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Points to Ask Pharmacy Tech Colleges
Once you have decided whether you wish to earn a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school alternatives. There are a large number of pharmacy technician colleges to select from in the Parkway CA area and throughout the USA, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will undoubtedly first start looking for schools that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Parkway residence. If you are willing to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be important. But there are a number of other variables that you should consider in order to effectively compare schools. The questions below will help you in collecting that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? Many pharmacist technician programs and trade schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to furnish a comprehensive superior education. Online colleges may additionally earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online learning. Make sure to confirm that the certificate or degree program in addition to the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Besides helping make sure that you receive a superior education, it might help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may require that the program of training is accredited. And many Parkway CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the Program Ready You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but numerous employers prefer that the technicians they hire are certified. The pharmacist tech college should prepare its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of work experience. This qualification may be fulfilled by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA mandates 1 year of job experience for certification, which can be met with an internship program. One of the best ways 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 clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to meet the requirement. Check if the schools have associations with Parkway CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the College Give Job Placement Assistance? Getting that first position in Parkway CA upon graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a challenging task without some support. Ask if the schools you are looking at have job placement programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the school has an excellent reputation within the field generating appeal for its graduates. It also means that it has a sizable network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduates.
Where is the College Located? For many students, the school they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Parkway CA residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school 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 typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the pharmacist technician program you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Parkway CA area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.