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What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
Once you have determined whether you want to attain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are a large number of pharmacy technician schools to select from in the Stevenson Ranch 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 first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Stevenson Ranch home. If you are willing to move 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 issues that you should consider in order to adequately compare colleges. The following questions will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your final choice.
Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacist tech colleges and vocational schools have obtained 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 evaluated and verified to offer a complete quality education. Online schools may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance education. Make sure to check that the degree or certificate program together with the school you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides helping make sure that you obtain a superior education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may mandate that the training program is accredited. And many Stevenson Ranch CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the College Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but a number of employers prefer that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacy tech college needs to prep its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of professional experience. This condition may be satisfied by taking part in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which can be fulfilled through an internship program. Perhaps the best way to acquire hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Ask if the colleges have associations with Stevenson Ranch CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Assistance? Getting that initial job in Stevenson Ranch CA after graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a difficult task without any assistance. Find out if the colleges you are considering 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 an excellent reputation within the field generating appeal for its graduates. It also means that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Stevenson Ranch CA residence. Those who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps 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 often charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacist tech college you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Stevenson Ranch CA area, check 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 enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.