It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Pharmacy Tech Career Below
Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs
After you have decided whether you want to earn a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school alternatives. There are many pharmacist tech colleges to pick from in the Petaluma CA area and throughout the United States, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and technical schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will undoubtedly first start looking for schools that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Petaluma home. 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 many other issues that you must take into consideration so that you may properly compare schools. The following questions will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final choice.
Is the Pharmacy Technician School Accredited? Most pharmacy tech colleges and trade schools have earned 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 verified to offer a complete quality education. Online schools may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance education. Make sure to verify that the certificate or degree program as well as the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides helping make sure that you get a superior education, it can help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may require that the program of training is accredited. And many Petaluma CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the School Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but numerous employers desire that the techs they hire be certified. The pharmacist tech college should prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of professional experience. This condition may be fulfilled by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates a year of experience for certification, which can be met through an internship program. One of the best ways to acquire practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Ask if the schools have associations with Petaluma CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Help? Securing that initial job in Petaluma CA after graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a challenging endeavor without some help. Ask if the schools you are considering have job placement programs. If so, 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 creating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of employer relationships where it can refer graduates.
Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Petaluma CA residence. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously 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 consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for 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 rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the pharmacist technician college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Petaluma CA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.