ExCPT® Exam Prep 2026 Updated Practice Questions •
Comprehensive Pharmacy Technician Certification Review
Detailed Explanations • Verified Answers • Complete
Success Workbook
Domain Scored Items Percentage
1. Role, Responsibilities, and General Duties 15 15%
2. Laws 15 15%
3. Drugs and Drug Therapy 13 13%
4. Dispensing Process 43 43%
5. Medication and Patient Safety & QA 14 14%
How to Use This Guide
• Answer each question without looking at the rationale first
• Review the detailed rationale for both correct and incorrect answers
• Identify your weak areas and focus additional study time there
• Aim for 80% or higher on practice questions before scheduling your exam
DOMAIN 1: ROLE, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND GENERAL DUTIES
(Questions 1–15)
,Question 1
Which of the following tasks is outside the scope of practice for a pharmacy
technician and must be performed by a pharmacist?
A) Entering a new prescription into the pharmacy computer system
B) Providing medication counseling to a patient about potential side effects
C) Counting and pouring medication into a prescription vial
D) Preparing a label for a prescription
Rationale: Providing medication counseling to patients is a task that must be
performed by a pharmacist. Pharmacy technicians may enter prescriptions, count
medications, prepare labels, and perform many other tasks under pharmacist
supervision, but they cannot provide clinical counseling or make therapeutic
decisions.
Question 2
A pharmacy technician notices that a prescription has been misfiled in the
pharmacy's hard-copy filing system. What is the most appropriate action?
A) Leave the prescription where it is and inform the pharmacist
B) Refile the prescription in the correct location and notify the pharmacist
C) Discard the misfiled prescription
D) Ignore the error and continue working
Rationale: Pharmacy technicians are responsible for maintaining accurate filing
systems and ensuring prescriptions are filed correctly. The technician should
correct the error and inform the pharmacist to ensure quality assurance.
Question 3
A patient arrives at the pharmacy with a new prescription for their child. The
patient appears to be having difficulty understanding the instructions. The
technician's most appropriate response is to:
A) Explain the instructions slowly and clearly to the patient
B) Inform the pharmacist that the patient has questions about the medication
C) Tell the patient to read the medication guide
D) Refuse to help the patient
,Rationale: When a patient has questions about their medication or appears to need
counseling, the technician should refer the patient to the pharmacist. Pharmacy
technicians may assist with patient interactions, but medication counseling is the
pharmacist's responsibility.
Question 4
A pharmacy technician is assisting with medication reconciliation for a newly
admitted hospital patient. What is the technician's role in this process?
A) Independently verify all medication orders
B) Collect and organize the patient's medication history for the pharmacist
C) Prescribe new medications for the patient
D) Discontinue all previous medications
Rationale: Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists with medication
reconciliation by collecting and organizing the patient's medication history. The
pharmacist verifies the information and makes clinical decisions.
Question 5
A technician is working in a retail pharmacy and notices that the pharmacy's
emergency contact list is outdated. What should the technician do?
A) Ignore the outdated list
B) Notify the pharmacist and update the emergency contact information
C) Discard the old list without replacement
D) Wait until an emergency occurs to update the list
Rationale: Pharmacy technicians must help maintain pharmacy security and
safety, including keeping emergency protocols and contact lists current. This is a
key responsibility to ensure the pharmacy is prepared for emergencies.
Question 6
A patient asks the pharmacy technician for assistance in selecting a blood pressure
monitor. What is the technician's most appropriate response?
A) Recommend the most expensive monitor
B) Tell the patient to ask their doctor
, C) Assist the patient in identifying and selecting appropriate compliance aids
and devices
D) Refuse to help because devices are not medication-related
Rationale: Pharmacy technicians are expected to assist patients with
identification and selection of compliance aids and devices, such as blood
pressure monitors, glucose monitors, and medication lock boxes.
Question 7
Which of the following is an appropriate responsibility for a pharmacy technician
in medication therapy management (MTM)?
A) Adjusting medication dosages
B) Following up with patients about medication compliance
C) Prescribing new medications
D) Changing therapy without pharmacist approval
Rationale: Pharmacy technicians may assist pharmacists in MTM by following
up with patients and discussing compliance. However, clinical decisions such as
adjusting dosages or changing therapy must be made by the pharmacist.
Question 8
A pharmacy technician is entering a prescription into the computer system and
notices that the prescriber's DEA number is missing. What is the most appropriate
action?
A) Enter the prescription without the DEA number
B) Contact the prescriber's office to obtain the DEA number
C) Use a different prescriber's DEA number
D) Refuse to enter the prescription
Rationale: When a prescription is missing required information, the technician
should contact the prescriber's office to obtain the missing information.
Entering incomplete information or using incorrect information is unacceptable.
Comprehensive Pharmacy Technician Certification Review
Detailed Explanations • Verified Answers • Complete
Success Workbook
Domain Scored Items Percentage
1. Role, Responsibilities, and General Duties 15 15%
2. Laws 15 15%
3. Drugs and Drug Therapy 13 13%
4. Dispensing Process 43 43%
5. Medication and Patient Safety & QA 14 14%
How to Use This Guide
• Answer each question without looking at the rationale first
• Review the detailed rationale for both correct and incorrect answers
• Identify your weak areas and focus additional study time there
• Aim for 80% or higher on practice questions before scheduling your exam
DOMAIN 1: ROLE, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND GENERAL DUTIES
(Questions 1–15)
,Question 1
Which of the following tasks is outside the scope of practice for a pharmacy
technician and must be performed by a pharmacist?
A) Entering a new prescription into the pharmacy computer system
B) Providing medication counseling to a patient about potential side effects
C) Counting and pouring medication into a prescription vial
D) Preparing a label for a prescription
Rationale: Providing medication counseling to patients is a task that must be
performed by a pharmacist. Pharmacy technicians may enter prescriptions, count
medications, prepare labels, and perform many other tasks under pharmacist
supervision, but they cannot provide clinical counseling or make therapeutic
decisions.
Question 2
A pharmacy technician notices that a prescription has been misfiled in the
pharmacy's hard-copy filing system. What is the most appropriate action?
A) Leave the prescription where it is and inform the pharmacist
B) Refile the prescription in the correct location and notify the pharmacist
C) Discard the misfiled prescription
D) Ignore the error and continue working
Rationale: Pharmacy technicians are responsible for maintaining accurate filing
systems and ensuring prescriptions are filed correctly. The technician should
correct the error and inform the pharmacist to ensure quality assurance.
Question 3
A patient arrives at the pharmacy with a new prescription for their child. The
patient appears to be having difficulty understanding the instructions. The
technician's most appropriate response is to:
A) Explain the instructions slowly and clearly to the patient
B) Inform the pharmacist that the patient has questions about the medication
C) Tell the patient to read the medication guide
D) Refuse to help the patient
,Rationale: When a patient has questions about their medication or appears to need
counseling, the technician should refer the patient to the pharmacist. Pharmacy
technicians may assist with patient interactions, but medication counseling is the
pharmacist's responsibility.
Question 4
A pharmacy technician is assisting with medication reconciliation for a newly
admitted hospital patient. What is the technician's role in this process?
A) Independently verify all medication orders
B) Collect and organize the patient's medication history for the pharmacist
C) Prescribe new medications for the patient
D) Discontinue all previous medications
Rationale: Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists with medication
reconciliation by collecting and organizing the patient's medication history. The
pharmacist verifies the information and makes clinical decisions.
Question 5
A technician is working in a retail pharmacy and notices that the pharmacy's
emergency contact list is outdated. What should the technician do?
A) Ignore the outdated list
B) Notify the pharmacist and update the emergency contact information
C) Discard the old list without replacement
D) Wait until an emergency occurs to update the list
Rationale: Pharmacy technicians must help maintain pharmacy security and
safety, including keeping emergency protocols and contact lists current. This is a
key responsibility to ensure the pharmacy is prepared for emergencies.
Question 6
A patient asks the pharmacy technician for assistance in selecting a blood pressure
monitor. What is the technician's most appropriate response?
A) Recommend the most expensive monitor
B) Tell the patient to ask their doctor
, C) Assist the patient in identifying and selecting appropriate compliance aids
and devices
D) Refuse to help because devices are not medication-related
Rationale: Pharmacy technicians are expected to assist patients with
identification and selection of compliance aids and devices, such as blood
pressure monitors, glucose monitors, and medication lock boxes.
Question 7
Which of the following is an appropriate responsibility for a pharmacy technician
in medication therapy management (MTM)?
A) Adjusting medication dosages
B) Following up with patients about medication compliance
C) Prescribing new medications
D) Changing therapy without pharmacist approval
Rationale: Pharmacy technicians may assist pharmacists in MTM by following
up with patients and discussing compliance. However, clinical decisions such as
adjusting dosages or changing therapy must be made by the pharmacist.
Question 8
A pharmacy technician is entering a prescription into the computer system and
notices that the prescriber's DEA number is missing. What is the most appropriate
action?
A) Enter the prescription without the DEA number
B) Contact the prescriber's office to obtain the DEA number
C) Use a different prescriber's DEA number
D) Refuse to enter the prescription
Rationale: When a prescription is missing required information, the technician
should contact the prescriber's office to obtain the missing information.
Entering incomplete information or using incorrect information is unacceptable.
