It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Pharmacy Tech Career Below
Points to Ask Pharmacy Technician Courses
Once you have decided whether you want to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacy technician schools to pick from in the Casa Grande AZ area and throughout the Country, so you must create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and trade schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will undoubtedly first start looking for schools that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Casa Grande home. If you are able to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be significant. But there are a number of other factors that you need to consider so that you may properly compare schools. The following questions will assist you in gathering that information and help you to make your final choice.
Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? The majority of pharmacy technician programs and vocational schools have acquired a national or regional accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and verified to provide a comprehensive quality education. Online colleges may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance education. Make sure to check that the certificate or degree program as well as the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Besides helping make sure that you receive a superior education, it might help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may require that the program of training is accredited. And many Casa Grande AZ employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the Program Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but a number of pharmacies prefer that the technicians they hire be certified. The pharmacy tech school needs to prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of job experience. This condition may be met by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the College Offer Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA mandates 1 year of professional experience for certification, which may be met with an internship program. Perhaps the best way to acquire hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Ask if the programs have a working relationship with Casa Grande Arizona area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the College Give Job Placement Help? Finding that initial job in Casa Grande AZ upon graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a daunting endeavor without some help. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have job assistance programs. If they do, 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 field generating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a substantial network of pharmacy contacts where it can place graduates.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the college they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Casa Grande AZ home. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.
How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the pharmacist technician program you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Casa Grande AZ area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.