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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Colleges
Once you have determined whether you want to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online program or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacist tech colleges to pick from in the Imperial Beach CA area and throughout the United States, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and technical schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for schools that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Imperial Beach home. 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 issues that you must consider so that you may properly compare schools. The following questions will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate selection.
Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? The majority of pharmacist tech colleges and trade 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 provide a comprehensive quality education. Online schools may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance learning. Don't forget to verify that the certificate or degree program as well as the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. In addition to helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it might assist in getting financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may mandate that the training program is accredited. And many Imperial Beach 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 employers prefer that the techs they employ are certified. The pharmacist tech school needs to ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of job experience. This condition can be satisfied by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA mandates one year of experience for certification, which can 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 degree or certificate programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Check if the schools have a working relationship with Imperial Beach CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Help? Getting that initial job in Imperial Beach CA after graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a daunting undertaking without any support. Find out if the schools you are researching have job assistance programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indication that the school has a good reputation within the profession generating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a substantial network of employer contacts where it can place graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the college they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Imperial Beach CA home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously 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 perhaps out of your local area, you might 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 don't reside within their districts.
How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few 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 pharmacy tech school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Imperial Beach CA area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.