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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
After you have determined whether you would like to attain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can start to target your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacist technician colleges to pick from in the Fountain Valley CA area and throughout the USA, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and technical schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will probably initially look for schools that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Fountain Valley 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 a number of other variables that you must consider so that you may effectively compare programs. The following questions will assist you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? The majority of pharmacy tech colleges and vocational schools have acquired a regional or national accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and verified to offer a complete quality education. Online programs may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance learning. Don't forget to check that the degree or certificate program together with the school you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may require that the program of training is accredited. And many Fountain Valley CA employers 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 all states, but numerous employers prefer that the technicians they employ are certified. The pharmacist technician college needs to ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of work experience. This requirement can be fulfilled by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which may be fulfilled through an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Find out if the colleges have associations with Fountain Valley CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Assistance? Securing that first position in Fountain Valley CA after graduation, especially with no experience, can be a daunting endeavor without any support. Ask if the schools you are looking at have job placement programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indication that the college has an excellent reputation within the profession generating demand for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduating students.
Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the college they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Fountain Valley CA residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the pharmacist technician college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Fountain Valley CA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.