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What to Ask Pharmacy Tech Programs
Once you have decided whether you would like to earn a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can start to target your school options. There are numerous pharmacist technician schools to select from in the Upland CA area and throughout the Country, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and trade schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will most likely initially look for colleges that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Upland home. If you are willing to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be important. But there are a number of other factors that you need to take into consideration so that you may adequately compare programs. The following questions will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Technician School Accredited? Most pharmacy technician colleges 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). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to provide a comprehensive quality education. Online schools may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance education. Don't forget to confirm that the certificate or degree program together with the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. In addition to helping make sure that you receive a superior education, it might help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may require that the training program is accredited. And a number of Upland CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the Program Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but a number of employers prefer that the techs they hire be certified. The pharmacist technician program should ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of job experience. This condition may be met by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which may be fulfilled with an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician 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 a great way to satisfy the requirement. Find out if the schools have associations with Upland CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Assistance? Finding that initial job in Upland CA upon graduation, especially with no experience, can be a daunting undertaking without any help. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have job assistance programs. If so, 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 field generating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a substantial network of employer contacts where it can refer graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For many students, the school they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Upland CA residence. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern 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 decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. 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 a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacy tech college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Upland CA area, confirm 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 have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.