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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Schools
Once you have decided whether you wish to attain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can start to target your school options. There are a large number of pharmacist technician colleges to choose from in the Onalaska WI area and throughout the United States, so you need to create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and trade schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will undoubtedly first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Onalaska home. If you are able to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be critical. But there are a number of other factors that you need to take into consideration so that you may effectively compare programs. The following questions will help you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacist technician programs and vocational schools have acquired a national or regional accreditation. Among the most respected accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to furnish a comprehensive superior education. Online programs may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance learning. Don't forget to confirm that the certificate or degree program together with the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. In addition to helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Onalaska WI pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the Program Prep You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous pharmacies desire that the techs they employ be certified. The pharmacy technician college needs to ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of work experience. This qualification may be met by taking part in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA requires 1 year of experience for certification, which may be satisfied with an internship program. One of the best ways to acquire hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Check if the schools have associations with Onalaska WI area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Assistance? Getting that initial job in Onalaska WI upon graduation, especially with no experience, can be a challenging task without any support. Find out if the colleges you are considering have job placement programs. If so, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the field generating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of pharmacy contacts where it can refer graduates.
Where is the School Located? For many students, the school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Onalaska WI residence. Individuals 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 importance. Something to consider is that if you choose 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 commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide 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 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 a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.
Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacist technician school you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Onalaska WI area, make sure 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, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.