About this test
PTCB Practice Test 3 keeps the same four-domain weighting as the real 2026 exam, drawn from a fresh set of questions you have not seen in Tests 1 or 2. It is a good moment to add a timing goal: the real PTCE gives you about 73 seconds per question, so try to finish these 20 in roughly 25 minutes.
Every answer is cited. If you find yourself slowing down on one domain, that is your signal to drill it with the matching domain quiz before moving to Test 4.
New to the material? Work through our 2026 PTCB study guide first, then reinforce it with PTCB Practice Test 2 and PTCB Practice Test 4.
What's in the question bank
| Topic | Questions in bank |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | 4 |
| Abbreviations | 2 |
| Days Supply | 2 |
| Side Effects | 1 |
| Indication | 1 |
| Ndc | 1 |
| Expiration | 1 |
| Storage | 1 |
Sample questions with answers
These 8 questions come straight from the 31-question bank the timed test above draws from. Work each one before you open the answer: recalling it cold is what moves it into long-term memory.
1. A prescription for losartan (Cozaar) is presented at the pharmacy. Losartan is a member of which drug class?
- A.Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
- B.ACE inhibitors
- C.Beta blockers
- D.Direct renin inhibitors
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
Losartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB); generic names ending in -sartan reliably signal this class. ARBs block the action of angiotensin II at its receptor, whereas ACE inhibitors (names ending in -pril) block the enzyme that forms angiotensin II, so the two act at different points in the same pathway.
2. A parent picks up a reconstituted amoxicillin oral suspension and asks how long it can be used. What should they be told?
- A.Discard any unused portion after 7 days
- B.It is good until the expiration date on the stock bottle
- C.Discard any unused portion after 28 days
- D.Discard any unused portion after 14 days
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Discard any unused portion after 14 days
Once mixed with water, amoxicillin suspension should be discarded after 14 days. The stock bottle's expiration date no longer applies after reconstitution because the added water starts chemical degradation, which is why that distractor is wrong.
3. A prescriber phones in an emergency oral prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance. Under federal law, the prescriber must deliver a written, signed prescription to the pharmacy within how many days?
- A.24 hours
- B.3 days
- C.7 days
- D.30 days
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. 7 days
Under 21 CFR 1306.11(d), an emergency oral Schedule II prescription must be limited to the quantity needed for the emergency period, and the prescriber must deliver a written, signed prescription marked 'Authorization for Emergency Dispensing' to the pharmacy within 7 days. If the written prescription is not received, the pharmacist must notify DEA.
4. What is the primary purpose of tall man lettering, as in vinBLAStine and vinCRIStine?
- A.To indicate that a drug is available only under its brand name
- B.To capitalize the dissimilar letters so look-alike drug names are easier to tell apart
- C.To mark medications that must be stored in the refrigerator
- D.To show which syllable is stressed when pronouncing the name
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. To capitalize the dissimilar letters so look-alike drug names are easier to tell apart
Tall man lettering uses uppercase letters, starting from the left side of the name, to highlight the parts of similar drug names that differ. The FDA notes it can be combined with bolding or color to further draw attention. It alerts staff that a name can be confused with another product.
5. A prescription is dispensed for 60 lisinopril tablets with the sig "i tab PO BID." What days supply should the technician enter on the claim?
- A.15 days
- B.20 days
- C.30 days
- D.60 days
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. 30 days
The patient takes 1 tablet x 2 doses per day = 2 tablets daily. Dividing the quantity by daily use gives 60 tablets / 2 tablets per day = 30 days supply.
6. Hydrochlorothiazide is best classified as which type of diuretic?
- A.Loop diuretic
- B.Thiazide diuretic
- C.Potassium-sparing diuretic
- D.Osmotic diuretic
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Thiazide diuretic
Hydrochlorothiazide is the prototype thiazide diuretic, commonly used for high blood pressure and mild edema. Furosemide is a loop diuretic that produces a stronger, faster diuresis, so the two are not interchangeable in class.
7. What is the primary purpose of USP General Chapter <800>?
- A.To set beyond-use dates for sterile compounds
- B.To standardize NDC formatting across manufacturers
- C.To set standards for safe handling of hazardous drugs that minimize exposure risk to healthcare personnel, patients, and the environment
- D.To define temperature ranges for drug storage equipment
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. To set standards for safe handling of hazardous drugs that minimize exposure risk to healthcare personnel, patients, and the environment
USP <800> provides standards for safely handling hazardous drugs to minimize the risk of exposure to healthcare personnel, patients, and the environment. Beyond-use dating for sterile preparations is governed by USP <797>, which is the chapter most often confused with <800>.
8. A firm removes a product from the market because of a minor violation that would not be subject to FDA legal action, such as normal stock rotation issues. Under 21 CFR Part 7, what is this action called?
- A.A Class III recall
- B.A stock recovery
- C.A market withdrawal
- D.A medical device safety alert
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. A market withdrawal
Under 21 CFR 7.3(j), a market withdrawal is a firm's removal or correction of a distributed product involving a minor violation not subject to FDA legal action, or no violation at all. It is distinct from a recall, which involves a product FDA considers violative, and from a stock recovery, which involves product that never left the firm's control.
Ready for the full timed run? Scroll back up and start the Practice Test 3, or browse every free PTCB quiz by exam domain.
Key concepts to know
Practice your pacing
On test day, banking the quick recall questions first and flagging calculation-heavy ones to revisit is what keeps you on time. Use these mini tests to rehearse that rhythm, not just the content.
Turn misses into a study list
Keep a running note of the exact facts you miss across the numbered series. By Test 8, that note is a personalized weak-spot list worth more than any generic cram sheet.
Practice Test 3: FAQ
How long should Practice Test 3 take?
Budget about 25 minutes for the 20 questions, which matches the real exam's pace of roughly 73 seconds per question. Finishing comfortably within that window is a good readiness sign.
Does Test 3 repeat questions from Tests 1 and 2?
No. Each numbered test draws from its own dedicated set, so Test 3 is 20 genuinely new questions.
Official sources checked
This quiz's content and explanations are built from and cross-checked against primary sources. Verify current exam facts directly with PTCB.