/5 mL, how many mL are needed for a 60 mg dose?

A) 10 mL
B) 15 mL
C) 20 mL
D) 25 mL
✅ Answer: B) 15 mL
📌 Explanation: (60 mg ÷ 20 mg) × 5 mL = 15 mL.

Section 5: Compounding

Q66: Which PPE is required for chemotherapy compounding?

A) Gloves only
B) Gloves + gown + N95 mask
C) Lab coat only
D) No special PPE
✅ Answer: B) Gloves + gown + N95 mask

Section 6: Inventory & Billing

Q76: Which organization assigns NDC numbers?

A) DEA
B) FDA
C) CDC
D) CMS
✅ Answer: B) FDA

Section 7: Drug Interactions

Q86: Grapefruit juice interacts with:

A) Warfarin
B) Simvastatin
C) Metformin
D) Omeprazole
✅ Answer: B) Simvastatin
📌 Explanation: Grapefruit inhibits CYP3A4, increasing statin toxicity.

Section 8: Miscellaneous

Q96: Which herb interacts with warfarin?

A) Echinacea
B) Ginkgo biloba
C) St. John’s Wort
D) Garlic
✅ Answer: B) Ginkgo biloba (increases bleeding risk)

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