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What to Ask Pharmacy Tech Colleges
Once you have determined whether you wish to earn a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online college or go to classes on campus, you can begin to target your school options. There are numerous pharmacist technician programs to pick from in the Discovery Bay CA area and throughout the Country, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and technical schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will probably initially look for colleges that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Discovery Bay residence. If you are able to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be significant. But there are many other issues that you should consider in order to properly compare colleges. The questions below will assist you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate choice.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? Most pharmacist technician colleges and trade schools have earned a regional or national accreditation. Among the most highly regarded 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 programs may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online education. Make sure to verify that the degree or certificate program in addition to the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might mandate that the program of training is accredited. And many Discovery Bay CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the School Ready You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but a number of employers prefer that the technicians they hire are certified. The pharmacist tech program needs to prep its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of work experience. This condition can be met by participating in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates 1 year of job experience for certification, which may be satisfied by means of an internship program. Perhaps the best way to get hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work 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. Find out if the programs have associations with Discovery Bay CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the School Give Job Placement Help? Finding that initial position in Discovery Bay CA upon graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a challenging task without some assistance. Find out if the schools you are considering have job assistance programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indication that the school has an excellent reputation within the field generating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of employer contacts where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the Program Located? For many students, the school they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Discovery Bay CA home. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often 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 Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are looking at 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 ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the pharmacy tech program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Discovery Bay CA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.