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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs
Once you have decided whether you wish to attain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can start to target your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacy tech schools to pick from in the West Sacramento CA area and throughout the United States, so you should create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and technical schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will undoubtedly first start looking for schools that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your West Sacramento residence. If you are willing to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be significant. But there are a number of other variables that you need to take into consideration so that you may properly compare colleges. The following questions will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? Most pharmacy technician colleges and vocational schools have earned a national or regional accreditation. Among the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to provide a complete quality education. Online programs may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online learning. Make sure to verify that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you receive a quality education, it may help in getting 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 West Sacramento CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the School Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in all states, but many employers desire that the techs they employ be certified. The pharmacy tech school should ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of job experience. This qualification may be fulfilled by participating in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which can be satisfied with an internship program. One of the best ways to get hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to meet the requirement. Check if the schools have associations with West Sacramento CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Give Job Placement Help? Finding that initial job in West Sacramento CA after graduation, particularly with no experience, can be a challenging task without some assistance. Find out if the colleges you are researching have job placement 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 field generating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a large network of employer relationships where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the Program Located? For many students, the school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their West Sacramento CA home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the pharmacy technician school you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the West Sacramento CA area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, 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 because of work, illness or family emergencies.
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