It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Pharmacy Tech Career Below
Points to Ask Pharmacy Tech Programs
Once you have determined whether you wish to attain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school options. There are a large number of pharmacy tech schools to choose from in the Loma Linda CA area and throughout the Country, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and trade 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 Loma Linda home. If you are able 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 variables that you must consider so that you may adequately compare colleges. The following questions will help you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate choice.
Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? The majority of pharmacy technician colleges and vocational schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to provide a comprehensive superior education. Online schools may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online learning. Make sure to verify that the degree or certificate program together with the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. Besides helping make sure that you get a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may require that the training program is accredited. And many Loma Linda CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the School Ready You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but many employers desire that the techs they hire be certified. The pharmacy technician program should prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of job experience. This condition can be fulfilled by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA requires 1 year of professional experience for certification, which may be satisfied with an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Ask if the colleges have associations with Loma Linda CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Finding that initial position in Loma Linda CA upon graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a challenging endeavor without any assistance. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have job placement 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 profession generating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of employer contacts where it can refer graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Loma Linda CA residence. Students who have opted 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 consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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 sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student 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 talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacist tech college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Loma Linda CA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.