It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Pharmacy Tech Career Below
Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Programs
After you have decided whether you wish to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacist tech schools to choose from in the Rancho Palos Verdes CA area and throughout the USA, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will most likely first start looking for programs that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Rancho Palos Verdes residence. If you are able to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be important. But there are several other factors that you must take into consideration in order to properly compare programs. The questions below will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your final choice.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? Most pharmacist tech colleges and vocational schools have earned a regional or national accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to furnish a comprehensive superior education. Online schools may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance learning. Make sure to verify that the degree or certificate program as well as the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you obtain a quality education, it can help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may require that the training program is accredited. And a number of Rancho Palos Verdes CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the Program Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in all states, but numerous pharmacies prefer that the techs they hire be certified. The pharmacist technician college needs to ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of job experience. This qualification may be fulfilled by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Provide Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA requires one year of professional experience for certification, which can be fulfilled through an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Find out if the colleges have associations with Rancho Palos Verdes CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Assistance? Finding that first job in Rancho Palos Verdes CA upon graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a difficult endeavor without some help. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have job assistance programs. If so, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the school has a good reputation within the profession creating demand for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a large network of employer relationships where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the college they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Rancho Palos Verdes CA home. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally 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 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 usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the pharmacist tech program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Rancho Palos Verdes CA area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.