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What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
After you have determined whether you want to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school options. There are a large number of pharmacist tech schools to select from in the Flowing Wells AZ area and throughout the United States, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will undoubtedly first start looking for schools that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Flowing Wells residence. If you are able to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be significant. But there are a number of other factors that you should consider so that you may effectively compare colleges. The questions below will help you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate choice.
Is the Pharmacy Tech College Accredited? Most pharmacy tech colleges and vocational schools have acquired a regional or national accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to offer a complete superior education. Online programs may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance education. Don't forget to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might mandate that the training program is accredited. And a number of Flowing Wells AZ employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the School Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in all states, but numerous employers prefer that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacy technician program should prep its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of professional experience. This condition can be satisfied by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA mandates 1 year of job experience for certification, which may be satisfied by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to get hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to fulfill the requirement. Ask if the colleges have a working relationship with Flowing Wells AZ area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Give Job Placement Assistance? Getting that first job in Flowing Wells AZ upon graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a difficult task without any assistance. Ask if the colleges you are researching have job assistance programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the school has a good reputation within the field generating appeal for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a sizable network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduates.
Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the school they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Flowing Wells AZ residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacist tech program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Flowing Wells AZ area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.