It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Pharmacy Tech Career Below
Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
Once you have determined whether you wish 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 narrow your school options. There are numerous pharmacist tech colleges to choose from in the Artesia CA area and throughout the Country, so you should create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will most likely first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Artesia residence. If you are able to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be significant. But there are several other variables that you must take into consideration in order to properly compare schools. The questions below will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? Most pharmacist technician colleges and vocational schools have earned a national or regional accreditation. Among the most respected accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to offer a complete superior education. Online colleges may additionally earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online education. Make sure to confirm that the degree or certificate program as well as the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with helping ensure that you get a quality education, it might assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may mandate that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Artesia CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the School Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but many pharmacies desire that the technicians they employ be certified. The pharmacy tech school should prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of professional experience. This qualification may be met by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA requires a year of job experience for certification, which may be satisfied by means of an internship program. Perhaps the best way to acquire hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Find out if the programs have associations with Artesia CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Assistance? Securing that first position in Artesia CA after graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a challenging undertaking without some assistance. Ask if the colleges you are considering have job assistance programs. If so, ask what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indication that the school has an excellent reputation within the profession creating appeal for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a substantial network of employer contacts where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the school they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Artesia CA home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the pharmacist technician school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Artesia CA area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.