RE: Re: ExCPT CPhT vs PTCB CPhT?

January 16, 2008

Joe,

What ever happened to the statement you made about not bad mouthing other

organizations? When you lie it makes people not want to believe ANYTHING you

say. The only reason so little is given in return is because we allow that to

happen. But with people like you dividing the profession by saying " pick your

side/team " is only hurting us more. You may have good intentions, but your

impact is incredibly negative.

If you hate NPTA so much why are you giving it so much attention? Why don't you

start your own organization? Why don't you put all this negative energy into

something positive? Once upon a time you LOVED NPTA, so you two got a divorce.

MOVE ON! I hesitate to join any association you applaud as I figure in a couple

of years you'll burn your bridges with them and start bad mouthing them as well.

There is to much that needs to done within our profession to waste time being

negative. Change your course Joe.

, CPhT

Hi ,

Coming from you I am greatly honored as many feel that I simply blow

gas when it comes to our profession. Too many feel that all is good

and why reinvent the wheel if nothing is broken? The problem with this

statement is not only does the wheel need fixing, but the bike as

well. PTCB provided a good patch...but nothing more.

Too bad because if one would look closely at our vocation, without the

great marketing efforts being shoved down our throats by our very own

pretend to be National Organization (NPTA), Boards of Pharmacies,

Pharmacy Technician Programs, Employers, etc....we would see that too

much money is being made off of us Pharmacy Technicians with little

given in return.

Joe Medina, CPhT

Covington CPhT, is the current President of the American

Association of Pharmacy Technician's (AAPT), an organization that

actually wants to see the betterment of our vocation, not to make

money, but simply because they care.

http://www.pharmacytechnician.com <http://www.pharmacytechnician.com>

------------

Hi Joe,

Well stated!

I believe it is high time that we stop placing so much value on the

acronym CPhT. When PTCB began the certification process for

pharmacy technicians over a decade a ago I thought it was a step

toward standardizing competencies that would later lead to

standardized skills and education for pharmacy technicians. Reflecting

back, I certainly think this is a perfect example of putting the cart

before the horse. But something needed to be done.

It is time that we who represent the pharmacy technician profession

say enough! Enough to those who have decided that competency for

pharmacy technicians only means passing an exam. It doesn't matter

that we are certified if we do not understand the basic fundamentals

of why we do what we do. To declare competency in our profession we

must possess the skill, knowledge and ability to not just to do the

job but to do it well and with the of greatest integrity. How can we

do that if we are satisfied with a few initials behind our name that

only represent passing an exam with no pursuit of higher education.

How can we feel good about the quality of service and care that we

provide for the patients if we do not demand more of our profession

than a designation of CPhT or any other acronym without formal

education and training pharmacy.

For the record, let me say that I am PTCB certified. However, I

received formal education and training from an ASHP accredited program

long before I was certified. I am of the belief that certification by

any means will only have true value when formal education and training

become a pre-requisite to the exam.

January 16, 2008

Thank you ! you said how I feel and have felt MUCH

better than I EVER could!

--- " , " <lmurphy@...> wrote:

Joe,

What ever happened to the statement you made about

not bad mouthing other organizations? When you lie it

makes people not want to believe ANYTHING you say.

The only reason so little is given in return is

because we allow that to happen. But with people like

you dividing the profession by saying " pick your

side/team " is only hurting us more. You may have good

intentions, but your impact is incredibly negative.

If you hate NPTA so much why are you giving it so

much attention? Why don't you start your own

organization? Why don't you put all this negative

> energy into something positive? Once upon a time

> you LOVED NPTA, so you two got a divorce. MOVE ON!

> I hesitate to join any association you applaud as I

> figure in a couple of years you'll burn your bridges

> with them and start bad mouthing them as well.

>

> There is to much that needs to done within our

> profession to waste time being negative. Change

> your course Joe.

>

> , CPhT

>

> Hi ,

>

> Coming from you I am greatly honored as many feel

> that I simply blow

> gas when it comes to our profession. Too many feel

> that all is good

> and why reinvent the wheel if nothing is broken? The

> problem with this

> statement is not only does the wheel need fixing,

> but the bike as

> well. PTCB provided a good patch...but nothing more.

>

> Too bad because if one would look closely at our

> vocation, without the

> great marketing efforts being shoved down our

> throats by our very own

> pretend to be National Organization (NPTA), Boards

> of Pharmacies,

> Pharmacy Technician Programs, Employers, etc....we

> would see that too

> much money is being made off of us Pharmacy

> Technicians with little

> given in return.

>

> Joe Medina, CPhT

>

> Covington CPhT, is the current President of

> the American

> Association of Pharmacy Technician's (AAPT), an

> organization that

> actually wants to see the betterment of our

> vocation, not to make

> money, but simply because they care.

>

> http://www.pharmacytechnician.com

> <http://www.pharmacytechnician.com>

>

> ------------

> Hi Joe,

>

> Well stated!

>

> I believe it is high time that we stop placing so

> much value on the

> acronym CPhT. When PTCB began the certification

> process for

> pharmacy technicians over a decade a ago I thought

> it was a step

> toward standardizing competencies that would later

> lead to

> standardized skills and education for pharmacy

> technicians. Reflecting

> back, I certainly think this is a perfect example of

> putting the cart

> before the horse. But something needed to be done.

>

> It is time that we who represent the pharmacy

> technician profession

> say enough! Enough to those who have decided that

> competency for

> pharmacy technicians only means passing an exam. It

> doesn't matter

> that we are certified if we do not understand the

> basic fundamentals

> of why we do what we do. To declare competency in

> our profession we

> must possess the skill, knowledge and ability to not

> just to do the

> job but to do it well and with the of greatest

> integrity. How can we

> do that if we are satisfied with a few initials

> behind our name that

> only represent passing an exam with no pursuit of

> higher education.

> How can we feel good about the quality of service

> and care that we

> provide for the patients if we do not demand more of

> our profession

> than a designation of CPhT or any other acronym

> without formal

> education and training pharmacy.

>

> For the record, let me say that I am PTCB certified.

> However, I

> received formal education and training from an ASHP

> accredited program

> long before I was certified. I am of the belief that

> certification by

> any means will only have true value when formal

> education and training

> become a pre-requisite to the exam.

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been

> removed]

>

" If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be. "

- Yogi Berra

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January 17, 2008

Hi everyone! I usually read rather than respond. I have a few times in the past.

This particular email hit home for me. By the way, I'm Ashanti. I am a certified

technician thanks to the formal training I received by way of Delgado Community

College in New Olreans, La. First off, we need to realize that our profession is

a very intricuit one. Yes we do a VERY large part of the work in our field and

do not make as much as a pharmacists does, but when you take into consideration

where we once were and where we are headed it will make that pill a little

easier to swallow. I am a part of four organizations on both a state and

national level and there is great benefit. I see Joe has lost his faith in the

" system " , but all great things take time. Unfortunately some take more time than

others. Hopefully with the enactment of change for better healthcare they pay

scale will continue to rise for certified technicians.

I do feel it is imperative that future technicians even those who have been in

the workplace for years have some formal style of training. There is a great

benefit in such. If a technichian has a higher education level as well as

previous experience this will help make the technician more marketable and

possibly have some control over salary offerings. Education in conjunction with

the PTCE allows the techncian to not only pass the exam to meet certain

requirements,but also help with being able to apply concepts and ideas in the

health field.

I have been certified for a few years now. I possess formal training and work

experiencein the field. I'm able to practice my skills and knowledge in a area

of concentration I love. Teaching! I'm giving back to Delgado and because of my

formal training they felt confident that I would be able to help them produce

more technicians because of this. We have to understand WHY we do WHAT we do n

order to provide an optimal service level for our patients. Knowing a trade and

generic name of a drug is good, but having at least some basic knowledge of the

drug will allow us to be even more valuable in our field. The more knowledge we

arm ourselves with can and will increase or net worth as viable tools to the

pharmacist, the industry in which we work and most of all our patients. At that

point we will be able to suggest more pay because of our knowledge base. That's

what the pharmacist's salary is based on, knowldge base (formal education) and

the risk level involved in the

practice, and yes, there are many risks. The pharmacist is responsible for ALL

of us as well as interns and even cashiers and the work they do. We are mostly

responsible for ourselves and what we do.

Joe I hope you regain your faith. I know it can be frustrating at times, but

rather than be part of a problem, become a part of the solution for effective

change.

Ashanti, CPhT (And it means alot)

January 17, 2008

What a brilliant idea Vicki!

When I started as a tech 7 years ago I searched the website for any pharm tech

organization. NPTA is what came up so I joined. In reading Today's Technician

(2001) there was an announcement about the convention in Las Vegas. I really

wanted to go but could not afford it at the time. As I continued through the

magazine, there was a " call " for presenters at the convention. You would be

paid $75 per presentation as well as getting free registration. I figured what

the heck! The $75 would basically cover my room and my registration was paid..I

could afford to go!

That is what started my true love of educating technicians. I realized how many

techs you can reach. Yes, I've done presentations every year since for NPTA.

The fact of the matter is I would do it for any other Pharm Tech organization as

well if they invited me.

Since I've joined NPTA, I have made several wonderful friends, I've done

presentations around the country, and I've been published twice. No other

organization could offer me all of that. Oh, by the way, yes I have been

members of other organizations as well. My experience has been that (APhA) they

do as minimal for techs as possible. ASHP conferences (CSHP specific) very few

technician classes.

NPTA may or may not be the end-all - be-all to pharmacy technicians, but it

gives those of us who want the chance to be better the opportunity.....whether

we take that opportunity or not is up to each individual.

, CPhT

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\

------------------------

Let me suggest an idea for the next topic...how about anyone with

POSITIVE experiences with ANY of the pharmacy organizations (NPTA,

AAPT, ASHP, etc, etc...) tell the group about them. What have they

done to promote education and the advancement of pharmacy

technicians?

This name calling and finger pointing is such wasted energy. How

about everyone use that time to help me explain to the state board of

pharmacy in New York why our technicians need to have some sort of

(any sort of)regulatory requirements. How about we make that a goal

for the whole entire country?

Jeanetta, I have to apologize because this not the forum for such

discussions, but I feel a great injustice would be done if your

members were left feeling as though NPTA is some great EVIL!

Wow Joe, even in an " apology " you can manage to be condescending. I

have yet to see you post something without some stab at NPTA. I'm

really surprised you didn't slide in a plug for tech lectures. I

absolutely agree with the sentiment offered, and that is why (as

you may recall) I asked to be removed from your group a few years

back.

Here's my experience:

You do speak favorably of AAPT, but EVERY time I try to contact a

director to get additional information...I am ignored. Their website

has very little to offer as far as descriptive information, and after

no less than 5 unanswered emails to various directors...I am ready to

give up. Nor can I recommend this group to any of my students until

just one of my questions is addressed.

Of course your answer will now tell about AAPT being a small

nonprofit group without the benefit of a paid webmaster like NPTA

with all of their glitz and glam... Bottom line, I have never had a

bad experience with NPTA, my emails are ALWAYS answered in a timely

fashion, and no matter what you feel about the organization (yes,

your feud with Mike ston is legendary)NPTA works to educate

technicians in this country.

Now you will talk of how NPTA tries to make a profit on the backs of

technicians in this country. Well there are countless

groups/individuals who proclaim to educate and advance techs with

there books, CD's, web programs, etc. These programs charge

astronomical fees, with little if any proof of validity of content.

(Go to ebay and google one day and type in pharmacy technician)

Anything I have paid to NPTA has been money well spent, with

consistent results. It was very clear to me upfront what I would get

for my money.

It hasn't always been finacially easy for me to pay for my countless

memberships, trips for many assorted conferences, and the purchase of

my ever growing library of technician material, but I make the

sacrifices I need to in order to invest in my own future. No one is

going to hand it over to me on a silver platter.

How about you let everyone know aboult the endless supply of

excellent FREE CE available to technicians? No technician out there

has to spend anymore than the fee required for recertification. All

technicians should know that there is NO LIMIT to further educating

themselves, even when they are finacially strapped.

ANY organization that works to advance technicians, profit or not

should be applauded for their efforts. We as technicians are our own

worst enemy, as we do little as a group to push for change.

STOP attacking and work to change what you do not like!

Thanks,

E. V. Earle-, CPhT.

Pharmacy Technician Teacher

Adult Education and Career Training

Monroe #1 Board of ative Education

Pharmacy Tech IV

OR Pharmacy Satellite

Strong Memorial Hospital

University of Rochester

601 Elmwood Avenue

Rochester, New York 14642

phone: (585)275-5547

fax:(585)756-5582

email:victoria_earle@...

<mailto:victoria_earle%40urmc.rochester.edu>

January 17, 2008

Best thing about BOTH tech organizations is at the

conventions I can talk to techs from other parts of

the country and the world. I have discovered that my

little hospital isn't as backwards as I feel it is,

and there are other opportunities out there for me, if

I ever feel the need to change employers. Some of

these techs have become friends, and some I have never

seen again.

--- vicki <vixenve@...> wrote:

Let me suggest an idea for the next topic...how about

anyone with POSITIVE experiences with ANY of the

pharmacy organizations (NPTA, AAPT, ASHP, etc,

etc...) tell the group about them. What have they

done to promote education and the advancement of

pharmacy technicians?

This name calling and finger pointing is such wasted

energy. How about everyone use that time to help me

explain to

> the state board of

> pharmacy in New York why our technicians need to

> have some sort of

> (any sort of)regulatory requirements. How about we

> make that a goal

> for the whole entire country?

>

> Jeanetta, I have to apologize because this not the

> forum for such

> discussions, but I feel a great injustice would be

> done if your

> members were left feeling as though NPTA is some

> great EVIL!

>

> Wow Joe, even in an " apology " you can manage to be

> condescending. I

> have yet to see you post something without some stab

> at NPTA. I'm

> really surprised you didn't slide in a plug for tech

> lectures. I

> absolutely agree with the sentiment offered,

> and that is why (as

> you may recall) I asked to be removed from your

> group a few years

> back.

>

> Here's my experience:

>

> You do speak favorably of AAPT, but EVERY time I try

> to contact a

> director to get additional information...I am

> ignored. Their website

> has very little to offer as far as descriptive

> information, and after

> no less than 5 unanswered emails to various

> directors...I am ready to

> give up. Nor can I recommend this group to any of

> my students until

> just one of my questions is addressed.

>

> Of course your answer will now tell about AAPT being

> a small

> nonprofit group without the benefit of a paid

> webmaster like NPTA

> with all of their glitz and glam... Bottom line, I

> have never had a

> bad experience with NPTA, my emails are ALWAYS

> answered in a timely

> fashion, and no matter what you feel about the

> organization (yes,

> your feud with Mike ston is legendary)NPTA works

> to educate

> technicians in this country.

>

> Now you will talk of how NPTA tries to make a profit

> on the backs of

> technicians in this country. Well there are

> countless

> groups/individuals who proclaim to educate and

> advance techs with

> there books, CD's, web programs, etc. These

> programs charge

> astronomical fees, with little if any proof of

> validity of content.

> (Go to ebay and google one day and type in pharmacy

> technician)

> Anything I have paid to NPTA has been money well

> spent, with

> consistent results. It was very clear to me upfront

> what I would get

> for my money.

>

> It hasn't always been finacially easy for me to pay

> for my countless

> memberships, trips for many assorted conferences,

> and the purchase of

> my ever growing library of technician material, but

> I make the

> sacrifices I need to in order to invest in my own

> future. No one is

> going to hand it over to me on a silver platter.

>

> How about you let everyone know aboult the endless

> supply of

> excellent FREE CE available to technicians? No

> technician out there

> has to spend anymore than the fee required for

> recertification. All

> technicians should know that there is NO LIMIT to

> further educating

> themselves, even when they are finacially strapped.

>

> ANY organization that works to advance technicians,

> profit or not

> should be applauded for their efforts. We as

> technicians are our own

> worst enemy, as we do little as a group to push for

> change.

>

> STOP attacking and work to change what you do not

> like!

>

> Thanks,

>

> E. V. Earle-, CPhT.

>

> Pharmacy Technician Teacher

> Adult Education and Career Training

> Monroe #1 Board of ative Education

>

> Pharmacy Tech IV

> OR Pharmacy Satellite

> Strong Memorial Hospital

> University of Rochester

> 601 Elmwood Avenue

> Rochester, New York 14642

> phone: (585)275-5547

> fax:(585)756-5582

>

> email:victoria_earle@...

>

" If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be. "

- Yogi Berra

ONLY AFTER YOU'VE LOST EVERYTHING ARE YOU FREE TO DO ANYTHING

like myspace? try yuwie! http://r.yuwie.com/katbird_27

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January 17, 2008

maybe the state board of pharmacy should decide, as

some are already doing. Wasn't it just a few years

ago that pharmacists had a few tests to choose from,

but the state they practiced in basically dictated

which one they took?

--- Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS Chemistry

<rxjm2002@...> wrote:

This is a repost to get back on topic!

Dear All,

A NEW PRESS RELEASE discusses the use of the letters:

CPhT!

Designation of the letters CPhT behind your name are

no longer

> > specific to PTCE/B exam test takers. CPhT means

> certified pharmacy

> > technician just as RPh means registered pharmacist

> or RN means

> > registered nurse.

> >

> > http://www.nationaltechexam.org/default.shtml

> >

> > From this point on which ever the test you take to

> certify you as a

> > pharmacy technician will allow you to be called a

> certified pharmacy

> > technician.

> >

> > However your state will determine which test or

> tests you may take to

> > become certified.

> > Here is an example:

> >

> > Currently in the state of Oregon you may become

> certified by taking

> > either ICPT's ExCPT or PTCB's PTCE exam.

> >

> > Currently in the state of California you may

> graduate from a state

> > approved pharmacy technician program or you may

> take PTCB's PTCE exam

> > to become certified.

> >

> > Currently in the state of Texas you must complete

> a state training

> > program and pass PTCB's PTCE.

> >

> > The NEWS Release can be read at:

> > http://www.nationaltechexam.org/default.shtml

> > Find the following headline and click on the

> appropriate 'button':

> > CPhT An Appropriate Designation for All Certified

> Technicians

> > Learn More... (PDF)

> >

> > Respectfully,

> >

> > Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

> > Pharm Tech Educator

> >

>

" If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be. "

- Yogi Berra

ONLY AFTER YOU'VE LOST EVERYTHING ARE YOU FREE TO DO ANYTHING

like myspace? try yuwie! http://r.yuwie.com/katbird_27

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January 17, 2008

Amen, Ms.Vicki. I'm from New York too!

vicki <vixenve@...> wrote: I want to ask you about the following:

" However your state will determine which test or

> tests you may take to

> > become certified. " from an earlier posting of Jeanetta's

Jeanetta, I believe you are referring to which certification exam your

state recognizes??

New York does NOT recognize my certification, but that in no way means

that I am not a certified pharmacy technician.

On to my comments about ExCPT vs PTCB:

In my opinion, there are much bigger fish to fry than to decide who's

test determines what...(of course I come from a state with a LONG way to

go!)

1. All technicians should be registered. (your history as a technician

should be just as easy to confirm as any pharmacists) If you were

caught stealing narcotics in Tennessee, your new employer in Iowa should

be able to get that information!

2.All technicians should have some sort of formal education (or

acceptable number of years in practice to exempt this requirement)

-we can spend years debating how long education programs should be,

or how long a tech has to have been practicing to meet an education

requirement...but bottom line, there needs to be something CONSISTENT in

this country! In a state with very few education programs and NO

accredited ones, we will see a real shortage of techs, if suddenly

everyone is going to have to go through an accredited program.

-that doesn't mean that we shouldn't aim for that...I just don't

want to see an all or nothing situation.

And finally, she's about to answers the question (sort of)...hope you

kept reading this far: []

3.In addition to this education, some measure (test) should be required,

just like it is for any other profession (after the required schooling)

-does it matter who offers it? Probably far less than how much its'

content should matter! (Again this is only MY opinion) Certification

exams should be FAR more comprehensive than they currently are, perhaps

even with some sort of practical. I do not mean to insult anyone who

did not pass the exam or who had extreme difficulty, but come on, I have

personally seen new techs prep for the exam in a few short hours of

memorizing a couple of laws and drug names!

-I dream of a day where we can receive additional " certification " in

the specialty areas of pharmacy. (IV prep, compounding, chemo, inventory

management, billing, etc...you know, all of those specialized areas we

devote our careers to) Make these exams difficult...I want my countless

hours of study and practice to be represented in my " certificate. "

We are all over the map when it comes to what we a required to do in

order to become and remain a technician.

Let's start there!

Of course, these are MY opinions.

Vicki

New York

January 17, 2008

Dear Vicki,

First I will comment on part one of your lovely posting!

YES! Absolutely! IF you passed either exam you ARE a CPhT!

You may use these letters on your name tag as long as your employer does not

forbid it!

It is not a legal requirement in NY, but you ARE certified! You passed the

exam and you are certified pharmacy technician. No argument here and I back you

100%.

And this NOW means whether you passed the ExCPT or the PTCE!

Secondly IF your state (such as NY) does require you to be a CPhT, it is still

possible that your employer may require it.

Thirdly IF your state does NOT recognize any exam 9such as NY) your employer

has the right to!

Going BEYOND New York and your question that may affect others:

Fourthly, IF your state ONLY recognizes ONE exam then you may not use the ICPT

ExCPT exam to become legally a technician in your state! It does NOT matter that

the courts have said that passing of ExCPT means you are certified! IF your

state says you may qualify to become a technician legally in your state only IFf

you have passed PTCB (only), then NO court has the right to change that and can

not require a state to use EcxCPT. States are autonomous and may have MORE

stringent rules than the Feds. As long as they do not break the rules of the

Feds.

So now we go to the fact that Pharmacist Associations may advise individual

state boards of pharmacy may impose specific laws to use only specific exams.

And that has been the past.

Karin did a great job of bringing up this fact that even CA had a different

licensing exam than all other states until only 2 yrs ago! I was part of the

technician delegation that voted on this in CSHP. At the time I voted the RPh's

voted NO as a recommendation to the State Board of Pharmacy. A year or so later

the CA State Board of Pharmacy voted to allow the change for economical reasons

after having the tests compared and analyzed to be psychometrically sound and

equivalent. So now CA pharmacists only take one exam by NAPLEX AND CA has its

own jurisprudence (law) exam as other states do. Pharmacists no longer have to

be told if you want to work in A that you have to retake the pharmacy exam.

However, they would have to take the CA Pharmacy Law exam to work in CA.

Let's take a look at Oregon and Montana: both allow the tech to take either

PTCB's PTCE or ICPT's ExCPT to become certified and thus allowed to practice as

a technician in those two states. Montana you may recall is one of the original

five states that first ever required CPhT to work! the FIRST state being UTAH in

1998, NOT Texas 2000/1 as everyone seems to think.

So in those two states an employer could NOT say that he/she wants you to be

PTCB certified when you have ICPT /ExCPT certification.! The State board has

spoken! Employers have no RIGHT TO BREAK THE LAW! They may however say that

they want you to take another exam in addition to the states requirements.

Again as Karin has pointed out: the states have the right to choose. This is

called autonomy or being autonomous! ONLY a FEDERAL law that would say that a

specific exam or exams is/are to be used and others are not to be used could

supersede state law. In other words if there was a governing body which enacted

a fed law in which it allowed only the ExCPT test to be used in all states, then

all states would have to certify technicians and certify them by that exam

alone. Let me make it clear that there is NO SUCH governing body to make this

law. The FDA is about Food and Drug administration not about certification or

qualification of technicians. If this were the case we would probably have had

such a FED law in the first place and not debating (for a lack of a better word)

these points. But it is what I AM asking for! ONE FED BODY to GOVERN TECHS! And

still allowing state autonomy as they do with pharmacists. OR one FED body that

governs pharmacists to also govern techs.

RECALL that the NABP does not make laws. It advises states to make specific

laws. It tries to make things uniform and to discuss topics for clarification

and such. It in itself is NOT a governing body but it is in an advisory

capacity. IF there was a governing body to tell all states (FED) that they had

to use NAPLEX, then California would have had no choice for so long! If this

were the case then the federal governing body would have made CA change to

NAPLEX. Instead it took years for CA to change. There are still some who will

argue its change.

Courts do not have the right to impose upon the states that they (states) must

allow the certification of technicians to take a specific exam. In fact they do

not have the right to impose that states even require certification, so they can

not choose which one! But what the courts did is say and have the right to say

is that a person can be called a CPhT if they take " ANY " certification exam. No

one exam can own the title of CPhT for those who pass. It is now up to the

STATES to determine individually which test or tests they will allow/require, if

any. I am calling for an independent agency to evaluate the exams so that we can

know with certainty if their content is the same/comparable/equivalent. THAT

IS what I am asking for. I am NOT asking for ICPT or PTCB to be the ONE and

only exam. I am not asking that both be allowed or required either! I am asking

that if the tests are not equal that states be so informed. IF they are equal

that the states be so informed. I

would like states (state boards of pharmacy) to be able to make an informed

decision, not a biased one. Otherwise the courts decision does not mean a hill

of beans to the states, pharmacy, pharmacists, pharmacy techs, schools,

accreditation process, or patients!

What does the courts decision mean?

So YES a state can STILL choose to use either ExCPT or PTCB or both to

certifiy its state techs or it could choose not to certify techs at all. The

court decision has only stated that NO ONE entity owns the right to use the

words or letters " certified pharmacy techhnician " or " CPhT " . The court did not

say that the two tests are equal. That is now left up for the PHARMACY state

boards to determine. They can do this individually or as a group! Which do you

think is better, economical and in the best interest of technicians? I would

say as a group! I don't want to have to move to a state only to find that my

credentials are not accepted when I have been practicing for 15 or more years!

Do You? (by the way Vickie the word ‘you’ is not directed at you personally,

but rather it is a clarification to all who are reading this - 'you' in pleural

to the whole group). I am calling for ONE entity with representatives from each

group that should be there with an invested interest

to DECIDE if the tests are equal. But I want them to FUND an outside impartial

non-biased group that does this day in and day out to so it! NOT the members of

the group per se!

To be more specific to your question Vicki: " content " IS more important than

the name of the exam or the organization behind it! YES I agree and THAT is

exactly WHAT I have intended in my first original post by stating that we need

to know if the two tests are comparable/equal.

Trust me, people, NO judge knows that for sure either! The judge was not

judging the content of the exams, but rather that ANY exam that says it will

certify pharmacy technicians CAN and that the test takers who pass have the

right to call themselves: CPhT. So in essence I could put a test online and

charge (or not) then call the test takers who pass it certified pharmacy

technicians/CPhT. It is up to the states to decide if my test is a valid

measure of being a pharmacy technician worthy of those initials. But if a state

does not allow their techs to be certified by that exam they do not have to. The

problem is there is NO overseeing body to determine that my (hypothetical) test

is valid, psychometrically sound and equivalent in content to PTCB or ExCPT or

any other certifying exam. And therefore a state may unknowingly allow a

specific exam to be used just because a judge said the 'passers' can be called

certified pharmacy technicians.

So while I support the fact that any test that is for certification of

pharmacy technicians can in fact call the passers of the exam certified pharmacy

technicians, I also support the states autonomy to choose, but I as a technician

and technician educator DEMAND to know the differences, similarities and

equivalence of these two and any subsequent or current exams!

A state STILL has the right to impose its OWN exam! It does NOT have to use

PTCB or ExCPT or any other, it can make its own exam!

What I want IS standardizations which is what I CALLED for at the NPTA 2002

awards ceremony when I received my NPTA Pharmacy Educator the Year Award. Many

of you witnessed this.

I was the first person to ask for this in open forum! So Vicki I would say you

and I are saying the SAME thing. I will comment on your other point in a second

posting!

Most Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

Founder Owner of this site.

vicki <vixenve@...> wrote:

I want to ask you about the following: