If you like working one-on-one with people, prefer hands-on tasks, and enjoy learning about medical science, consider working in phlebotomy. The healthcare professional who draws blood from patients is called a phlebotomist. They are in demand throughout the ever-growing U.S. healthcare sector, in hospitals, medical laboratories, urgent care clinics, and research programs.
Those interested in phlebotomy career paths in New Jersey and Pennsylvania will find high-quality education and training at Prism Career Institute. Here, we discuss what future phlebotomists can anticipate in the job market.
Job Growth in Phlebotomy
Phlebotomy is an essential role in medicine. Human blood samples are needed to both monitor individual health and diagnose illnesses, and a supply of blood is required for treatments by transfusion and use during surgical procedures and emergencies. For example, the workers who draw blood for American Red Cross are phlebotomists.
The demand for phlebotomists is expected to grow by 8 percent from 2022 to 2032. This is a faster rate of growth than average for all occupations. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects, on average, at least 19,500 job openings in phlebotomy for every year of the decade.
Education and Training in Phlebotomy
To find employment in phlebotomy, a course of education, practical training, and agency certification usually are required. Phlebotomists must know human anatomy and physiology, sterile technique and other laboratory methodologies, and medical-level sanitation protocols, as well as how to interact with and educate patients. The medical assistant program at Prism Career Institute includes an in-depth unit on phlebotomy.
Students of phlebotomy also require practical experience drawing blood and working with the public. Initial learning takes place in the classroom with manikin arms, but students eventually perform blood draws on live subjects. Students in the medical assistant program also complete an externship, which provides them with real-world experience working with health professionals and institutions in the local area.
Certification Exam
After graduating from an educational program, such as the medical assistant program at Prism Career Institute, students are qualified to take a certification exam. Formal examinations for certification in phlebotomy include both written and practical sections. The exam is offered through several healthcare agencies:
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
- American Medical Certification Association (AMCA)
- American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
- American Medical Technologists (AMT)
- National Phlebotomy Association (NPA)
Phlebotomy: An Essential Skill in Healthcare
At Prism Career Institute, phlebotomy is included in the medical assistant program because it is an essential skill for healthcare professionals. In order to expand their options along medical assistant career paths, our students find that the larger program containing medical coding and phlebotomy enhances their medical assisting marketability. All healthcare occupations require administrative knowledge, an understanding of basic medical coding, and how to best handle patients. In addition, students study medical law and ethics, pharmacology, clinical procedures, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Whether you want to work as part of a healthcare team in patient care, a group of researchers studying human diseases, or as a full-time phlebotomist in a medical lab or hospital, the knowledge, and skills gained in this program will enhance your resume and career opportunities.
Career and Educational Advancement With Phlebotomy
Graduates of the medical assistant program at Prism Career Institute have many job opportunities available to them. They also have the preparation to advance in a variety of healthcare careers and educational opportunities. For example, phlebotomy jobs may offer the ability to work flexible hours at hospitals and clinics, enabling phlebotomists to pursue education programs in nursing, medical technology, or laboratory science. And employers welcome healthcare professionals who also are certified phlebotomists. Due to the growing demand for these skills in today’s healthcare workplaces, phlebotomy is an attractive item on any job application.
Discover Career Options in Phlebotomy
As part of the medical assistant program at Prism Career Institute, phlebotomists receive an excellent educational foundation in patient care. They learn the basics of the human body, important communication and administrative skills, as well as medical coding, and how to operate electronic health records. Students who are interested in phlebotomy find excellent preparation with outstanding staff and practical experience in healthcare settings throughout the local areas.
Our medical assistant program, including the phlebotomy unit, is available at all three campus locations, Cherry Hill, NJ, West Atlantic City, NJ, and Philadelphia, PA. For more information, contact Prism Career Institute.