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What to Ask Pharmacy Tech Colleges
After you have determined whether you want to earn a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online program or go to classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacy tech colleges to choose from in the Santa Monica CA area and throughout the USA, so you must create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will undoubtedly first start looking for schools that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Santa Monica home. If you are able to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be important. But there are a number of other factors that you must take into consideration in order to adequately compare schools. The following questions will help you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech College Accredited? Most pharmacy tech colleges and trade schools have earned a national or regional accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to provide a complete quality education. Online programs may additionally earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance education. Don't forget to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to helping ensure that you get a superior education, it may assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Santa Monica CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the College Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in all states, but a number of pharmacies prefer that the technicians they hire are certified. The pharmacist tech college needs to prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of professional experience. This requirement can be fulfilled by participating in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA requires 1 year of job experience for certification, which may be satisfied by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to acquire practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to fulfill the requirement. Find out if the colleges have associations with Santa Monica CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Finding that first job in Santa Monica CA upon graduation, particularly with no experience, can be a daunting task without some assistance. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have job assistance programs. If so, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has an excellent reputation within the field creating demand for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a sizable network of pharmacy contacts where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the school they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Santa Monica CA residence. Students who have chosen 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 consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally 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.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the pharmacy tech college you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Santa Monica CA area, check that they are available. 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 carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.