Choosing the Right Phlebotomy Training Program
A Comparative Analysis
Kicking off your Phlebotomy career can be stressful—we get it. Choosing the right phlebotomy training program can make, or in some cases, break your experience. We want to ensure you decide on the program that best fits your needs. Let’s examine a few phlebotomy training programs around the San Diego region.
Degree-Based Phlebotomy Training Programs
Many degree-based schools like community colleges offer phlebotomy certificate programs that can either work with a 2-year and 4-year program or as a stand-alone certificate. These classes are typically offered in a credit unit-based format ranging between 6 and 10 credit hours over the course of a semester. Let’s look at how this works for a CPT1 Certification Course.
Cost: Mira Costa College charges a tuition of $2,750. This does not include health coverage fees, State or National Examination fees, books, uniforms, parking, required instruments and supplies, and a background check. These extra expenses can cost anywhere from $200 to $400. Keep in mind that a higher tuition is charged to non-California residents.
Externship offered? Yes
Location in CA: San Diego
Program duration: For Mira Costa College, the total duration of the didactic, practical and clinical practice (externship) comes to 10 weeks in total. The externship ranges from 40 to 120 hours, as well.
This program focuses on mastering the differences of proper phlebotomy techniques for adults, children and infants. Pre-analytic complications are emphasized as well.
Medical Vocational Schools
Medical Vocational Schools offer phlebotomy training programs, some in similar unit-based formats. For PMI, Phlebotomy is included in a 3-month, 10 credit, theoretical and lab-based program beginning with basics like CPR, Anatomy and Physiology, Laboratory Use and Communication and finally, Phlebotomy.
Cost: Depending on campus location, tuition cost varies from $4789-$4855. The tuition costs include lab supplies, uniforms, and books.
Externship offered? Yes
Location in CA: San Marcos
Program Duration: PMI offers 2 class options:
- 7-9 weeks
- Day Classes: 7 weeks theory and lab/4 hours per day/5 days per week/4 weeks externship
- Evening Classes: 9 weeks theory and lab/4 hours per day/4 days per week/4 weeks externship
Venipuncture and micro collection techniques are emphasized in this course. Students will learn to obtain and process blood, while examining other clinical specimens.
Basic Phlebotomy Training Programs
Some medical vocational schools offer phlebotomy as a “basic” program with minimal state requirements. For AUMT, this includes 48 hours of lecture and 40 hours of practical training. Students are then required to pass the CPT1 exam and complete their own externship to obtain the state required 40 hours (minimum) of clinical experience.
Cost: Prices vary for the AUMT basic course based on location but typically range between $2000-$2200. Financial aid is not available.
Externship offered? Yes
Location near San Diego, CA: Temecula
Program Duration:
The didactic and clinical training typically takes 3 weeks but obtaining a clinical externship may take months to schedule depending on wait times.
PhlebotomyU
Cost: $2900. Our phlebotomy training program expense covers everything except the cost of scrubs, which can be any color or have prints, BLS (Basic Life Support) certification for Healthcare Providers, the cost of any immunizations or shots required to go on your clinical externship and the California state application fee.
Externship offered? Yes
Location in CA: San Diego
- 5 weeks
- 20 hours of basic didactic phlebotomy training
- 20 hours of advanced didactic phlebotomy training
- 40-60 hours of hands on classroom phlebotomy training
- 40-120 externship hours with partnering clinic or hospital
PhlebotomyU offers superior, hands-on classroom training. The program boasts an advanced curriculum that far exceeds the state of California’s requirements. This means you can enter the workforce with full confidence that your phlebotomy education has prepared you for what’s to come. Is your intended Phlebotomy-site requiring certain guidelines or protocols to be included in your training? PhlebotomyU customizes your training to these requirements. An effective learning environment can commonly have a huge impact on a student’s experience—PhlebotomyU maintains a state-of-the-art facility, with all the newest technology relevant to phlebotomy training. This includes video recorded blood draws, which are often required by potential phlebotomy employers. Frequent testing and evaluation of students insures that knowledge is retained. Hands-on instruction can be hard to find in many phlebotomy schools.
PhlebotomyU makes it a point of emphasis to provide every student with a quality learning experience—instructors are interactive, and students are strongly encouraged to participate. By running a rigorous student vetting and evaluation process, PhlebotomyU brings credibility and esteem to your resume once you obtain your license(s).
What else separates PhlebotomyU?
Perhaps you are looking into getting into the Phlebotomy workforce sooner rather than later. PhlebotomyU offers a 5-week path to taking and passing the NCCT certification examination. Many other phlebotomy training programs are either much longer, or more expensive. PhlebotomyU provides this financial and timely balance. Pair that with the credibility of an acclaimed program which employers love to see, and you are on your way to becoming a full-time phlebotomist at a respectable establishment.
