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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs
After you have decided whether you wish to attain a certificate or degree, and if you prefer to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacist technician colleges to pick from in the California City CA area and throughout the Country, so you must create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will probably initially look for programs that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your California City home. If you are able to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be significant. But there are a number of other factors that you should take into consideration in order to adequately compare programs. The questions below will assist you in gathering that information and help you to make your final choice.
Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? Many pharmacy technician colleges and vocational schools have acquired a national or regional accreditation. Among the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to offer a comprehensive superior education. Online colleges may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance learning. Be 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. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it can help in getting financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And many California City CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the College Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but a number of employers desire that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacy technician college needs to prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of professional experience. This requirement may be satisfied by participating in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which may be satisfied by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to meet the requirement. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with California City CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Getting that initial job in California City CA after graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a challenging task without some support. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have job assistance programs. If so, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the field creating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of employer relationships where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their California City CA residence. Students 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 bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacist technician college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the California City CA area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.