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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
Once you have determined whether you wish to obtain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online college or go to classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school alternatives. There are many pharmacist technician colleges to pick from in the San Juan Capistrano CA area and throughout the USA, so you must 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 initially look for schools that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your San Juan Capistrano home. If you are able to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be important. But there are several other variables that you must take into consideration in order to effectively compare programs. The questions below will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician Program Accredited? Most pharmacist tech colleges and trade schools have obtained a regional or national accreditation. Among 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 certified to offer a comprehensive quality education. Online programs may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance education. Be sure to verify that the certificate or degree program together with the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And a number of San Juan Capistrano CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the College Ready You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but many employers prefer that the technicians they employ are certified. The pharmacist tech program should prepare its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of work experience. This qualification may be met by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA requires 1 year of job experience for certification, which may be met through an internship program. Perhaps the best way to get 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 a great way to satisfy the requirement. Ask if the programs have a working relationship with San Juan Capistrano CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Assistance? Finding that initial position in San Juan Capistrano CA after graduation, especially with no experience, can be a daunting task without any assistance. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have job assistance programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indication that the college has an excellent reputation within the field generating demand for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a large network of employer contacts where it can place graduates.
Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their San Juan Capistrano CA home. Students who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacist tech program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the San Juan Capistrano CA area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.