How to Become a Phlebotomist
Phlebotomists are medical professionals who specialize in medical laboratory analysis mainly focusing on collecting blood samples from patients and organizing these samples for future testing. The requirements to becoming one of these professionals are not as demanding as, say, a nurse or a doctor. The costs for entry are affordable - approximately $2500, and the duration of time for training is very minimal - sometimes as low as three days. In fact, all you need is a high school diploma and a certification from an accredited medical institution.
To give a bit more information on what type of skills are needed to become a phlebotomy professional, here are a list of their duties and responsibilities.
- Working in the field will require a certain level of manual dexterity because it is vital that you are able to safely use needles on multiple patients.
Organization and cleanliness is also very important in the field since you will:
- Sterilize the needles in the appropriate way
- Document patient visits
- Process incoming orders
- Create easy-to-understand reports for doctors who will use your information to correctly treat the patient.
But, don't forget, you always have to receive proper training before you become a healthcare professional. So, if you feel like you lack in any of these necessary skills, there is nothing to worry about. The trainers and instructors will make sure you receive the proper training before you start treating patients.
The Requirements:
- High School Diploma or a GED (It would be greatly beneficial to take a few different science courses.)
- Experience in the Field (on-the-job-training) or completion of a formal training program.
- Certification - (Certifications are provided by many different organizations in your locality)
You also have the option to pursue a degree in this field. Associate degree programs take two years to complete and cost significantly more though.
A post-secondary education from an institution such as a college or university is not a necessary requirement. Although completing a post-educational program or taking college courses will prepare you for the certification and even help with job opportunities.
Sometimes, certain institutions do not require it, but more than likely, the majority of employers are going to ask for certification. It is also beneficial to take classes for certification because it may open the doors to internship opportunities.
Those who do not take the certification courses will receive their on-site training in a medical facility.
Pursuing Certification
The institutions listed below are the three, major certification bodies for phlebotomists:
- American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
- American Society for Phlebotomy Technicians (ASPT)
- American Medical Technologist (AMT)
To get your certification, you will need a high school diploma and complete phlebotomy training in the field through work experience or a specialized educational program. You will also need to pass a certification exam that focuses on proper techniques and procedures, the terminology used in the field, the methods on how to properly treat patients without the risk of infection, safety procedures and how to collect and preserve specimens.
The average pay for a phlebotomist, according to salary.com, is between $26,000 to $32,000 per year. The work load is somewhat minimal and not extremely demanding. It is also important to know that you will be working with a lot of patients and so if you are a sociable person, enjoy working with various people and love to help others, you will find a career in this field very rewarding.
To give a bit more information on what type of skills are needed to become a phlebotomy professional, here are a list of their duties and responsibilities.
- Working in the field will require a certain level of manual dexterity because it is vital that you are able to safely use needles on multiple patients.
Organization and cleanliness is also very important in the field since you will:
- Sterilize the needles in the appropriate way
- Document patient visits
- Process incoming orders
- Create easy-to-understand reports for doctors who will use your information to correctly treat the patient.
But, don't forget, you always have to receive proper training before you become a healthcare professional. So, if you feel like you lack in any of these necessary skills, there is nothing to worry about. The trainers and instructors will make sure you receive the proper training before you start treating patients.
The Requirements:
- High School Diploma or a GED (It would be greatly beneficial to take a few different science courses.)
- Experience in the Field (on-the-job-training) or completion of a formal training program.
- Certification - (Certifications are provided by many different organizations in your locality)
You also have the option to pursue a degree in this field. Associate degree programs take two years to complete and cost significantly more though.
A post-secondary education from an institution such as a college or university is not a necessary requirement. Although completing a post-educational program or taking college courses will prepare you for the certification and even help with job opportunities.
Sometimes, certain institutions do not require it, but more than likely, the majority of employers are going to ask for certification. It is also beneficial to take classes for certification because it may open the doors to internship opportunities.
Those who do not take the certification courses will receive their on-site training in a medical facility.
Pursuing Certification
The institutions listed below are the three, major certification bodies for phlebotomists:
- American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
- American Society for Phlebotomy Technicians (ASPT)
- American Medical Technologist (AMT)
To get your certification, you will need a high school diploma and complete phlebotomy training in the field through work experience or a specialized educational program. You will also need to pass a certification exam that focuses on proper techniques and procedures, the terminology used in the field, the methods on how to properly treat patients without the risk of infection, safety procedures and how to collect and preserve specimens.
The average pay for a phlebotomist, according to salary.com, is between $26,000 to $32,000 per year. The work load is somewhat minimal and not extremely demanding. It is also important to know that you will be working with a lot of patients and so if you are a sociable person, enjoy working with various people and love to help others, you will find a career in this field very rewarding.
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