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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
After you have determined whether you wish to earn a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacy tech schools to choose from in the Truckee CA area and throughout the USA, so you should develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and vocational schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will most likely initially look for schools that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Truckee home. If you are able to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be critical. But there are many other issues that you should consider so that you may adequately compare programs. The following questions will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Tech College Accredited? The majority of pharmacy technician colleges and vocational schools have acquired a regional or national accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to provide a comprehensive quality education. Online programs may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online learning. Be sure to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. Besides helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may require that the training program is accredited. And a number of Truckee CA pharmacies 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 required in all states, but numerous pharmacies prefer that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacist technician college should prepare its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of job experience. This condition may be satisfied by taking part in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates 1 year of experience for certification, which can be met with an internship program. Perhaps the best way to get practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to meet the requirement. Find out if the colleges have a working relationship with Truckee CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Assistance? Finding that first position in Truckee CA after graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a difficult task without any help. Ask if the schools you are looking at have job placement programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indication that the college has a good reputation within the profession generating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a substantial network of pharmacy contacts where it can place graduates.
Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the college they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Truckee CA residence. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide 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 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 student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacist tech college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Truckee CA area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.