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What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs
After you have determined whether you wish to earn a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online program or attend classes on campus, you can start to target your school options. There are numerous pharmacy tech colleges to select from in the Franklin WI area and throughout the USA, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and vocational schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will undoubtedly first start looking for schools that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Franklin residence. If you are able to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be significant. But there are several other factors that you need to consider so that you may effectively compare programs. The questions below will assist you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate choice.
Is the Pharmacy Technician Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacy tech 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 complete superior education. Online programs may additionally earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance learning. Be sure to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping make sure that you get a superior education, it might help in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And many Franklin WI 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 many pharmacies desire that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacist tech program needs to ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of job experience. This condition can be met by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Provide Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA requires a year of job experience for certification, which can be fulfilled by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to acquire practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work 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 satisfy the requirement. Ask if the schools have associations with Franklin WI area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Assistance? Securing that initial job in Franklin WI after graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a daunting undertaking without any support. Find out if the colleges you are researching have job placement programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the school has a good reputation within the profession creating appeal for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a large network of pharmacy contacts where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Franklin WI home. Students who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type 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. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are looking at what the typical 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 some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacist technician college you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Franklin WI area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.