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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
After you have determined whether you want to obtain a certificate or degree, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school alternatives. There are a large number of pharmacy technician programs to pick from in the Laguna Hills CA area and throughout the Country, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will most likely initially look for colleges that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Laguna Hills home. If you are willing to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be critical. But there are many other variables that you should take into consideration in order to properly compare colleges. The following questions will assist you in collecting that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician School Accredited? Most pharmacist tech colleges and vocational schools have earned a national or regional accreditation. Among 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 certified to offer a comprehensive superior education. Online schools may additionally earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online learning. Don't forget to verify that the certificate or degree program together with the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it can help in getting financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may mandate that the program of training is accredited. And many Laguna Hills CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the Program Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in all states, but a number of pharmacies desire that the technicians they hire are certified. The pharmacy technician program should prepare its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of job experience. This condition may be satisfied by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA requires one year of experience for certification, which can be satisfied by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Ask if the programs have associations with Laguna Hills CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Assistance? Getting that initial job in Laguna Hills CA after graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a challenging undertaking without any help. Ask if the schools you are researching have job assistance programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indication that the school has a good reputation within the field creating appeal for its graduates. It also means that it has a sizable network of employer relationships where it can place graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Laguna Hills CA home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern 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 school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools 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 an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacist technician program you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Laguna Hills CA area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.