I had a very disappointing experience at this pharmacy technician program. While they do offer some…read moresupport, in my experience, that support was often offered at times when I was unable to attend, and the program was not very flexible when students had legitimate circumstances preventing them from coming in.
The program often felt like "sink or swim." I felt like students were expected to figure out a lot on their own, and I did not feel like I received the level of instruction, guidance, or flexibility I needed to succeed. Important information was also not always communicated clearly or upfront, making it difficult to understand exactly what I was committing to before enrolling.
There were multiple occasions where I experienced serious medical circumstances and felt like I was essentially being told to "suck it up" and come to class anyway. I experienced a horrible car accident and also dealt with a lung infection, among other situations. I understand that attendance and program requirements are important, but I expected some level of understanding and compassion when dealing with genuine emergencies and medical situations. Instead, I often felt like the expectation was simply to show up regardless of what was happening.
When I eventually realized the program was not a good fit for me, I repeatedly requested to withdraw before the deadline. Instead of simply processing my withdrawal, I was repeatedly pushed into meetings and pressured to reconsider. I was told that a meeting was mandatory in order to unenroll, but the meeting did not actually result in my withdrawal being processed. The process continued to be delayed, which was extremely frustrating because I had already made my decision.
I also was not the only student who expressed concerns. Several of my classmates had similar frustrations about the learning environment, communication, flexibility, and the way students were handled when they struggled or wanted to leave.
I also witnessed concerns involving pregnant students. Some students were given the impression that they would be able to complete the program without an issue, only to later be told that they had a limited amount of time to finish certain requirements or risk being dropped. In my opinion, requirements and time limitations like these should be clearly explained before students enroll--not disclosed at the last minute after students have already invested significant time and money.
Overall, I felt that the program placed a lot of emphasis on keeping students moving forward, but not enough on meeting students where they actually were. Encouragement is important, but so are transparency, flexibility, compassion, and making sure students have all of the information they need before committing to a program.
My advice to anyone considering enrolling is to ask very detailed questions about all deadlines, withdrawal policies, attendance requirements, medical/emergency policies, pregnancy or leave policies, externship requirements, and exactly what happens if you cannot complete a requirement on time. Get everything in writing and make sure you fully understand the financial consequences before enrolling.
I personally left the program feeling unheard and frustrated by how difficult the withdrawal process became. I hope the school takes feedback like this seriously and works toward creating a more transparent, flexible, and supportive environment for its students.
