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Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
Once you have determined whether you would like to attain a certificate or degree, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacist tech colleges to select from in the Bullhead City AZ area and throughout the Country, so you need to 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 first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Bullhead City residence. If you are willing to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be significant. But there are a number of other factors that you need to take into consideration in order to properly compare colleges. The questions below will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your final decision.
Is the Pharmacist Technician College Accredited? Most pharmacist tech programs and trade schools have acquired a regional or national accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to provide a comprehensive quality education. Online colleges may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance education. Don't forget to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides helping make sure that you get a superior education, it may help in getting financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may mandate that the training program is accredited. And a number of Bullhead City AZ 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 mandated in all states, but a number of pharmacies desire that the techs they employ are certified. The pharmacy technician school should ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of professional experience. This requirement may be met by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA requires a year of professional experience for certification, which can be fulfilled through an internship program. One of the best ways 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 practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Find out if the colleges have a working relationship with Bullhead City Arizona area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the College Provide Job Placement Assistance? Securing that initial job in Bullhead City AZ after graduation, especially with no experience, can be a difficult task without some assistance. Find out if the schools you are looking at have job placement 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 profession generating demand for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a sizable network of pharmacy contacts where it can refer graduating students.
Where is the School Located? For many students, the college they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Bullhead City AZ residence. Individuals who have opted 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 concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.
How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the pharmacy tech college you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Bullhead City AZ area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.