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What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
After you have decided whether you want to attain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can begin to target your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacy technician colleges to pick from in the Huntington WV area and throughout the USA, so you must create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and technical schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for schools that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Huntington home. If you are able to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be important. But there are a number of other issues that you should take into consideration in order to properly compare programs. The questions below will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your final selection.
Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? Many pharmacist technician colleges and vocational schools have earned a regional or national accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to furnish a complete quality education. Online schools may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance learning. Make sure to verify that the degree or certificate program as well as the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may mandate that the program of training is accredited. And many Huntington WV 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 every state, but numerous employers desire that the technicians they employ be certified. The pharmacist technician college should ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of work experience. This requirement can be fulfilled by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA mandates 1 year of professional experience for certification, which can be satisfied with an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Ask if the programs have a working relationship with Huntington WV area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Assistance? Securing that initial job in Huntington WV after graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a challenging endeavor without some support. Ask if the schools you are researching have job placement programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the profession generating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the college they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Huntington WV 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 area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don't reside within their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacist technician college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Huntington WV area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.