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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
After you have decided whether you wish to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school alternatives. There are many pharmacy tech colleges to select from in the Temescal Valley CA area and throughout the USA, so you must create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and technical schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will probably initially look for colleges that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your Temescal Valley residence. If you are able to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be significant. But there are several other factors that you must take into consideration in order to adequately compare colleges. The following questions will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? The majority of pharmacy technician colleges and trade schools have acquired a regional or national accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to furnish a complete superior education. Online colleges may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online learning. Don't forget to verify that the degree or certificate program in addition to the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it might assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And many Temescal Valley CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the College Prep You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in all states, but many employers desire that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacist tech program should ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of professional experience. This requirement may be fulfilled by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA requires one year of professional experience for certification, which can be fulfilled with an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain 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 in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to satisfy the requirement. Check if the colleges have associations with Temescal Valley CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Getting that first position in Temescal Valley CA after graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a difficult undertaking without any assistance. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have job assistance programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has an excellent reputation within the profession generating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of employer contacts where it can place graduates.
Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the college they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Temescal Valley CA home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable 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 want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacy tech college you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Temescal Valley CA area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check 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 due to illness, work or family obligations.