It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Pharmacy Tech Career Below
Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs
Once you have determined whether you wish to earn a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can start to target your school options. There are many pharmacy technician programs to pick from in the Palm Desert 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 most likely first start looking for schools that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your Palm Desert home. If you are willing to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be critical. But there are many other variables that you should take into consideration in order to effectively compare colleges. The following questions will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? The majority of pharmacy tech colleges and trade schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to offer a complete quality education. Online schools may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with distance or online education. Be sure to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. Besides helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it might help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might mandate that the training program is accredited. And many Palm Desert CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the Program Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in all states, but many employers prefer that the techs they employ are certified. The pharmacist tech college should prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of professional experience. This qualification may be satisfied by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA requires 1 year of professional experience for certification, which may be met with an internship program. Perhaps the best way to get hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Find out if the colleges have a working relationship with Palm Desert CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Assistance? Securing that initial position in Palm Desert CA after graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a daunting task without some help. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have job assistance programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has an excellent reputation within the profession generating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of pharmacy contacts where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the School Located? For many students, the school they select will need to be within driving distance of their Palm Desert CA residence. Individuals who have decided 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 concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher 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 speak with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the pharmacist tech program you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Palm Desert CA area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.