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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Schools
After you have decided whether you would like to earn a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online college or go to classes on campus, you can begin to target your school options. There are numerous pharmacist tech schools to pick from in the Northridge CA area and throughout the USA, so you should create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will undoubtedly first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Northridge residence. If you are willing to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be significant. But there are a number of other issues that you should take into consideration in order to properly compare schools. The following questions will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacy technician colleges and trade schools have obtained 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 screened and verified to offer a comprehensive quality education. Online schools may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance education. Be sure to verify that the degree or certificate program as well as the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Besides helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may mandate that the training program is accredited. And many Northridge CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the College Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous employers prefer that the techs they hire be certified. The pharmacy tech college should ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of professional experience. This qualification can be fulfilled by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Provide Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA requires 1 year of job experience for certification, which can be fulfilled with an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to meet the requirement. Ask if the colleges have associations with Northridge CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the School Offer Job Placement Assistance? Getting that initial job in Northridge CA upon graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a daunting task without any help. Ask if the schools you are researching have job placement programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indication that the college has a good reputation within the field creating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a sizable network of pharmacy contacts where it can place graduating students.
Where is the Program Located? For many students, the college they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Northridge CA home. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.
How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the pharmacist technician college you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Northridge CA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out 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 as a result of illness, work or family obligations.