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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
Once you have decided whether you wish to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online program or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacy tech colleges to select from in the Queen Creek AZ area and throughout the Country, so you should develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and technical schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will undoubtedly initially look for programs that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Queen Creek home. If you are willing to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be critical. But there are several other factors that you must consider in order to properly compare colleges. The questions below will assist you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacist tech programs and trade schools have obtained a regional or national accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and verified to provide a complete superior education. Online colleges may additionally earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance education. Be sure to confirm that the certificate or degree program together with the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. Besides helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And a number of Queen Creek AZ employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the Program Ready You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but a number of pharmacies prefer that the technicians they hire are certified. The pharmacy technician program needs to prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of work experience. This qualification may be met by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Provide Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which can be satisfied with an internship program. One of the best ways to acquire practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with Queen Creek AZ area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Assistance? Finding that first position in Queen Creek AZ upon graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a challenging endeavor without any support. Ask if the schools you are considering have job assistance programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indication that the college has an excellent reputation within the profession creating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of employer contacts where it can place graduates.
Where is the School Located? For many students, the college they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Queen Creek AZ home. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
How Large 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 smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the pharmacist technician college you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Queen Creek AZ area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.