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What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
Once you have decided whether you would like to attain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online college or go to classes on campus, you can begin to target your school alternatives. There are a large number of pharmacist tech schools to pick from in the Rowland Heights CA area and throughout the USA, so you should create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and technical schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will probably initially look for schools that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Rowland Heights residence. If you are willing to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be important. But there are a number of other factors that you need to consider in order to adequately compare programs. The questions below will help you in collecting that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacist technician programs and vocational 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 comprehensive superior education. Online programs may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online learning. Make sure to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it may help in getting financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Rowland Heights CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the School Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous employers desire that the technicians they employ are certified. The pharmacist tech college should prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of work experience. This condition can be fulfilled by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA requires a year of experience for certification, which may be satisfied through an internship program. One of the best ways to get practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work 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 satisfy the requirement. Check if the programs have associations with Rowland Heights CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Help? Getting that initial position in Rowland Heights CA after graduation, particularly with no experience, can be a daunting task without any assistance. Find out if the schools you are researching have job placement 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 generating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduating students.
Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the college they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Rowland Heights CA home. Students who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don't reside within their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the pharmacist technician school you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Rowland Heights CA area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.