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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Colleges
Once you have decided whether you want to attain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacy technician colleges to choose from in the Rosemead CA area and throughout the United States, so you need to create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and trade schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for schools that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Rosemead home. If you are able to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be significant. But there are many other factors that you must take into consideration in order to properly compare programs. The following questions will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? The majority of pharmacist tech programs and trade schools have acquired a national or regional accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and verified to furnish a complete quality education. Online programs may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance learning. Don't forget to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive 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 mandate that the training program is accredited. And many Rosemead 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 many employers prefer that the technicians they hire be certified. The pharmacist tech school needs to ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of job experience. This requirement may be satisfied by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA requires a year of experience for certification, which can be satisfied with 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 technician degree or certificate programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Find out if the schools have associations with Rosemead CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Give Job Placement Assistance? Finding that first job in Rosemead CA after graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a daunting endeavor without any support. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have job placement programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the school has a good reputation within the field creating appeal for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a substantial network of employer relationships where it can place graduates.
Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the school they select will need to be within driving distance of their Rosemead CA residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are reviewing 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 an opportunity to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the pharmacist technician college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Rosemead CA area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.