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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
Once you have decided whether you want to earn a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are a large number of pharmacy technician colleges to pick from in the Chippewa Falls WI area and throughout the United States, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and trade schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will undoubtedly initially look for schools that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Chippewa Falls residence. If you are willing to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be critical. But there are a number of other variables that you should consider in order to adequately compare colleges. The following questions will assist you in gathering that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacy technician programs and vocational schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to furnish a complete superior education. Online colleges may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online education. Be sure to confirm that the certificate or degree program in addition to the school you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it might assist in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And a number of Chippewa Falls WI employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the School Ready You for Certification? Certification is not required in all states, but a number of pharmacies desire that the technicians they hire be certified. The pharmacy tech program needs to ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of work experience. This condition can be met by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates 1 year of job experience for certification, which may be met with an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Check if the schools have a working relationship with Chippewa Falls WI area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Assistance? Securing that initial position in Chippewa Falls WI upon graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a challenging endeavor without some assistance. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have job assistance programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indication that the college has an excellent reputation within the field generating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduates.
Where is the School Located? For many students, the college they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Chippewa Falls WI home. Those who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don't reside within their districts.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the typical 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 a chance to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the pharmacy tech school you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Chippewa Falls WI area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.