It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Pharmacy Tech Career Below
Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Programs
After you have determined whether you wish to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online college or go to classes on campus, you can start to target your school options. There are numerous pharmacy technician programs to select from in the Diamond Bar CA area and throughout the Country, so you should create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and vocational schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for schools that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Diamond Bar residence. If you are able to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be significant. But there are many other issues that you need to consider in order to properly compare schools. The questions below will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? The majority of pharmacy technician colleges and trade schools have acquired a national or regional 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 evaluated and verified to furnish a comprehensive quality education. Online schools may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance learning. Make sure to check that the degree or certificate program as well as the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Along with helping make sure that you obtain a quality education, it might help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Diamond Bar CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the School Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous employers desire that the techs they employ be certified. The pharmacy tech school should prepare its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of professional experience. This requirement can be satisfied by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA mandates one year of experience for certification, which can be fulfilled through an internship program. Perhaps the best way to acquire practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to satisfy the requirement. Ask if the schools have associations with Diamond Bar CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the School Offer Job Placement Help? Getting that initial position in Diamond Bar CA upon graduation, particularly with no experience, can be a challenging task without some assistance. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have job placement programs. If so, ask what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indication that the school has an excellent reputation within the profession generating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a substantial network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduating students.
Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the school they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Diamond Bar CA residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something 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 usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don't reside within their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the pharmacist tech school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Diamond Bar CA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.