General Information
Pharmacy Technician Qualifying Examination - Introduction
The Pharmacy Technician Qualifying Examination is used to assess a candidate’s competence (knowledge, skills and abilities) to practice safely and effectively in an “entry level” pharmacy technician position. This evaluation is based on the practice competencies defined in NAPRA’s Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice. Successful completion of the Qualifying Examination indicates that candidates have met the required standard of competence at entry to practice.
The methodologies PEBC uses to assess competence require the understanding and application of the necessary knowledge and skills and the performance of the most frequent and/or critical professional functions and tasks. Some important professional skills and abilities cannot be measured well with a traditional, multiple-choice question format. As a result, the Board uses both a multiple choice assessment (Part I – MCQ) and a performance-based assessment (Part II – OSPE). Both Parts must be completed satisfactorily in order for an individual to be certified as competent.
As the two Parts are complementary and are considered together in the assessment of competence, PEBC requires that both Parts are successfully completed within 3 years of one another. Candidates are permitted 3 (three) attempts on each Part of the exam. After 3 attempts, candidates must complete Board-approved remediation in order to be eligible for a fourth, and final, attempt.
Pharmacy Technician Qualifying Examination - Part I (MCQ)
The Qualifying Examination – Part I is a multiple-choice question (MCQ) examination. It is a single day, computer-based exam. Questions on the MCQ assess the understanding and application of knowledge to problems, as well as the ability to make judgments and problem-solve in situations relevant to pharmacy practice. Each question assesses one specific competency.
Pharmacy Technician Qualifying Examination - Part II (OSPE)
Part II of the Qualifying Examination is an “objective structured performance examination” (OSPE), and is taken on a different day than Part I. The OSPE consists of a series of “stations” simulating common and/or critical practical situations. These simulations often involve interactions with a “Standardized Patient” (SP) or “Standardized Client” (SC) (e.g., parent or caregiver) or “Standardized Health Professional” (SHP). Each station is designed to assess one or more competencies.
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Pharmacy Technician Qualifying Examination - Part I (MCQ)
The Qualifying Examination – Part I is a multiple-choice question (MCQ) examination. It is a single day, computer-based exam. Questions on the MCQ assess the understanding and application of knowledge to problems, as well as the ability to make judgments and problem-solve in situations relevant to pharmacy practice. Each question assesses one specific competency.
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Pharmacy Technician Qualifying Examination - Part II (OSPE)
Part II of the Qualifying Examination is an “objective structured performance examination” (OSPE), and is taken on a different day than Part I. The OSPE consists of a series of “stations” simulating common and/or critical practical situations. These simulations often involve interactions with a “Standardized Patient” (SP) or “Standardized Client” (SC) (e.g., parent or caregiver) or “Standardized Health Professional” (SHP). Each station is designed to assess one or more competencies.
More Information
Review the links on the left for more information about the Qualifying Examination.
Information about PEBC’s: