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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
After you have decided whether you wish to earn a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online program or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacist technician colleges to select from in the Fayetteville AR area and throughout the USA, so you should develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and trade schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Fayetteville home. If you are willing to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be critical. But there are several other variables that you need to take into consideration so that you may effectively compare schools. The questions below will help you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? Most pharmacy tech colleges 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). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to furnish a comprehensive superior education. Online schools may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online education. Make sure to check that the degree or certificate program together with the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with helping ensure that you receive a superior education, it might help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may require that the program of training is accredited. And many Fayetteville AR employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the Program Ready You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but numerous employers prefer that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacist technician program should prepare its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of job experience. This condition may be met by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates a year of experience for certification, which may be fulfilled with an internship program. One of the best ways to get hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Find out if the colleges have associations with Fayetteville AR area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Give Job Placement Help? Securing that initial position in Fayetteville AR after graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a daunting endeavor without any support. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have job placement programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator 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 pharmacy relationships where it can place graduating students.
Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the college they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Fayetteville AR home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the pharmacist tech school you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Fayetteville AR area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.