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Points to Ask Pharmacist Tech Colleges
After you have determined whether you wish to attain 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 technician schools to choose from in the Juneau AK area and throughout the USA, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and trade schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will most likely initially look for programs that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Juneau home. If you are able to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be important. But there are several other issues that you must consider so that you may properly compare schools. The questions below will assist you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacist Tech College Accredited? Many pharmacy technician programs and trade schools have earned a national or regional accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to furnish a comprehensive superior education. Online schools may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance education. Make sure to confirm that the degree or certificate program together with the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Along with helping make sure that you obtain a quality education, it can help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Juneau AK pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.
Does the School Prep You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous employers prefer that the technicians they hire be certified. The pharmacist technician school should ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of work experience. This requirement may be satisfied by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA mandates a year of experience for certification, which may be fulfilled through an internship program. Perhaps the best way to get 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 an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Check if the programs have a working relationship with Juneau Alaska area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Give Job Placement Assistance? Getting that initial job in Juneau AK after graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a challenging undertaking without any support. Find out if the schools you are considering have job assistance 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 profession creating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the School Located? For many students, the school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Juneau AK home. Those who have opted 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 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 commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the pharmacy technician college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Juneau AK area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify 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 work, illness or family emergencies.