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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
After you have decided whether you want to earn a certificate or degree, and if you prefer to enroll in an online program or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school options. There are numerous pharmacist tech programs to pick from in the Apple Valley CA area and throughout the USA, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and technical schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for programs that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Apple Valley home. If you are able to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be important. But there are several other issues that you need to take into consideration so that you may effectively compare programs. The questions below will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician School Accredited? The majority of pharmacist technician colleges and vocational schools have earned 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 certified to offer a comprehensive quality education. Online schools may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online learning. Be sure to check that the degree or certificate program as well as the school 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 might help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may mandate that the training program is accredited. And a number of Apple Valley CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the College Ready You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but numerous employers desire that the techs they employ are certified. The pharmacy tech program should prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of professional experience. This qualification can be met by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA requires 1 year of professional experience for certification, which can be fulfilled by means of an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with Apple Valley CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Securing that first job in Apple Valley CA upon graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a daunting task without some assistance. Ask if the schools you are looking at have job placement programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has an excellent reputation within the field generating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a sizable network of pharmacy contacts where it can place graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Apple Valley CA home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes 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 consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are looking at 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 ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the pharmacist tech school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Apple Valley CA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.