Phlebotomist Education Requirements

Are you interested in working as a phlebotomist or to further your career from a phlebotomy position? You will need to complete training programs or academic course, online or offline, to do so. You may also need to acquire a certification or license, depending on the career you want to pursue.

Phlebotomist Job Requirements

Phlebotomist

To become a phlebotomist, you can either hold a diploma or complete a phlebotomist certificate program so you will be qualified for state licensing exams. Different states have different educational requirements, but most require that you complete a training program specific to phlebotomy.

Collections Phlebotomy Specialist

This is one of the career options under phlebotomy specialists. A phlebotomist would need additional training and several years of experience in the field to become a specialist. Depending on the training program, you may need to complete lab time and clinical time of 120 hours to gain skills and confidence. The program may include medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, specimen collection and integrity, infection control and safety, and health care delivery.

Registered Phlebotomy Specialist (RPS)

Another specialization in phlebotomy, becoming a registered phlebotomy specialist involves extensive hours of training and clinical internship. Because RPS must follow national standards, additional training is much more intensive. Evaluation is also carried out in a two-part exam – theory and clinical competencies. This is why a minimum of 300 hours of phlebotomy program at schools is required, including 140 hours of internship carried out in a clinic, doctor’s office, laboratory, and hospital.

You also need to certify in Automated external defibrillator (AED), basic life support (BLS), and first aid. And to pass a clinical exam, you need to draw blood within 5 minutes or fail.

Patient Service Technician Specialist

To become a patient service technician specialist, you are required to enroll in a basic patient care procedure program that is available at a community college or offered as a specialized course with private companies. Upon successful completion of the program, you must take a state examination to earn a certificate and be eligible to work in a medical facility.

Donor Phlebotomy Technician (DPT)

There’s no specific program dedicated to DPT, but you can complete an acceptable donor phlebotomy training or a fully accredited medical assisting program. Before you can do this, however, you need a high-school diploma or GED. The medical assisting program curriculum may consist of Communications in Health, Introduction to Health Care, and Infection Control and Asepsis.

Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT)

To become an MLT from being a phlebotomy technician, you need to obtain an associate’s degree and complete an MLT accredited training program. It would take two years to complete an MLT course.

Medical Technician (MT)

From MLT, you can advance to MT by obtaining a bachelor’s degree in medical technologists and hands-on experience.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

You’re going to need an additional training program and licensure to become an LPN. It usually takes one to two years complete the program that may include studies in anatomy and physiology, nutrition, and pharmacology. Education programs are offered in hospitals, technical schools, community colleges, and junior colleges.

Registered Nurse (RN)

To become an RN, you can start with a diploma program or an associate’s degree program for entry-level nursing. You can later enroll in a bachelor’s degree program. Nursing programs combine classroom instruction with clinical experience that is closely supervised.