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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Courses
Once you have determined whether you want to earn a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can start to target your school alternatives. There are many pharmacist tech programs to choose from in the Millbrook AL area and throughout the USA, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will most likely initially look for programs that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Millbrook home. If you are willing to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be significant. But there are a number of other variables that you should take into consideration so that you may properly compare programs. The following questions will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacist Technician College Accredited? Many pharmacy technician programs and vocational schools have obtained a regional or national accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to offer a comprehensive superior education. Online programs may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with distance or online learning. Make sure to verify that the degree or certificate program as well as the school you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it might help in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might mandate that the training program is accredited. And a number of Millbrook AL employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the School Prep You for Certification? Certification is not required in all states, but many pharmacies prefer that the techs they employ are certified. The pharmacist technician college needs to ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of professional experience. This condition can be fulfilled by taking part in a school sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA requires one year of job experience for certification, which may be fulfilled by means of an internship program. Perhaps the best way 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 prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Check if the programs have associations with Millbrook Alabama area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.
Does the School Give Job Placement Assistance? Finding that initial position in Millbrook AL after graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a challenging endeavor without any assistance. Ask if the schools you are looking at have job assistance programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the school has an excellent reputation within the field creating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of pharmacy contacts where it can refer graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Millbrook AL residence. Those who have decided 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 consider is that if you decide 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 usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacy technician college you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Millbrook AL area, check that they are available. 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 might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.