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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
After you have determined whether you wish to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online college or go to classes on campus, you can start to target your school options. There are many pharmacist tech colleges to choose from in the Cypress CA area and throughout the USA, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and technical schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your Cypress home. If you are able to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be critical. But there are many other issues that you need to take into consideration in order to effectively compare colleges. The following questions will help you in collecting that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? Most pharmacy technician colleges and vocational schools have obtained a regional or national accreditation. One of the most highly regarded 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 complete superior education. Online schools may additionally earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with distance or online education. Be sure to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Along with helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it might assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may mandate that the training program is accredited. And a number of Cypress CA pharmacies 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 every state, but numerous pharmacies desire that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacy technician college should prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of work experience. This condition may be met by participating in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Provide Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA requires one year of professional experience for certification, which can be met through an internship program. Perhaps the best way to acquire hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to meet the requirement. Check if the schools have associations with Cypress CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Finding that initial job in Cypress CA after graduation, particularly with no experience, can be a difficult task without any support. Find out if the schools you are researching have job assistance programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the college has an excellent reputation within the field generating demand for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a substantial network of employer relationships where it can place graduating students.
Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Cypress CA residence. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep 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 may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically 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.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacist tech college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Cypress CA area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.