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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
After you have determined whether you wish to obtain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online college or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school alternatives. There are many pharmacist technician colleges to pick from in the Hawaiian Gardens CA area and throughout the USA, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and trade schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will undoubtedly initially look for colleges that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Hawaiian Gardens residence. If you are willing to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be important. But there are several other issues that you must take into consideration so that you may adequately compare schools. The following questions will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? Most pharmacist tech colleges and trade schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to provide a complete superior education. Online colleges may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance education. Be sure to verify that the certificate or degree program together with the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Along with helping make sure that you receive a quality education, it may help in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Hawaiian Gardens CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the College Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in all states, but numerous employers prefer that the technicians they hire are certified. The pharmacist tech college should prepare its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of professional experience. This qualification may be met by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which may be satisfied by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Check if the colleges have a working relationship with Hawaiian Gardens CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Give Job Placement Help? Getting that first job in Hawaiian Gardens CA after graduation, especially with no experience, can be a daunting task without some assistance. Ask 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 field generating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a substantial network of employer contacts where it can place graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For many students, the college they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Hawaiian Gardens CA home. Students 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 decide to enroll in a program 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 frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the pharmacy technician program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Hawaiian Gardens CA area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.