Before getting into details, let’s define who are phlebotomy technicians and what do they do. Basically, phlebotomists are professionals who draw blood from patients. They can work either in federal or state hospitals, private practices, or laboratories. You can read more about types of techs, job settings, etc. here.
This is an entry-level medical career that is often considered as a step towards more complex jobs, like nursing assistant, registered nurse, etc. It allows you to understand whether working with patients is what you want to do further. Still, there are lots of phlebotomy technicians who can’t imagine a better career, so it’s really up to you.
Here are some quick facts about a phlebotomy career:
| Required Degree | Post-secondary certificate / diploma |
| Certification | Most employers want it |
| Projected Job Growth (2016-26)* | 25% (much faster than average) |
| Median Wage (2017)* | $33,670 |
*Source: BLS.gov
Now, let’s see the exact steps you need to take in order to become a phlebotomist:
Even though schools offering phlebotomy programs don’t require outstanding achievements, we still recommend paying attention to your grades at high school. A high school diploma, or its equivalent, GED, are a basic prerequisite requirement for admission. Also, in order to apply to an approved phlebotomy training program, you have to be at least 18 years old.
As for specific subjects, chemistry and biology are the ones you will use while undergoing training and in your daily activities on the job. Having good grades in these two will give you a competitive advantage over other candidates when applying for a phlebotomy course.
Once you have decided that a phlebotomy is a good option for you career (and it certainly is!), it’s time to find a phlebotomy school near you. These programs are short-term, usually less than one year. Some are as short, as eight weeks.
During your training, you will learn basic skills you need to apply as a phlebotomist. For example, drawing blood in a number of ways, using different techniques and equipment. Basic legal, lab safety, and patient interaction subjects will also be covered. Apart from theoretical training, you will undergo hands-on practice in hospitals or laboratories.
The form below can help you find a school near you in a few clicks:
Want to know more about training options and degrees? Read our detailed guide to phlebotomy training.
Once you have completed a phlebotomy training program, you may want to become certified as well. Even though certification it’s not a legal requirement in most states to start practicing phlebotomy, in reality, the vast majority of employers still want you to have it before getting to work. Also, more advanced certifications allow you to broaden the range of activities you perform on a daily basis as a phlebotomist, and therefore, can potentially increase your salary.
In the United States, a range of organizations offer certifications in phlebotomy.
The main of them are:
Want to learn more about different types of certifications, their requirements, and how they differ? Take a look at our detailed phlebotomy certification guide.
California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington, require you to be certified in order to work as a phlebotomist. But, it’s absolutely worth it. According to our survey, California offers the highest salaries in the US.
The certification exam usually consists of a theoretical multiple-choice test and a practical component. Now, this exam is usually a part of the vast majority of training programs, and you undergo it in the final stages of your course.
Once you have completed all the above steps, here’s the most important one – getting your job. Actually, with the rising demand for phlebotomists and other medical professionals, you’re likely to be approached by recruiters during the completion of the steps above. However, don’t forget to be active yourself!
Even during your first acquaintance with a phlebotomy job while doing practice in a hospital, start making friends, talk to staff, go to HR and find out about employment opportunities. Don’t let this most important step be a last-minute thing.
What we want is a range of employers and options to choose from, right? To achieve this, you can apply not only to local hospitals or labs but also to blood donation centers, physicians offices, outpatient care centers, or even consider becoming a mobile phlebotomist! Therefore, being proactive, not reactive will help you a lot.
Even though at first it may seem like an easy job, continuing education and therefore, maintaining your certification is a must. Requirements vary among different institutions, but as a rule of thumb, it’s usually a certain amount of CEs (Continuing Education credits) that you can earn through short courses within a period of two years.
Renewing certification in such a way will mean you are aware of and can apply the latest developments in the industry to your day-to-day work.
Phlebotomy programs available through vocational and technical schools, community colleges, and local hospitals, will take about 4 to 8 months to complete, depending on specific school's requirements.
Usually, two-thirds of the training is classroom instruction, while the rest is reserved for clinical training through an externship.
Once your course is complete, you will be ready to go through the certification exam, which is often arranged by your school.
The following are important for those who want to work as phlebotomy technicians:
Eye for detail. It’s extremely important to take the right amount of blood, label the sample correctly, input data into the database, and track it. If not done appropriately, samples can be mixed, lost, etc.
Discipline. All of the equipment, supplies, and workplace must be kept in perfectly clean, if not sterile condition.
Dexterity and coordination. Working with sensitive equipment like needles means you want to have good hand-eye coordination and know-how of all of your supplies. It’s very important that you don’t hurt the patient and handle the entire process with as little impact as possible.
Excellent soft skills. It’s no wonder that many patients are scared of blood drawing procedures. This is true for some adults, let alone the kids. So, a good phlebotomy tech will be a caring and understanding professional who can find an approach to any type of patient.