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Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Colleges
Once you have decided whether you want to attain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online program or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacy technician programs to pick from in the Oconomowoc WI area and throughout the United States, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and vocational schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will probably initially look for schools that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Oconomowoc home. If you are able to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be significant. But there are many other factors that you need to take into consideration in order to effectively compare programs. The following questions will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your final choice.
Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacist tech colleges and trade schools have obtained a regional or national accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to furnish a complete quality education. Online programs may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance education. Make sure to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may assist in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And a number of Oconomowoc 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 mandated in every state, but many employers desire that the technicians they employ are certified. The pharmacist technician college needs to prep its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of work experience. This condition can be satisfied by entering a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA mandates a year of job experience for certification, which can be met by means of an internship program. Perhaps the best way to get practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to satisfy the requirement. Ask if the colleges have associations with Oconomowoc WI area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Getting that initial position in Oconomowoc WI after graduation, particularly with no experience, can be a challenging endeavor without any assistance. Ask if the schools you are considering have job placement programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indication that the college has a good reputation within the field generating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a substantial network of pharmacy contacts where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the School Located? For many students, the college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Oconomowoc WI home. Those who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don't reside within their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the pharmacist tech program you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Oconomowoc WI area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.