It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Pharmacy Tech Career Below
Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
Once you have determined whether you want to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacy technician programs to pick from in the Van Buren AR area and throughout the Country, so you should develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will probably initially look for colleges that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your Van Buren residence. If you are willing to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be critical. But there are many other variables that you must consider in order to adequately compare programs. The questions below will assist you in collecting that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? Most pharmacist technician programs and vocational schools have earned a national or regional accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to offer a complete superior education. Online schools may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance learning. Make sure to verify that the degree or certificate program in addition to the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. In addition to helping make sure that you get a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may mandate that the training program is accredited. And a number of Van Buren AR employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the School Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but many pharmacies desire that the techs they hire be certified. The pharmacy tech college should prep 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 condition may be met by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA requires a year of experience for certification, which can be fulfilled through an internship program. Perhaps the best way to get hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Find out if the programs have associations with Van Buren AR area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Getting that initial job in Van Buren AR after graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a daunting endeavor without some help. Find out if the colleges you are considering 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 school has an excellent reputation within the profession creating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a large network of employer relationships where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Van Buren AR residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don't reside within their districts.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacist technician college you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Van Buren AR area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.