If you are interested in entering the medical school, one path you may consider taking is the phlebotomy path. Phlebotomists are those people qualified in the art of blood withdrawl and storage, and are commonly found throughout hospitals worldwide. In order to become a phlebotomist, is it recommended that you take some phlebotomy classes in order to learn all of the skills required to gain certification and gain the vital knowledge that will help you throughout your career in the medical profession. You will learn skills such as the art of drawing blood, of safe practice, of proper hygiene and of correct storage procedures, and much much more. You will learn knowledge of basic chemistry, of human anatomy, and many more interesting facts to guide you along your career path.
Phlebotomy classes are run by a large number of schools in the United States; a search of the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences for phlebotomy schools shows that there are 57 colleges within the US that offer some form of education or training for phlebotomy. The classes that these schools run are all fully accredited by NAACLS and thus have an approved curriculum. This demonstrates that whichever state you live in, there is a fairly high chance that there are phlebotomy classes running near you; school through the list on this link and hopefully you can find a school close to you that offers phlebotomy classes. These courses are generally quite short in terms of time span (generally they take one year to complete but have been known to be longer or shorter) and study options tend to be flexible based on your requirements (for example, you can choose to study full time or part time depending on what suits you best).
After completing a phlebotomy class, many schools will offer the option to sit one of the three main certification exams. What this means is that once your classes are completed and you have passed that final exam, you will have phlebotomy certification. This is a real bonus and can provide a great boost to your career, regardless of your age. If the school you study at does not offer the certification exam, don’t stress; this exam can be sat externally from the classes and will still work to help you become a certified phlebotomist.
As a certified phlebotomist after taking your classes you can expect to earn a salary in the upper $20,000’s. Although each class is accredited, some employers may have preferences in employing people from certain schools, and therefore the reputation of each school may also be another factor to consider when choosing your phlebotomy classes. The cost of each course also needs to be taken into consideration in order to suit your needs, as some phlebotomy classes will inevitably cost more than others. Hopefully after completing the course you will be fully equipped to handle a career as a phlebotomist and reap the rewards of working in this profession.