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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
After you have determined whether you wish to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school options. There are a large number of pharmacist technician programs to pick from in the Temecula CA area and throughout the United States, so you need to create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and vocational schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will undoubtedly initially look for colleges that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Temecula residence. If you are able to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be critical. But there are a number of other factors that you must consider in order to adequately compare schools. The questions below will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final choice.
Is the Pharmacy Technician School Accredited? Many pharmacy technician programs and trade schools have acquired a national or regional accreditation. One of the most respected 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 schools may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online education. Don't forget to verify that the degree or certificate program together with the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides helping make sure that you get a superior education, it can assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might mandate that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Temecula CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the Program Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but many employers prefer that the technicians they hire are certified. The pharmacist tech college should ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of job experience. This qualification can be met by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA requires one year of job experience for certification, which may be fulfilled with an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Check if the programs have a working relationship with Temecula CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Give Job Placement Help? Getting that first position in Temecula CA upon graduation, especially with no experience, can be a difficult endeavor without any help. 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 a good reputation within the field creating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduating students.
Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Temecula CA residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to keep 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 may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically 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.
How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the pharmacy tech program you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Temecula CA area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.