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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs
Once you have decided whether you would like to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online program or attend classes on campus, you can begin to target your school options. There are numerous pharmacy tech colleges to select from in the El Cajon CA area and throughout the Country, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will most likely first start looking for schools that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your El Cajon home. If you are willing to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be critical. But there are several other factors that you need to consider so that you may properly compare schools. The following questions will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician School Accredited? The majority of pharmacist tech programs and trade schools have earned a regional or national accreditation. Among the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and verified to furnish a complete quality education. Online colleges may also obtain 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 pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you receive a quality education, it might assist in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may mandate that the program of training is accredited. And a number of El Cajon CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the Program Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but a number of pharmacies desire that the technicians they employ are certified. The pharmacist technician college should prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of work experience. This condition may be satisfied by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA requires one year of job experience for certification, which may be fulfilled by means of an internship program. Perhaps the best way to get practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Find out if the programs have associations with El Cajon CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the School Give Job Placement Assistance? Finding that initial position in El Cajon CA upon graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a difficult undertaking without any help. Ask if the schools you are researching have job placement programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the field creating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of employer contacts where it can place graduating students.
Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their El Cajon CA home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are reviewing 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 talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the pharmacist technician program you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the El Cajon CA area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.