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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
Once you have decided whether you wish to attain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacy tech colleges to choose from in the Arcata CA area and throughout the Country, so you should develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will most likely initially look for colleges that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Arcata residence. If you are willing to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be important. But there are several other factors that you must take into consideration in order to properly compare colleges. The following questions will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your final choice.
Is the Pharmacy Tech College Accredited? The majority of pharmacist technician colleges and vocational schools have acquired a national or regional accreditation. Among the most respected accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and verified to provide a complete quality education. Online programs may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online learning. Make sure to verify that the certificate or degree program together with the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. Besides helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it might help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Arcata CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the School Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous employers prefer that the techs they employ are certified. The pharmacist tech school needs to prepare its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of work experience. This requirement can be fulfilled by taking part in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA requires one year of experience for certification, which can be met by means of an internship program. Perhaps the best way 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 practical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to satisfy the requirement. Check if the schools have a working relationship with Arcata CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Give Job Placement Help? Finding that first position in Arcata CA after graduation, especially with no experience, can be a daunting task without some help. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have job placement programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the profession creating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of employer contacts where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the college they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Arcata CA residence. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the pharmacy technician school you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Arcata CA area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.