One of the most booming industries today is the healthcare or medical industry — an industry that is recession proof so to speak. Why? Because while most companies laid off their employees during the recession, the healthcare field actually hired more people, as the demand for qualified and experienced professionals continue to grow exponentially. You don’t have to be a nurse or doctor to enter the healthcare field. There are other equally important professions within the field of medicine such as phlebotomy. Well, this term might sound to you as ‘Greek’ for the first time as not many are familiar with it, but rest assured that you are more familiar with the job description than the profession itself.
A phlebotomist is basically someone who is trained to draw or take blood from a patient for purposes of diagnosing underlying medical conditions or searching for foreign contents such as drugs or purely for blood donation purposes. With that said, if you want to pursue a career in phlebotomy, you must enroll in an accredited phlebotomy training school to help kick-start your career in this exciting field of study. Rest assured phlebotomy training schools are all over but the challenge lies in finding the best of all, which you do by knowing the job description and responsibilities of a phlebotomist and having important facts at hand about phlebotomy training schools.
- First and foremost, a phlebotomy training school must be accredited. Ensure you read the history of the school before getting enrolled. Equally important to look is the school’s passing rate. This is because graduates must sit a qualifying certification exam before practicing as professional phlebotomists. It is vital that the institution have the highest passing rate as it means the quality of training offered is excellent.
- You can obtain your phlebotomy certification by studying in a university, college, or vocational training school. Colleges tend to offer comprehensive courses that take longer to finish compared to course offered in vocational training schools. You can take a one-semester course or one that goes for up to a year, depending on your schedule and program. Go for a program that suits your needs perfectly. For instance, if you don’t have enough time and only look to take a basic course in phlebotomy, you would be better off with a one-semester course.
- You must be ready to take medical subjects which are related to phlebotomy. Basic courses include anatomy, physiology, biology, mathematics etc. It goes without saying that you must be able to pass all of these subjects before you graduate and become a fully fledged practitioner
- After graduation, it is advisable to write the comprehensive phlebotomy certification exam offered by the American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians. Although not compulsory for employment, it increases your salary increment, promotion, and even employment odds. The certification examination basically tests your skills and knowledge in phlebotomy and related subjects.