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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Schools
Once you have decided whether you wish to attain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can begin to target your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacist tech schools to select from in the Grand Terrace CA area and throughout the Country, so you must create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Grand Terrace home. If you are able to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be critical. But there are several other factors that you must take into consideration in order to adequately compare programs. The following questions will help you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech College Accredited? Many pharmacy technician colleges and vocational schools have earned a national or regional accreditation. One of 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 furnish a complete quality education. Online colleges may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance learning. Make sure to verify that the degree or certificate program as well as the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Besides helping make sure that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may mandate that the training program is accredited. And many Grand Terrace 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 a number of pharmacies desire that the technicians they employ be certified. The pharmacy tech school should prepare its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of professional experience. This qualification may be satisfied by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA requires a year of professional experience for certification, which can be satisfied by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to acquire practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to meet the requirement. Ask if the schools have associations with Grand Terrace CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Give Job Placement Assistance? Securing that initial position in Grand Terrace CA upon graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a daunting endeavor without some help. Find out if the schools you are researching have job placement 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 field generating demand for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a sizable network of employer contacts where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Grand Terrace CA home. Those who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even 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 often charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the pharmacist tech program you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Grand Terrace CA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.