Phlebotomist Programs
How to Pick the Best One Near Garland Texas 

Enrolling in the ideal phlebotomy technician school near Garland TX is an essential initial step toward a fulfilling profession as a phlebotomist. It might seem like a difficult undertaking to investigate and compare all of the school options that are available to you. Notwithstanding, to ensure that you will get a top-notch education you must complete your due diligence before making your selection. Quite often the two qualifications that initially come to mind for prospective students are where the school is located and how much the tuition is. Yet another factor you might consider is whether to attend online classes or commute to a nearby campus. We'll discuss a bit more about online schools later in this article. So when comparing phlebotomy training courses, location and cost shouldn’t be the only parameters you are looking at. Other variables such as accreditation and reputation are also significant considerations and should be part of your selection process as well. Toward that end, we will furnish a list of questions that you need to ask each of the phlebotomy schools you are evaluating to help you select the right one for you. But before we do that, let's cover what a phlebotomist is and does, and then continue our conversation about online schools.

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Should You Choose a Career as a Plebotomist?

First of all, not many people are likely to know what a phlebotomy tech or phlebotomist is. The short definition is a medical professional whose job is to draw blood. So naturally anyone who chooses this profession must be comfortable with blood and needles. And if you are nervous in hospitals or other Garland TX medical environments, well this profession may not be right for you. And now let’s talk about the patients. Phlebotomists often work with nervous people who don’t like needles or having their blood taken. And because many medical facilities are open 24 hours, you will probably be required to work weekends, evenings and, you guessed it even on holidays. But if you can handle the hours and the needles and blood, and if you enjoy interacting with people and are patient and compassionate, this could be the perfect profession for you.

Phlebotomist Education, Certification and Licensing

There are essentially 2 kinds of programs that provide phlebotomist training, which are certificate and degree programs. The certificate program typically takes under a year to finish and furnishes a general education as well as the training on how to draw blood. It offers the quickest route to becoming a phlebotomy tech. An Associate of Science Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science, although not exclusively a phlebotomy degree, will include training to become a phlebotomist. Offered at community and junior colleges, they normally take two years to finish. Bachelor's Degrees are not as available and as a 4 year program furnish a more expansive foundation in lab sciences. Once you have completed your training, you will probably want to become certified. While not required in most states, most Garland TX employers require certification before employing technicians. Some of the key certifying organizations include:

• National Phlebotomy Association
• National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
• American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
• American Medical Technologists (AMT)

There are some states that do require certification in order to practice as a phlebotomy tech, including Nevada and California. California and a few other states even require licensing. So it's imperative that you enroll in a phlebotomist training program that not only provides a quality education, but also prepares you for any licensing or certification examinations that you elect or are required to take.

Phlebotomy Online Training

To begin with, let's resolve one possible mistaken belief. You can't receive all of your phlebotomy training online. A substantial component of the curriculum will be practical training and it will be performed either in an approved healthcare facility or an on-campus lab. Many courses also require completing an internship prior to graduation. However since the non-clinical part of the training can be accessed online, it might be a more practical option for many Garland TX students. As an added benefit, a number of online schools are less expensive than their on-campus counterparts. And some expenses, for instance those for textbooks or commuting, may be reduced as well. Just make sure that the online phlebotomy school you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency (more on accreditation to follow). With both the extensive clinical and online training, you can receive a superior education with this means of learning. If you are disciplined enough to learn at home, then earning your degree or certificate online may be the ideal option for you.

Subjects to Ask Phlebotomy Colleges

Now that you have a general understanding about what it takes to become a phlebotomy tech, it's time to start your due diligence process. You might have already decided on the type of program you intend to enroll in, whether it be for a degree or a certificate. As we mentioned earlier, the location of the college is relevant if you will be commuting from Garland TX as well as the cost of tuition. Possibly you have opted to enroll in an accredited online phlebotomist program. Each of these decisions are a critical component of the process for picking a phlebotomy school or program. But they are not the sole considerations when arriving at your decision. Following are a few questions that you need to ask about all of the programs you are considering prior to making your final selection.

Is the Phlebotomist Program State Specific? As earlier discussed, each state has its own laws for practicing as a phlebotomy technician. Some states call for certification, while some others require licensing. Every state has its own requirement regarding the minimum hours of clinical training completed prior to practicing as a phlebotomy tech. As a result, you may need to pass a State Board, licensing or certification exam. Therefore it's extremely important to enroll in a phlebotomist program that complies with the state specific requirements for Texas or the state where you will be working and readies you for all exams you may be required to take.

Is the Program Accredited? The phlebotomy program and school you pick should be accredited by a reputable regional or national accrediting organization, such as the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). There are a number of advantages to graduating from an accredited school aside from a guarantee of a quality education. To begin with, if your program has not received accreditation, you will not qualify to sit for a certification exam administered by any of the previously listed certifying organizations. Also, accreditation will help in obtaining loans or financial assistance, which are frequently not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, earning a certificate or a degree from an accredited college can make you more attractive to future employers in the Garland TX job market.

What is the Program's Ranking? In a number of states there is minimal or no regulation of phlebotomy colleges, so there are those that are not of the highest caliber. So in addition to accreditation, it's imperative to check out the reputations of any schools you are considering. You can begin by requesting references from the schools from employers where they place their students as part of their job assistance program. You can screen online school rating and review services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. You can even check with a few Garland TX clinics or hospitals that you might have an interest in working for and see if they can provide any insights. As a final thought, you can contact the Texas school licensing authority and ask if any complaints have been filed or if the colleges are in total compliance.

Is Enough Training Included? First, contact the state regulator where you will be practicing to find out if there are any minimum requirements for the amount of training, both classroom and practical. At a minimum, any phlebotomist program that you are considering should provide at least 40 hours of classroom training (the majority require 120) and 120 hours of clinical training. Anything below these minimums might signify that the program is not comprehensive enough to offer sufficient training.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out from the colleges you are looking at if they have an internship program in partnership with area health care facilities. They are the optimal means to obtain hands-on clinical training frequently not available on campus. As an additional benefit, internships can help students establish relationships within the local Garland TX health care community. And they look good on resumes as well.

Is Job Placement Assistance Provided? Finding your first phlebotomy position will be a lot easier with the help of a job placement program. Find out if the colleges you are looking at offer assistance and what their job placement percentage is. If a college has a high rate, signifying they place most of their students in jobs, it's an indication that the program has both an excellent reputation together with an extensive network of professional contacts within the Garland TX healthcare community.

Are Classes Offered to Fit Your Schedule? And last, it's crucial to confirm that the ultimate program you pick provides classes at times that are compatible with your active lifestyle. This is especially true if you choose to still work while going to college. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near Garland TX, make sure they are offered at those times. Also, if you can only attend on a part-time basis, confirm it is an option as well. And if you have decided to attend online, with the practical training requirement, make certain those hours can also be completed within your schedule. And find out what the make-up policy is should you have to miss any classes as a result of emergencies or illness.

Learn More About How to Become a Phlebotomist in Garland

Enroll in the Best Garland Phlebotomy Training Program

Making sure that you enroll in the ideal phlebotomy training is an important first step toward your success in this gratifying healthcare career position. As we have covered in this article, there are a number of factors that go into the selection of a quality program. Phlebotomy training programs are offered in a number of educational institutions, including community or junior colleges, trade schools, and colleges and universities that provide an extensive array of programs in healthcare and medical sciences. Training program options may vary slightly from state to state as each state has its own prerequisites when it pertains to phlebotomist training, certification and licensing. The most important point is that you must carefully evaluate and compare each college prior to making your ultimate decision. By addressing the questions that we have furnished, you will be able to fine tune your options so that you can select the ideal phlebotomist college for you. And with the appropriate education, you can realize your goal of becoming a phlebotomy technician in Garland Texas.

 

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