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What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
Once you have determined whether you would like to attain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can start to target your school alternatives. There are a large number of pharmacy technician colleges to pick from in the Greenfield CA area and throughout the United States, so you need to create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and technical schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will most likely initially look for colleges that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Greenfield home. If you are willing to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be critical. But there are many other issues that you should take into consideration so that you may properly compare schools. The questions below will help you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate choice.
Is the Pharmacy Tech College Accredited? The majority of pharmacist tech programs and trade schools have obtained 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 screened and certified to offer a complete superior education. Online programs may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance education. Make sure to verify that the degree or certificate program as well as the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it might assist in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might mandate that the program of training is accredited. And many Greenfield 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 mandated in all states, but a number of pharmacies prefer that the techs they employ are certified. The pharmacist technician school needs to prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of work experience. This requirement may be satisfied by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which can be fulfilled by means of an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to fulfill the requirement. Check if the programs have associations with Greenfield CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the College Give Job Placement Assistance? Securing that first job in Greenfield CA after graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a challenging task without some support. Find out if the colleges you are researching have job assistance programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the profession creating demand for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a sizable network of pharmacy contacts where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the College Located? For many students, the college they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Greenfield CA home. 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 importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small 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 classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the pharmacist technician program you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Greenfield CA area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.