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What to Ask Pharmacy Tech Colleges
After you have decided whether you wish to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online program or attend classes on campus, you can begin to target your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacist tech schools to choose from in the Blythe CA area and throughout the United States, so you should develop 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 programs that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your Blythe home. If you are willing to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be significant. But there are a number of other issues that you must take into consideration in order to effectively compare colleges. The following questions will help you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician Program Accredited? Most pharmacist tech colleges and trade schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to provide a comprehensive quality education. Online colleges may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance education. Be sure to verify that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it might help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might mandate that the training program is accredited. And a number of Blythe CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the Program Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in all states, but a number of pharmacies prefer that the technicians they employ be certified. The pharmacy tech program should ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of work experience. This requirement can be fulfilled by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA mandates a year of professional experience for certification, which may be fulfilled with an internship program. One of the best ways to get hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Check if the programs have a working relationship with Blythe CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Give Job Placement Help? Getting that initial position in Blythe CA upon graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a daunting undertaking without any 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 indicator that the school has an excellent reputation within the profession generating appeal for its graduates. It also means that it has a substantial network of pharmacy contacts where it can place graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Blythe CA home. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind 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 usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacy tech school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Blythe CA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.