Patient Care Technician (PCT)

For PCT eligibility, full-time employment is defined as an average of 40 hours per week. On-call, PRN, and as-needed positions are not accepted. Qualifying part-time experience may be combined when permitted under the applicable route.

The amount of experience required depends on your eligibility route:

• Education Route (graduated four or more years ago): Six months of full-time PCT experience within the past three years. 
• Medical or Nursing Assistant Education Route (graduated four or more years ago): Six months of full-time PCT experience within the past three years. 
• Work Experience Route: One year of full-time PCT experience within the past three years. 
• Instructor Route: One year of teaching experience within the past three years in a PCT program or related program that includes PCT clinical and administrative components. 

Qualifying experience should include patient care duties such as monitoring vital signs and patient conditions, communicating updates to the healthcare team, repositioning or transferring patients, assisting with dressing and grooming, monitoring food and fluid intake, escorting patients to tests, documenting daily activities, and providing support and education to patients and their families. 

Your employer must document your experience using the PCT Employment Verification Form. Job descriptions are not accepted in place of the completed form. 

If you graduated from an eligible patient care technician, medical assistant, or nursing assistant program more than four years ago, submit:

• A copy of your transcripts showing graduation from the program. 
• A completed PCT Employment Verification Form documenting at least six months of full-time patient care technician experience within the past three years. 

Email the completed documents to documents@americanmedtech.org.

Yes, students in their final semester or those finishing their externship can begin the application process. However, final transcripts are needed after graduation.

Required documents vary by eligibility route. Review the eligibility routes above to determine which route applies to you and confirm the documents you need before applying.

A patient care technician provides daily bedside care to patients in healthcare settings, typically hospitals and residential healthcare facilities. Some duties include helping patients with daily living activities, transporting patients, performing ECGs and phlebotomy tasks, and ensuring patient confidentiality. This credential represents exceptional patient care and can open doors for career growth.

The career of a patient care technician typically starts with an accredited training program or education, followed by certification with AMT. PCTs can advance careers through specialization, leadership roles, or progressing to higher level medical roles. PCTs may advance to become RMAs (AMT) or eventually may take on leadership roles.

According to ZipRecruiter, the estimated annual salary for a patient care technician in the United States is about $38,476. Salaries may vary depending on location, employer, experience, and education.

Yes. The non-refundable application fee includes the application, certification examination, and first annual renewal fee.