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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs
After you have determined whether you would like to attain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online program or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school alternatives. There are a large number of pharmacy tech colleges to choose from in the Oakdale CA area and throughout the Country, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and trade schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will most likely initially look for colleges that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Oakdale residence. If you are able to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be important. But there are several other issues that you should consider in order to adequately compare colleges. The questions below will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech College Accredited? Many pharmacist technician programs and trade schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. Among 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 programs may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance learning. Don't forget to check that the certificate or degree program together with the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to helping make sure that you get a superior education, it might assist in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may require that the training program is accredited. And a number of Oakdale CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the Program Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous pharmacies prefer that the technicians they employ be certified. The pharmacist tech college should prepare its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of work experience. This requirement may be met by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA requires one year of job experience for certification, which can be met by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to acquire practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to fulfill the requirement. Ask if the colleges have associations with Oakdale CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Give Job Placement Help? Securing that initial job in Oakdale CA upon graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a daunting endeavor without any help. Find out if the schools you are considering have job placement programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the school has a good reputation within the profession generating appeal for its graduates. It also means that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduates.
Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the school they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Oakdale CA residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the pharmacist technician school you finally choose can offer 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 Oakdale CA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative 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 might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.