Phlebotomy Schools and Training

Arizona College of Allied Health. This program offers a two-quarter length program, enabling students to begin work in about five months. After training, students take part in an externship program in order to ready and perfect their medical training skills for a real-world capacity.
California College, San Diego. This school allows students to earn their training in phlebotomy through an occupational Associate’s Degree in Medical Specialties. One may learn about phlebotomy while simultaneously gaining skill in fields like laboratory assisting, massage therapy, and limited-scope radiology.
DeVry University instructs students in phlebotomy while they earn a Bachelor’s of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science. Only the DeVry campus in Phoenix, Arizona offers the degree program.
Fortis Institute prides itself on instilling students with skills not only in phlebotomy but also in electrocardiograms and laboratory assistance. This is a lauded program for truly teaching students to work one-on-one with physicians.
Harris College offers “basic training” as a Multi-Skill Health Technician to pass along skills in phlebotomy. The program requires a commitment from students of about 750 hours overall.
Kaplan College, San Antonio / San Pedro has an excellent program that prepares students for the Registered Phlebotomy Technician exam sponsored by the National Allied Health Test Registry. They also offer strong assistance in job placement after students secure their degrees.
Lamson Institute provides graduates with the special bonus of CPR training. Students are thoroughly prepared for entry level positions as phlebotomists and lab assistants.
Spencerian College offers students great training in phlebotomy studies and provides them with the necessary preparation to take the ASCP registry examination for phlebotomists’ certification.
Stevens-Henager College presents a Medical Specialties Degree to prepare students for careers as phlebotomists. Students also pick up training in medical assisting, rehabilitation assisting, and limited-scope X-ray technology.
Stratford University excellently prepares its students for a wide variety of certification exams. 90 credit hours of core medical courses are matched with a required 135 in an on-the-job externship.

Requirements for Phlebotomists

A high school diploma or GED is the minimum degree needed to become a phlebotomist.
Some states require that students earn a Certificate of Completion from an approved training program and sit for a national qualifying exam; other states require no particular training and expect that phlebotomists will learn on the job. (California Department of Public Health, New York State Education Department)
Vocational schools and colleges offer programs to certify phlebotomists, which take from four months up to one year to complete, and can be conducted both during the day or at night to fit students’ schedules. (Sarasota County Technical Institute)
Each state has its own regulations about the education and training needed to practice as a phlebotomy specialist – prospective workers should check their state’s specific policies.
At least four associations certify phlebotomists, and they all differ slightly in what they require. They include: the National Phlebotomy Association, the American Society for Clinical Pathology, The American Medical Technologists, and the American Society for Phlebotomy Technicians.
An associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a subject such as medical technology or the life sciences gives phlebotomists an advantage on the job market compared to those with no higher education.
Students should receive training in anatomy and physiology, safety procedures, patient care, blood draw procedures, quality assurance, specimen and collection procedures, professional standards, patient privacy, and medical legal issues. (Phlebotomy-school.org/)
Phlebotomists cannot be squeamish around blood or bodily fluids in general, and must be able to comfort those who are, or who are scared of needles. (Payscale.com)
Phlebotomists must be able to follow procedure, have excellent attention to detail, and be good at working with their hands on finite movements. (Lansing Community College)
Anyone working as a phlebotomy specialist should have an interest in helping people, be compassionate and communicative, and should be interested in the field of medicine.

Surviving Phlebotomy School

You don’t just wake up one morning, grab a needle, and start taking blood from people. Becoming a phlebotomist takes time, dedication, and hard work. You are dealing with blood – one of the most vital and dangerous (if handled improperly) substances in the human body. You need to understand the proper techniques for drawing and handling blood, how to process it safely, and the myriad legal and confidentiality issues surrounding it.

In order to get a job as a phlebotomist, you’re going to need certification, probably from a nationally accredited agency. In order to get this certification, you’re going to need training. In order to survive this training and pass the test, it might be helpful to keep a few things in mind:

Preparation

Once you’ve gotten into an approved training program, make sure that you know everything that you need to provide before the first day of class.

Uniform

Depending on your phlebotomy school, you may be issued a (new) uniform on or before your first day, or you may be required to buy one for yourself. Make sure that you understand the uniform and footwear requirements before you come to class.

You may have some flexibility for classroom studies (e.g., business casual) and only be required to wear a medical uniform (scrubs, etc.) for laboratory training, or the school may simplify it and just make you wear scrubs or something similar all the time. Many schools require a standard color for all students in the same program (e.g., blue for LPNs, red for phlebotomists, gray for CNAs, etc.).

Books

Have your books beforehand! Some phlebotomy schools will provide books for you as part of your enrollment fee, others have a bookstore (online or real world) where you can buy the books, or you may just be on your own to find them (based on the ISBN). This can be a great opportunity to save some money by purchasing a used copy; just make sure that if you need a workbook or similar supplemental materials (CD, DVD, etc.) that they are also included.

Writing Materials, etc.

This should go without saying, but make sure that you have at least two pens and pencils with you when you come to class, as well as paper for taking notes. The school may even issue a list of required and/or suggested classroom supplies for students to bring with them on a daily basis. Taking notes is a powerful way to remember things, the physical act of writing creates a neural pathway in your brain to aid in retention. Bring paper and writing implements and take notes!

There’s at least one person in every training class who shows up late, out of uniform, and without essential books and other materials – don’t be that person!

Rapport

“Rapport” is a fancy word for “connection.” While you are in phlebotomy training, do your best to develop a rapport with those around you. First and foremost, this rapport will transform your time in class from a perfunctory routine into a supportive, nurturing environment where students and staff work together to help everyone accomplish their goals.

Note: There is a difference between “rapport” and “making everyone in the class your new best friend and getting distracted and/or annoying.” It’s natural to want to get to know your teachers and classmates. You may even socialize with fellow students outside of class or meet up for them for study sessions (this is highly recommended!), but know your limits and understand boundaries. Your classmates are not there to be your universal support network for every life event (however major or minor) to the detriment of classroom order and quality of instruction.

However, a good rapport can have life-long value. As initiates entering a tight-knit medical community, having fellow graduates with whom you can share your experiences in the workplace, give and receive advice, and possibly even find work leads through can be life-improving on a variety of levels.

Punctuality

There’s an old saying that goes “If you’re not five minutes early, then you’re ten minutes late.” This is especially true in the educational and medical worlds. While you are in your phlebotomy training classes, your instructor and fellow students are going to want to start (and end!) classes on time, every time. Many instructors at phlebotomy training schools are working professionals and only have limited time to fulfill their classroom duties before going on to other work.

The school itself also only has so many classrooms and laboratories, and oftentimes these resources are tightly scheduled to allow maximum classes (within an acceptable level of quality, etc.) in an efficient timespan. Entering a class once the lesson has begun hurts you and your classmates: You have missed valuable information from the teacher, and your classmates must deal with the interruption of you entering class late.

Additionally, showing up early to school is good training for showing up early (a few minutes or so) to work, which employers love. If you want to use your instructor as a reference when you graduate (which you will, if you have good rapport with him or her), then do your best to give him or her lots of good things to say about you. “Always on time and prepared for class” is a great thing for a former instructor to tell a possible future boss, as it tells them “Will be on time and prepared for work.”

Being on time for class is also good preparation for being on time for the credentialing exam you’ll have to take at the end of the program. Almost every credentialing exam has a time limit, so by coming in late, you are putting yourself at a disadvantage from the outset, not to mention that more often than not, testing agencies will not even allow you to enter the testing room once the test has started.

Respect yourself, your instructor, your school, and your classmates by arriving at class early. You’ll thank yourself later.