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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Schools
Once you have decided whether you want to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can start to target your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacist tech colleges to pick from in the Santa Fe Springs CA area and throughout the USA, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will probably initially look for schools that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Santa Fe Springs residence. If you are willing to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be critical. But there are a number of other issues that you need to take into consideration in order to effectively compare colleges. The questions below will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final choice.
Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? The majority of pharmacy tech 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 certified to furnish a complete quality education. Online programs may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with distance or online education. Make sure to check that the degree or certificate program together with the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it can help in getting 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 Santa Fe Springs CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the School Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but a number of employers desire that the technicians they hire are certified. The pharmacy technician college needs to prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of job experience. This requirement may be fulfilled by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates a year of professional experience for certification, which may be satisfied through an internship program. Perhaps the best way to get hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Ask if the colleges have associations with Santa Fe Springs CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Assistance? Finding that initial position in Santa Fe Springs CA after graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a challenging undertaking without any support. Ask if the schools 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 school has an excellent reputation within the profession generating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the College Located? For many students, the college they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Santa Fe Springs CA home. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide 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 typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacist tech program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Santa Fe Springs CA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.