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What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs
After you have determined whether you wish to attain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online program or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are numerous pharmacist tech schools to select from in the Wausau WI area and throughout the United States, so you should develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and technical schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will probably initially look for colleges that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Wausau residence. If you are willing to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be critical. But there are a number of other issues that you must take into consideration in order to properly compare schools. The following questions will help you in collecting that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacist tech 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 evaluated and verified to furnish a complete quality education. Online schools may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online education. Be sure to check that the degree or certificate program as well as the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with helping make sure that you get a quality education, it might assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Wausau WI pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the College Ready You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but a number of employers prefer that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacist technician program should prep its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of work experience. This condition may be satisfied by entering a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA requires one year of experience for certification, which can be satisfied with an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Check if the programs have a working relationship with Wausau WI area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Help? Finding that initial position in Wausau WI upon graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a challenging undertaking without any assistance. Find out if the colleges you are researching have job assistance programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indication that the school has an excellent reputation within the profession generating appeal for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a large network of employer relationships where it can place graduates.
Where is the College Located? For many students, the college they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Wausau WI home. Those 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 perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don't reside within their districts.
What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacy technician program you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Wausau WI area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.