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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
Once you have decided whether you would like to earn a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can start to target your school alternatives. There are many pharmacist tech colleges to select from in the Conway AR area and throughout the Country, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and vocational schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will undoubtedly first start looking for schools that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Conway home. If you are willing to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be important. But there are a number of other variables that you should consider in order to properly compare colleges. The questions below will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate choice.
Is the Pharmacy Technician Program Accredited? Most pharmacy tech colleges and vocational schools have acquired a national or regional accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and verified to furnish a complete quality education. Online schools may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online learning. Don't forget to verify that the degree or certificate program in addition to the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain a superior education, it may help in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And many Conway AR employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the Program Prep You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in all states, but a number of employers desire that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacist tech school needs to ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of work experience. This requirement may be fulfilled by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Provide Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates a year of professional experience for certification, which may be satisfied by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech 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 an excellent way to meet the requirement. Ask if the colleges have a working relationship with Conway AR area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Help? Finding that initial position in Conway AR upon graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a difficult endeavor without any help. Find out if the schools you are researching have job assistance programs. If so, ask what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the college has an excellent reputation within the field generating appeal for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a sizable network of employer relationships where it can place graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For many students, the school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Conway AR residence. 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 keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacy technician school you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Conway AR area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family obligations.