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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
Once you have decided whether you want to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online program or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school alternatives. There are many pharmacist technician programs to choose from in the Monrovia CA area and throughout the United States, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and technical schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for programs that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Monrovia residence. If you are willing to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be critical. But there are a number of other factors that you should consider in order to adequately compare schools. The questions below will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final choice.
Is the Pharmacy Technician Program Accredited? Most pharmacy technician programs and trade schools have obtained a regional or national accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and verified to furnish a comprehensive quality education. Online colleges may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online learning. Make sure to verify that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Besides helping make sure that you receive a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Monrovia CA employers 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 mandated in every state, but numerous employers prefer that the techs they employ are certified. The pharmacy tech school needs to ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of job experience. This requirement can be satisfied by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA requires one year of experience for certification, which may be met by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to get hands on 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 an excellent way to satisfy the requirement. Ask if the programs have a working relationship with Monrovia CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Assistance? Finding that first position in Monrovia CA upon graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a difficult endeavor without some help. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have job placement programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the field creating appeal for its graduates. It also means that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduates.
Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the school they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Monrovia CA home. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally 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 program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically 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.
How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. 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 opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the pharmacist technician program you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Monrovia CA area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out 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 because of illness, work or family obligations.