Phlebotomy Career Paths in New Jersey & Pennsylvania
If you’re interested in becoming a phlebotomist, completing a medical assistant training program can help you get there. At Prism Career Institute, we offer a medical assistant program at our campuses in Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Students learn a wide range of clinical tasks, including phlebotomy training, to help prepare them for future careers. Learn more about how our medical assistant training can lead to a phlebotomy career path.
What Is Phlebotomy?
Phlebotomy is the practice of drawing blood via a needle in a vein, and the person who performs it is called a phlebotomist. Phlebotomy can be done for lab testing, research, or donations. Besides drawing patients’ or donors’ blood, phlebotomists may also collect urine or other samples. They are often responsible for many different duties besides taking samples, including:
- Educating patients to help them feel comfortable
- Labeling and preparing samples for testing
- Preparing samples for transfusions
- Verifying patient and donor ID and personal information
- Managing patient records
- Safely managing needles, test tubes, and other instruments
- Cleaning and sanitizing equipment and surfaces
Phlebotomists work directly with patients and can find work in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, doctor’s offices, blood donation centers, diagnostic laboratories, and more. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for phlebotomists is projected to grow 8% through 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. Phlebotomists can also benefit from competitive salaries and job stability.
Please note: We do not offer a phlebotomy program. Training in this area is included as part of our medical assistant program.
Why Choose Our Medical Assistant Program?
Whether you want to be a medical assistant or further your education to become a phlebotomist, the Medical Assistant program at Prism Career Institute can give you a solid foundation. Students in our program receive in-classroom instruction on clinical and administrative tasks and direct patient care. Course options include medical law and ethics, anatomy and physiology, phlebotomy, and more. Our program also features hands-on training for students through our externship program, where they get real-world experience working under the guidance of healthcare professionals. This helps aspiring medical assistants explore the different medical paths and settings where they can work.
Besides the well-rounded curriculum of our medical assistant program, some other benefits include:
- Convenient scheduling options, including evening courses at the Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City locations
- Hybrid design with both residential and interactive distance learning
- Completion time of as little as 10 months
- Competitive tuition rates and financial aid opportunities for qualified students
- Career services department that can help students with job placement assistance and other support services.
- Dedicated instructors with specialized knowledge of the medical field
- Accreditation by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET)
Attending the medical assistant program at Prism Career Institute can help set you up for success in a range of healthcare careers since you will then be able to take various certification exams. To learn more about our medical assistant program, you can read through our school catalog.
Apply Your Medical Assistant Training to a Phlebotomist Career Path
If you’re interested in a phlebotomy career path, you may think you have to attend a phlebotomy-specific training program. However, that is not always the case—certain medical assistant training programs also provide training in phlebotomy. At Prism Career Institute, our Medical Assistant program provides students with phlebotomy training that can help prepare them for a career in this medical field.
Although Prism Career Institute doesn’t offer a specific phlebotomy program, students in our medical assistant program are taught how to draw blood and how to handle specimens and equipment properly. Beginning on manikin arms, students gradually start performing blood draws on live subjects. They will also learn about essential patient hygiene and infection control methods as set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to prevent cross-contamination and keep patients and staff safe.
Once graduating from the medical assistant program, students who want to become full-time phlebotomists can take the certification exams for phlebotomy to become a Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)*.
*Please note: Prism Career Institute does not cover the cost of the study materials or the exams. Additionally, students must provide evidence that they have successfully preformed a minimum of 30 venipunctures and 10 capillary or finger sticks on live individuals.
Get Started With Medical Assistant Training Today
Start your journey toward a phlebotomy career path by applying to the medical assistant program at Prism Career Institute. Offered at our locations in Philadelphia, PA, Cherry Hill, NJ, and West Atlantic City, NJ, this program provides highly specialized, career-focused education that can prepare you for both medical assistant and phlebotomy careers. For more information on the application process or admission requirements, contact us today to learn more.