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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
Once you have decided whether you wish to earn a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can begin to target your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacist tech colleges to pick from in the Lomita CA area and throughout the USA, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your Lomita home. If you are willing to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be important. But there are several other factors that you should take into consideration in order to properly compare programs. The following questions will help you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? The majority of pharmacy technician 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 screened and certified to furnish a complete superior education. Online colleges may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance education. Be sure to check that the degree or certificate program in addition to the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with helping make sure that you get a quality education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may require that the training program is accredited. And many Lomita CA pharmacies 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 all states, but many pharmacies desire that the techs they employ are certified. The pharmacy tech college should prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of professional experience. This requirement can be fulfilled by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Sponsor Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA mandates 1 year of professional experience for certification, which may be fulfilled by means of an internship program. Perhaps the best way to get practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train 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 meet the requirement. Ask if the colleges have associations with Lomita CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Getting that initial job in Lomita CA after graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a challenging task without some support. Find out if the colleges you are researching have job placement programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indication that the school has a good reputation within the profession generating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a substantial network of pharmacy contacts where it can place graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Lomita CA home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don't reside within their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the pharmacy technician college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Lomita CA area, make certain that they are offered. 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 carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.