It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Pharmacy Tech Career Below
What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools
After you have determined whether you want to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online college or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are a large number of pharmacy technician schools to select from in the Glendale AZ area and throughout the United States, so you should create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and technical schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will probably initially look for programs that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Glendale 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 several other issues that you should consider in order to adequately compare colleges. The questions below will help you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.
Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? The majority of pharmacist technician programs and vocational schools have earned a national or regional accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to provide a complete superior education. Online programs may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online learning. Don't forget to check that the degree or certificate program as well as the school you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to helping ensure that you obtain a superior education, it might help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And a number of Glendale AZ pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.
Does the School Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in all states, but many employers prefer that the technicians they hire be certified. The pharmacy tech college needs to prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of job experience. This requirement may be satisfied by participating in a college sponsored internship program.
Does the School Sponsor Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA requires 1 year of experience for certification, which can be satisfied through an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to satisfy the requirement. Find out if the colleges have a working relationship with Glendale Arizona area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.
Does the School Provide Job Placement Help? Finding that first job in Glendale AZ after graduation, especially with no experience, can be a challenging undertaking without some help. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have job placement programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the profession creating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of pharmacy contacts where it can place graduating students.
Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Glendale AZ home. Students who have chosen 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 bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program 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 normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.
How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer 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 perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.
Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the pharmacy tech college you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Glendale AZ area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.