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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Programs
Once you have determined whether you wish to obtain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can start to target your school options. There are numerous pharmacy tech programs to pick from in the East Los Angeles CA area and throughout the Country, 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 most likely initially look for programs that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your East Los Angeles residence. If you are willing to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be critical. But there are several other variables that you must consider in order to properly compare schools. The questions below will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacy Technician Program Accredited? Many pharmacist technician colleges and trade schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to furnish a complete quality education. Online colleges may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online education. Be sure to check that the degree or certificate program in addition to the school you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may mandate that the program of training is accredited. And many East Los Angeles CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the School Prep You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous employers prefer that the technicians they hire be certified. The pharmacy tech school needs to ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of professional experience. This condition may be met by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA requires 1 year of experience for certification, which may be met with an internship program. One of the best ways to get hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to meet the requirement. Find out if the colleges have associations with East Los Angeles CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Give Job Placement Assistance? Getting that initial job in East Los Angeles CA after graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a daunting undertaking without some help. Find out if the colleges you are researching have job placement programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the profession creating appeal for its graduates. It also means that it has a sizable network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduating students.
Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the school they pick will have to be within driving distance of their East Los Angeles CA residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the pharmacist technician program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the East Los Angeles CA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.