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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs
After you have decided whether you would like to obtain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can start to target your school alternatives. There are a large number of pharmacist tech schools to pick from in the Universal City CA area and throughout the United States, so you need to create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and technical schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for programs that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Universal City residence. If you are able to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be critical. But there are many other issues that you should consider in order to adequately compare schools. The questions below will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? Many pharmacist technician colleges and trade schools have acquired a national or regional accreditation. Among 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 provide a comprehensive superior education. Online colleges may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance education. Be sure to check that the degree or certificate program as well as the school you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with helping guarantee that you get a quality education, it may assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And many Universal City CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the Program Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous pharmacies prefer that the technicians they employ are certified. The pharmacy technician school needs to prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of professional experience. This requirement can be met by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA requires one year of experience for certification, which may be met with an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate 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 Universal City CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the College Give Job Placement Assistance? Finding that first position in Universal City CA after graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a difficult endeavor without any support. Find out if the schools you are researching have job assistance programs. If so, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the school has an excellent reputation within the profession creating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of employer contacts where it can refer graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Universal City CA home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. 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 may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools 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 a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the pharmacy technician college you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Universal City CA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.