Phlebotomy Careers in New Jersey & Pennsylvania as a Medical Assistant
A medical assistant has the opportunity to explore a wide variety of career paths, including phlebotomy. Through our medical assistant program at our campuses in Cherry Hill, NJ, West Atlantic City, NJ, and Philadelphia, PA, Prism Career Institute students are trained in phlebotomy, as well as a wide variety of other clinical tasks. Find out what this job entails and how your training as a medical assistant can lead to a phlebotomy career path.
What Is a Phlebotomist?
A phlebotomist is responsible for drawing blood. They also prepare samples for transfusions, donations, medical research, and laboratory testing. Aside from drawing blood from donors and patients, common daily duties of a phlebotomist include:
- Educating patients to help them feel at ease
- Labeling samples for testing
- 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
Just like a medical assistant, phlebotomists are employed in several areas throughout the healthcare industry and work directly with pediatric and/or adult patients. They’re typically found in the following settings:
- Hospitals
- Physicians offices
- Blood donation centers
- Outpatient care centers
- Diagnostic laboratories
- Traveling phlebotomy positions
As a student in our medical assistant program, you’ll have the opportunity to learn several clinical and administrative tasks. You’ll also gain valuable real-world experience in the field through our medical assistant externship program. Under the guidance of healthcare professionals, students can learn more about the field and the different paths their careers might take them.
Please note: We do not offer a phlebotomy program. Training in this area is included as part of our medical assistant program.
Applying Your Training as a Medical Assistant in New Jersey & Pennsylvania
In our medical assistant training program, students are taught how to draw blood. They begin on manikin arms, and then slowly graduate to performing procedures on live subjects. Along with the safe handling of blood specimens and equipment, students also learn 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). This helps prevent cross-contamination and helps ensure the safety of both patients and staff.
Medical professionals who wish to become full-time phlebotomists should consider phlebotomy certification. Several healthcare agencies that offer phlebotomy certifications, including:
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
- American Medical Certification Association (AMCA)
- American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
- American Medical Technologists (AMT)
- National Phlebotomy Association (NPA)
Through our medical assistant program, students can fulfill several classroom and clinical requirements set by certifying organizations (requirements vary by the organization). They are able to sit for their certification exam after course completion at the school. While students are responsible for paying the testing fee, they will not have to take the program over.
What’s more, our career services department is available to help students explore volunteering opportunities, internships, and other assignments to help them gain experience and guide them toward a path that’s ideal for them.
Learn How You Can Apply Your Medical Assistant Training
According to the 2020 NHA Industry Outlook, 93% of employers require or encourage certification for phlebotomy technicians. If you’re interested in pursuing a phlebotomy career path, our medical assistant program can help you get there. At Prism Career Institute, we’re dedicated to providing a highly specialized, career-focused education. Daytime classes are offered at our Philadelphia, PA, campus and our Cherry Hill, NJ, and West Atlantic City, NJ, campuses. The evening program is offered in Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City, NJ. Both program options combine classroom learning with hands-on experience. See our catalog for program details. To get started, apply online or contact Prism Career Institute for more information today.