Phlebotomy is a career that many people choose due to its reputation for requiring a relatively short certification period. However, getting certified does not necessarily mean that you are a phlebotomist. In fact, some hospitals may not hire a person solely upon looking at their phlebotomist certification. Many hospitals require on-the-job training to be completed before even a certified phlebotomist is allowed to perform duties without supervision. In some cases, this training period is also accompanied by “training pay”, which may be less than the average salary for a phlebotomist. However, this does not stop many people from wondering, “How to become a phlebotomist?“.

Phlebotomy-Related Coursework

For most phlebotomy training programs, you must complete a designated amount of coursework in order to fully complete the training. This type of training is usually divided into two (or sometimes three) coursework-related sections. In most cases, a student is required to complete 40 hours of non-technical coursework, which includes basic training in science. In addition to this, an additional 40 hours is usually required to be spent in actual clinical training, before the training course is complete.

Length of Courses

A phlebotomy course may vary in length, depending on the frequency and time frame of the classes. Most phlebotomy training courses are designed to be set in a six-week program, or in a full semester length of time. In most cases, the length of the training course depends almost entirely on if a student opts to take a full-time course, or a part-time course. Part-time courses are usually ideal for students that have other obligations, such as children or a part-time job. Full-time courses are ideal for students that wish to complete their phlebotomy training in a relatively short period of time.

Phlebotomy Certification

After a full training course in phlebotomy is completed, a student may then choose to take the phlebotomy certification exam. This exam is usually given by an association that has national recognition in the medical field, and is approved for giving out certifications for phlebotomy. There are currently three different agencies that can give out phlebotomy certification. These agencies are: the National Phlebotomy Association, the Association of Phlebotomy Technicians and the American Society for Clinical Pathology. The exam usually includes a written portion, which tests a student’s knowledge of phlebotomy and the proper procedures for a phlebotomist. Certification may also require a student to complete 200 hours of phlebotomist training in a clinical practice, as well as 100 venipunctures.

On-the-Job Training

Many hospitals may also require you to complete several hours of on-the-job training before you are able to be a phlebotomist at their hospital. This is also training that may be offered to current employees of the hospital, in order to give them the opportunity to increase their knowledge about the practice of phlebotomy. Many hospitals do this in order to increase the versatility of their current staff, and may even offer this type of training for a set wage.