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Points to Ask Pharmacy Tech Colleges
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 attend classes on campus, you can start to target your school options. There are numerous pharmacy technician colleges to pick from in the Anaheim CA area and throughout the Country, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and trade schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will most likely first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Anaheim home. If you are willing to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be critical. But there are many other issues that you need to consider in order to effectively compare programs. The questions below will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Tech College Accredited? Most pharmacy technician programs and trade schools have obtained a regional or national 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 verified to offer a complete superior education. Online schools may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online education. Make sure to confirm that the certificate or degree program in addition to the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it may help in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may mandate that the program of training is accredited. And many Anaheim CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the Program Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but a number of pharmacies prefer that the techs they employ are certified. The pharmacy technician college should prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of work experience. This qualification may be met by participating in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Provide Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA requires 1 year of professional experience for certification, which may be satisfied by means of an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to fulfill the requirement. Check if the programs have associations with Anaheim CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Assistance? Getting that initial position in Anaheim CA upon graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a difficult task without some assistance. Ask if the schools you are considering have job assistance programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the school has a good reputation within the field generating demand for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduating students.
Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Anaheim CA home. Those who have decided 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 importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school 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 typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the pharmacy technician school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Anaheim CA area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.