Order Entry and Processing is 22.5% of the scored PTCE (the PTCB exam). Answer 10 exam style questions on DEA numbers and NDC numbers and see exactly which concepts would cost you points on test day.
Start the 10 questions →A prescription for oxycodone is signed by Dr. Maria Jones. Which DEA number passes both the last-name letter check and the check-digit calculation?
These questions cover DEA number verification, DEA number: check digit, DEA number: prescriber letter, NDC: segments and NDC: who assigns. Each one shows the correct answer and why every other option is wrong, so a miss tells you exactly what to review before the PTCE.
Prefer to read first? Every question from the practice set above, with the correct answer and why each wrong option is wrong.
Answer: A. Second letter J matches Jones. Check digit: (1 + 3 + 5) = 9; (2 + 4 + 6) = 12, x 2 = 24; 9 + 24 = 33. The last digit of 33 is 3, which matches the seventh digit.
Why not B: The check digit should be 3 (from the total 33), not 7.
Why not C: The second letter should be J for Jones, not K.
Why not D: With digits 1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 6: (1 + 4 + 5) = 10; (2 + 3 + 6) x 2 = 22; total 32, so the check digit should be 2, not 3.
Exam tactic: DEA check: add 1st+3rd+5th, add (2nd+4th+6th) x 2, sum; last digit = 7th digit.
Answer: C. Digits: 4, 2, 7, 8, 5, 1. Odd positions: 4 + 7 + 5 = 16. Even positions: 2 + 8 + 1 = 11, x 2 = 22. Total 16 + 22 = 38. The check digit is the last digit of 38, which is 8.
Why not A: 6 is the last digit of 16, the sum of the odd positions alone, before adding the doubled even positions.
Why not B: 1 is the last digit of 11, the even-position sum before it is doubled.
Why not D: 7 is the last digit of 27 (16 + 11), which forgets to double the even-position sum.
Exam tactic: Do not forget to double the 2nd + 4th + 6th sum.
Answer: B. For an individual practitioner, the second letter of the DEA number is the first letter of the registrant's last name. Patel begins with P.
Why not A: K is the first letter of his first name. The DEA number uses the last name.
Why not C: D stands for "Doctor", which is not part of the DEA letter scheme.
Why not D: M as a first letter marks a mid-level practitioner. It is not tied to the name Patel.
Exam tactic: Second letter = first letter of the last name.
Answer: B. The NDC is a 10-digit, three-segment code: the labeler (manufacturer, repackager or distributor), the product (drug, strength and dosage form), and the package (size and type).
Why not A: The first segment is the labeler, not the product.
Why not C: The product segment comes before the package segment.
Why not D: The NDC starts with the labeler and ends with the package.
Exam tactic: NDC = Labeler - Product - Package (L-P-P).
Answer: D. The FDA assigns the labeler code. The firm then assigns the product and package codes and lists them with the FDA.
Why not A: The FDA assigns only the labeler code. The firm assigns the other two segments.
Why not B: The DEA does not assign NDC segments. It regulates controlled substances.
Why not C: CMS does not assign NDCs. NDCs come from the FDA listing process.
Exam tactic: Labeler = FDA. Product + package = the firm.
Answer: D. The 10-digit NDC is in 4-4-2 format. To reach 5-4-2, add a leading zero to the 4-digit labeler segment: 01234-5678-90.
Why not A: Moving digits between segments changes the code. Only a leading zero is added to the short segment.
Why not B: The product segment is already 4 digits in 5-4-2 format. The zero belongs in the labeler segment.
Why not C: The package segment is already 2 digits. The labeler segment needs the zero.
Exam tactic: Find the short segment and put a 0 in front of it.
Answer: B. This NDC is in 5-3-2 format. The product segment has only 3 digits, so a leading zero is added to it: 12345-0678-90.
Why not A: The labeler segment already has 5 digits. Adding a zero there gives 6 digits, which is wrong.
Why not C: The package segment needs 2 digits, not 3. The short segment is the product.
Why not D: The zero goes in front of the segment, not at the end. A trailing zero changes the product code.
Exam tactic: Zero goes at the front of the short segment, never at the end.
Answer: A. This NDC is in 5-4-1 format. The package segment has only 1 digit, so a leading zero is added to it: 12345-6789-01.
Why not B: Adding the zero after the digit changes the package code from 1 to 10.
Why not C: The labeler segment already has 5 digits. The 1-digit package segment needs the zero.
Why not D: The product segment already has 4 digits. The package segment is the short one.
Exam tactic: 5-4-1: pad the package segment, 1 becomes 01.
Answer: C. The labeler code (manufacturer) and product code (drug, strength, form) stay the same. The package code differs because it identifies the package size and type.
Why not A: The labeler code identifies the firm, which is the same for both bottles.
Why not B: The product code identifies drug, strength and dosage form, which are the same.
Why not D: Only the package differs, so only the package code changes.
Exam tactic: Same drug, different bottle size = different package code.
Answer: D. DEA numbers that begin with M are issued to mid-level practitioners, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, whose prescribing authority comes from state law.
Why not A: Physicians receive DEA numbers starting with A, B, F or G, not M for "MD".
Why not B: Retail pharmacies receive DEA numbers starting with A, B, F or G, not M.
Why not C: Hospitals receive DEA numbers starting with A, B, F or G, not M.
Exam tactic: M = mid-level practitioner. Not "MD".
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