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What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
After you have decided whether you want to obtain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can begin to target your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacist technician colleges to choose from in the El Sobrante CA area and throughout the USA, so you need to create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and vocational schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will probably initially look for colleges that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your El Sobrante residence. 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 many other factors that you must consider in order to adequately compare programs. The following questions will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate choice.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? Most pharmacy technician colleges and trade schools have acquired 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 certified to offer a comprehensive quality education. Online schools may additionally earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance education. Be sure to check that the certificate or degree program together with the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to helping make sure that you receive a superior education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And many El Sobrante CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the College Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but a number of employers desire that the technicians they hire are certified. The pharmacist tech college needs to prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of job experience. This qualification may be met by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Sponsor Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA requires one year of job experience for certification, which may be satisfied 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 practical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Find out if the colleges have associations with El Sobrante CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Offer Job Placement Assistance? Securing that first position in El Sobrante CA after graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a challenging undertaking without some assistance. Ask if the colleges you are researching have job placement programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the profession creating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a sizable network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduates.
Where is the College Located? For many students, the college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their El Sobrante CA residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online obviously 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 might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable 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 sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacy technician school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the El Sobrante CA area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.