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Here are some helpful ways for you to prepare for the Pharmacy Technician Exam
Take a Course
While it is possible to take and pass the national examination without taking a course, it is very helpful and depending on which course you take, this could save you a ton of time! KLR Pharmacy Technician Training School offers an 8 week, fully online program that can be completed in the comfort of your own home. Regardless of which program you choose, it is important to keep in mind that your instructor has been doing this for quite some time and most often, they are fully aware of what is asked on the national exam. With this benefit, you end up studying exactly what you need without overwhelm.
Study Daily
It is important to show up for your national exam prepared. At the very least, give yourself 30-60 days of study time before testing. Set specific time aside each day to study the correct material. Don’t wait until the week of or the day before to begin studying for your exam.
Utilize flash cards to help you study
Especially if you have a busy life, flash cards are a great way to study on the go. At the doctor's office, in the line at the grocery store, while you are waiting for water to boil for dinner, sitting in the pickup line to get your kids after school, etc. Utilize your time wisely! Create quiz-like content by adding a question to one side of the card and the answer to the other side of the card.
Use the right study materials
Be sure to use material that your instructor has deemed most important for the national exam. There can be several different versions of the national exam and the writers can add whatever they want to it. Pharmacy material changes rapidly and for this reason, the exam can too. At KLR Pharmacy Technician Training School, students complete ten chapters in an 8-week period, but our main focus where we spend 5 out of the 8 weeks- is Chapter 1, which focuses on material commonly asked on any version of the NHA exam.
Be familiar with the exam
Most of us don’t love to take tests. Test taking can come with anxiety and overwhelming feelings, especially if you aren’t sure of what to expect. Know the details of the exam you are about to take to help ease some of these feelings, so that on test day, you can focus on what’s important!
Here are some additional tips to consider the day of the exam.
Show up prepared and show up early
Preparing to show up for your exam consists of getting a good night's sleep and having a good breakfast. If you are able to, drive to the testing location a few days before so that you can time it out and you don’t have to rush or stress the day of. Additionally, show up early! Give yourself time to get checked in and calm down before you begin your exam.
Read each question carefully
The questions on the exam will undoubtedly be worded differently than you saw them in textbooks or in any course that you take. These questions are designed to confuse you and make you think! Be sure to read the entire question carefully. If you are in a room alone, don’t be afraid to read out loud to yourself; this helps our brains to process what we are reading.
Don’t second guess yourself
At KLR Pharmacy Technician Training School, this is one of the first things our students learn, and this advice is commonly given to new students from alumni! Study hard so that you can be confident in your answers on test day. If you are reading key words that make you think you know the answer, the chances are that you DO know the answer, it’s just worded differently!
Use process of elimination and educated guesses based on what you do know
You will never know everything about pharmacy regardless of what course you take or how long you study. The exam is based on different areas of expertise, so the goal at KLR Pharmacy Technician Training School is for students to be knowledgeable in each area. If you don’t know an answer, chances are you can eliminate at least a portion of the answers based on what you do know and then make an educated guess from there.
Do your best and don’t stress anymore!
If you’ve followed the tips in this article, you showed up for your exam prepared. Do your best on your exam, and then don’t spend the remainder of the day worrying about it. You will receive an email stating that your scores are ready to be viewed in your account approximately 24 hours after your testing window.