Pharmacy Tech School
How to Enroll In the Best One Near East Palo Alto California

Now that you have decided to attain your pharmacy technician degree or certificate near East Palo Alto CA, you may be thinking about just how to choose the ideal school to receive your education and training. Usually the initial step is to locate colleges that offer the degree or diploma that you are interested in. When looking for pharmacy technician schools, many potential students begin by targeting the ones that are closest to their homes with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are significant concerns when deciding on a college, they are not the sole ones. Qualifiers including accreditation and reputation must be evaluated also. And if you prefer studying at home in front of your computer instead of in a classroom, then finding an accredited online program will also be included in your vetting process. We will address these qualifiers and others that you will want to include when reviewing pharmacy technician schools. But to begin with, let's discuss what a pharmacy technician does, the diploma and degree options available, and the benefits of online courses.

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Pharmacy Tech Job Duties

Pharmacy technicians have many job functions, but their principal duty is to dispense prescription medicines. Because they are not licensed, when dispensing prescriptions they must perform under the supervision of a licensed East Palo Alto CA pharmacist. They must also have good customer service abilities because they will be dealing directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be absolute when filling prescription medications per the pharmacist's instructions. And they need to have an extensive knowledge of pharmaceutical terms so that they can assist customers with understanding directions for their prescriptions in addition to other pharmaceutical information and literature. However, under no circumstance should they ever give medical advice regarding prescriptions or anything else. Any such questions should be directed to the pharmacist. Several of the typical daily tasks a pharmacy technician might perform are:

• Receive and assist customers with medications and other questions
• Fill prescription medicines under pharmacist supervision
• Add customer and prescription data into pharmacy computer system
• Contact customers when their prescriptions are prepared for pick-up
• Prepare and submit customer insurance claim forms
• Stock shelves and monitor and control inventory

As a consequence of their profession, pharmacy techs will spend the majority of their working day standing. And working evenings and weekends is also very common, especially for newer techs with low seniority. But the payoff for occasional tired and aching feet or at times having to work off-hours is a very satisfying career assisting people with their health and wellness.

Pharmacy Technician Degrees

Students wishing to enroll in a pharmacy tech college are qualified as long as they have a high school diploma or equivalent. There are basically two options to training to be a tech regardless if you enroll in a community college or a trade school. The first is to earn a certificate or a diploma, which normally can be finished in a year or less. These programs present an overview to the various aspects of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and normally include lab and classroom training. A number of programs also include an internship at an accepted East Palo Alto CA pharmacy or similar facility. The second alternative is the Associate Degree program which typically takes about 2 years of studies. Although not required for most entry level positions, it does furnish a more in depth education and can lead to more advanced positions or education down the road. Each program can furnish the proper amount of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam should the graduate decide to become certified.

Pharmacy Tech Certification Options

It is not required to earn certification in all states, but numerous graduates of pharmacy tech programs choose to get certified in order to be more qualified in the job market. Also, a number of East Palo Alto CA employers will only employ a tech that has earned certification. There are 2 organizations that provide certification:

• National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
• Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).

The NHA requirements are that the candidate be at least 18 years old, has graduated from high school, has completed a training program, and has at least one year of work experience. The PTCB just requires that the applicant has a high school diploma and passes their examination. Recertification is mandated every two years by each program, which can be satisfied by completing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Technician Programs Online

Prior to selecting a pharmacy tech online program, it's important to understand that the majority of programs do require that a substantial part of the training be carried out in a clinical environment. This is usually satisfied in an area East Palo Alto pharmacy or health center by means of an internship program. Students often will have the benefit of working under a seasoned pharmacy tech so as to get some real world experience. However the balance or non-clinical training can be accessed over the internet in your East Palo Alto CA home or via any available computer. This alternative is more accommodating for most students, especially for those who continue to work while earning their degree or certificate. And online colleges are frequently less expensive than traditional options. Tuition and expenses for driving and study materials may be reduced significantly. With both the clinical and the online training, a complete education is offered. But not all online programs are accredited, which is essential for obtaining employment and certification (more on accreditation later). So confirm that any online college you are looking at is accredited by an acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are disciplined enough to learn with a less structured form of education, then online instruction may be the best solution for you.

Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges

After you have determined whether you wish to attain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacy tech schools to select from in the East Palo Alto CA area and throughout the Country, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will undoubtedly initially look for schools that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your East Palo Alto residence. If you are willing to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be important. But there are many other issues that you must take into consideration in order to properly compare schools. The questions below will assist you in collecting that information and help you to make your final choice.

Is the Pharmacy Technician Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacist tech programs and trade schools have earned a national or regional accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to furnish a complete quality education. Online schools may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online learning. Don't forget to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of East Palo Alto CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.

Does the College Prep You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous employers desire that the techs they hire be certified. The pharmacist technician college needs to prep its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of work experience. This qualification may be satisfied by entering a school sponsored internship program.

Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA requires 1 year of experience for certification, which can be fulfilled through 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 tech certificate or degree programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Ask if the programs have associations with East Palo Alto CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.

Does the College Offer Job Placement Assistance? Finding that first job in East Palo Alto CA after graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a challenging endeavor without some support. Ask if the schools you are looking at have job assistance programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indication that the college has a good reputation within the profession creating appeal for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a substantial network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduating students.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the college they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their East Palo Alto CA home. Those who have decided 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. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even 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 normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the pharmacist technician program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the East Palo Alto CA area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify 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 illness, work or family obligations.

Learn More about Becoming a Pharmacy Technician in East Palo Alto

Enroll in the Best East Palo Alto Pharmacy Tech Program

Getting the right pharmacy technician training is a crucial first step to beginning your career in a rewarding profession where helping customers with their health is your purpose. Traditionally, many pharmacy techs were taught "on the job". These days, the majority of pharmacies can no longer afford to do this and place a higher importance on hiring formally educated techs. Training is offered by technical colleges, vocational and trade schools, as well as community colleges. The majority of pharmacy technician programs include both classroom and clinical work. As we have discussed in this article, it's necessary to select a school that is accredited and will ready you for certification. This holds true both for online classes as well as for those attended on campus. If you follow our additional tips you will be able to evaluate programs so that you are certain to make the ideal selection. With the right training and determination you can accomplish your goal to become a pharmacy tech in East Palo Alto California.

 

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