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Points to Ask Pharmacy Tech Colleges
After you have decided whether you want to obtain a certificate or degree, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school options. There are a large number of pharmacist technician schools to choose from in the Sheboygan WI area and throughout the USA, so you must develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and vocational schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will probably initially look for programs that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Sheboygan residence. If you are able to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be important. But there are several other factors that you need to consider in order to adequately compare schools. The following questions will assist you in gathering that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech College Accredited? Most pharmacist tech programs and trade schools have obtained a regional or national accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to provide a comprehensive superior education. Online programs may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online learning. Be sure to check that the degree or certificate program in addition to the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. Along with helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it might assist in getting financial aid or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Sheboygan WI employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the Program Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in all states, but numerous pharmacies prefer that the techs they hire be certified. The pharmacist tech program should ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of job experience. This condition can be fulfilled by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Provide Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA requires a year of job experience for certification, which can be met with an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Ask if the colleges have associations with Sheboygan WI area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the College Offer Job Placement Help? Finding that first position in Sheboygan WI upon graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a challenging task without any help. Ask if the schools you are considering have job placement programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indication that the college has a good reputation within the profession generating demand for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduating students.
Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Sheboygan WI home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are reviewing 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 final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse 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 finally you must confirm that the pharmacist technician college you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Sheboygan WI 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 courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.