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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
After you have decided whether you want to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school options. There are numerous pharmacist tech programs to select from in the Burbank CA area and throughout the United States, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for programs that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Burbank residence. If you are able to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be significant. But there are several other issues that you must consider in order to adequately compare programs. The following questions will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? Many pharmacy technician programs and vocational schools have obtained a regional or national 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 certified to offer a complete quality education. Online schools may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance learning. Don't forget to verify that the certificate or degree program as well as the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it might help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may require that the training program is accredited. And many Burbank CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the Program Prep You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous employers prefer that the techs they employ are certified. The pharmacy technician school should ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of professional experience. This condition can be fulfilled by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA requires one year of experience for certification, which may be fulfilled by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Check if the programs have associations with Burbank CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Help? Securing that first position in Burbank CA upon graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a challenging task without some help. Ask if the colleges you are considering have job placement programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the college has an excellent reputation within the field creating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a large network of employer relationships where it can refer graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the college they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Burbank CA home. Individuals who have decided 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. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the pharmacist technician program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Burbank CA area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.