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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
Once you have determined whether you wish to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can start to target your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacy tech schools to select from in the Reedley CA area and throughout the USA, so you must create 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 colleges that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Reedley 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 a number of other factors that you must take into consideration so that you may effectively compare schools. The following questions will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacy Technician School Accredited? The majority of pharmacist technician programs and trade schools have earned a national or regional accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to furnish a complete quality education. Online colleges may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with distance or online education. Don't forget to confirm that the degree or certificate program in addition to the school you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it can assist in getting financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And many Reedley CA employers 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 required in all states, but numerous employers prefer that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacist technician school needs to prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of work experience. This condition can be fulfilled by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Provide Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA requires a year of professional experience for certification, which may be fulfilled with an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain 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 in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to meet the requirement. Ask if the schools have a working relationship with Reedley CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Help? Getting that first job in Reedley CA after graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a challenging endeavor without some assistance. Find out if the colleges you are researching 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 college has an excellent reputation within the field generating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Reedley CA home. Those who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly 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 student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students 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 school you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Reedley CA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.