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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
After you have decided whether you wish to earn a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are numerous pharmacy tech colleges to pick from in the Chowchilla CA area and throughout the United States, so you must create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and technical schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will most likely first start looking for schools that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Chowchilla home. If you are able to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be critical. But there are a number of other issues that you need to take into consideration so that you may effectively compare programs. The questions below will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? The majority of pharmacy technician colleges and trade schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. Among the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to offer a comprehensive quality education. Online schools may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance learning. Make sure to check that the degree or certificate program as well as the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it may assist in getting financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And many Chowchilla CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the School Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in all states, but a number of employers prefer that the technicians they hire be certified. The pharmacist technician college needs to prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of job experience. This qualification can be fulfilled by participating in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA requires one year of experience for certification, which can be met with an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Ask if the schools have associations with Chowchilla CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Help? Securing that first job in Chowchilla CA upon graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a daunting task without any assistance. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have job placement 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 field generating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a sizable network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduates.
Where is the College Located? For many students, the school they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Chowchilla CA home. Individuals who have opted 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. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. 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 speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacist technician college you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Chowchilla 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 carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.