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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
Once you have decided whether you would like to obtain a certificate or degree, and if you prefer to enroll in an online program or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are a large number of pharmacy technician colleges to select from in the Chino CA area and throughout the USA, so you should develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and vocational schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will probably initially look for programs that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Chino residence. If you are willing to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be important. But there are a number of other variables that you must take into consideration in order to effectively compare colleges. The questions below will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your ultimate choice.
Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacist technician programs and trade schools have acquired a regional or national accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to provide a complete superior education. Online schools may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance education. Make sure to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. In addition to helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it may help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may mandate that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Chino CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the School Prep You for Certification? Certification is not required in all states, but a number of employers desire that the technicians they employ be certified. The pharmacy technician school should ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of job experience. This requirement can be met by taking part in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA requires 1 year of experience for certification, which can be fulfilled through an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to fulfill the requirement. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with Chino CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Give Job Placement Help? Securing that first position in Chino CA upon graduation, particularly with no experience, can be a daunting endeavor without some assistance. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have job placement programs. If so, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the school has an excellent reputation within the profession creating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a large network of employer relationships where it can place graduating students.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Chino CA home. Students who have opted 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 concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student 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 an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the pharmacist tech college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Chino CA area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses 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.