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What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs
Once you have determined whether you would like to attain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can begin to target your school alternatives. There are many pharmacist tech colleges to select from in the Barstow CA area and throughout the United States, so you need to create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare 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 Barstow home. If you are willing to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be significant. But there are many other issues that you need to consider so that you may properly compare colleges. The following questions will assist you in collecting that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? Many pharmacist technician colleges and vocational schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to offer a complete quality education. Online colleges may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online learning. Don't forget to verify that the degree or certificate program in addition to the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may mandate that the program of training is accredited. And many Barstow CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the School Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but many employers desire that the technicians they employ are certified. The pharmacist technician school should prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of professional experience. This requirement may be met by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA mandates 1 year of job experience for certification, which can be fulfilled through an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Check if the programs have associations with Barstow CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the School Give Job Placement Help? Finding that initial position in Barstow CA after graduation, particularly with no experience, can be a challenging endeavor without some support. Find out if the colleges you are researching have job assistance programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the profession creating appeal 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 college they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Barstow CA home. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don't reside within their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.
Can the College 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 important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Barstow CA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.