The Best Phlebotomy Certification Programs in 2024 (2024)

Best Phlebotomy Certification Programs

Best Phlebotomy Certification Programs

This short, but thorough, phlebotomy certification program positions aspiring phlebotomists as experts and prepares them for an entry-level job in the healthcare field.

Phlebotomy Career Training offers in-person and online phlebotomy training courses, as well as combination certification programs that certify students as phlebotomists and telemetrists, IV technicians, and/or certified medical assistants.

The phlebotomy-only course covers venipuncture skills, anatomy and physiology, specimen handling, and other skills, knowledge, and techniques necessary to succeed as a phlebotomist. The combination courses can provide students with extra knowledge and additional certifications to open up more career opportunities.

Phlebotomy Career Training courses prepare students to sit for the National Association of Phlebotomy Technicians certifying exam, one of the longest-standing phlebotomy certification exams in the U.S. The cost of the course includes the exam fee.

Students who choose the 10-week in-person course should expect to attend classes followed of hands-on clinical practice for a total of 170 clock hours. The online course is entirely self-paced—students have six months of course access—and it covers the same topics as the in-person class, minus hands-on blood draws, a requirement that can be waived for students with prior experience.

There are no clinical prerequisites for either course, so students can opt for the online course even if they’re brand new to phlebotomy. However, most employers require hands-on training and may not hire certified students without such training. If you want to take the online course, look into internship opportunities in your area. Many hospitals and clinics hire new phlebotomists as interns, where you can gain clinical experience under supervision.

The cost of the in-person phlebotomy training is $720, and the cost of the online course is $585.

For students who want to continue their education, Phlebotomy Career Training also offers clinical rotations throughout the state of Michigan, during which students can gain additional hands-on clinical experience.

Phlebotomy Career Training requires prospective students to have a high school diploma or equivalent as well as pass a background check.

Additionally, Phlebotomy Career Training offers job placement assistance as students near the end of their phlebotomy training, which is something most other phlebotomy training courses don’t offer.

The Chicago School of Phlebotomy provides advanced clinical phlebotomy training and hands-on experience in just four weeks.

The Chicago School of Phlebotomy offers a few allied health education programs, including phlebotomy training and accelerated phlebotomy training.

The accelerated program is an intermediate course, meaning students must have some prior clinical education or experience, as it's intended to complement the student's current medical training. This accelerated phlebotomy course covers advanced venipuncture techniques, medical laboratory terminology, finger and heel sticks, common blood-drawing difficulties, and more.

Of the few downfalls to this program, one big drawback is that students must take classes at the Chicago campus. This limitation rules out the Chicago School of Phlebotomy for many aspiring phlebotomists.

In-person classes include lectures, discussions, and practical instruction. Classes meet for three hours twice a week, for four weeks. To get into this course, prospective students must be 18 or older, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and have prior experience or education in the healthcare field. As the school only allows experienced practitioners to take the course, no internships or externships follow the program.

If you don't qualify to take the accelerated phlebotomy course, look into the school's regular phlebotomy certification program, which takes seven weeks and starts with the foundations of phlebotomy. The four-week accelerated course costs $750, not including students' costs for medical attire, lodging, and transportation to the campus.

This 26-week phlebotomy certification course is the most comprehensive training not associated with a university, and it includes a 220-hour clinical externship (the last six weeks of the course).

Aspiring phlebotomy technologists likely won’t find any more intensive or comprehensive courses than the National Phlebotomy Association (NPA) training. The NPA offers a university-like, 26-week (six-month) program with a 220-hour clinical externship. According to the student handbook, tuition and fees add up to $1,670.

To gain admittance to this program, students must have a high school diploma or equivalent and pass a physical exam and present immunization records for various diseases. These requirements are to protect the student and others during clinical practic*ms.

The NPA phlebotomy training prepares students to sit for the NPA’s national certifying exam to become a certified phlebotomist technologist. With a campus located in Landover, Maryland, the NPA phlebotomy course heavily emphasizes hands-on learning, so students can expect to spend a lot of time practicing the skills they’ll use every day in the workforce.

The NPA phlebotomy certification course starts with the history and foundations of phlebotomy, segueing into the soft and hard skills needed to succeed as a phlebotomist. To graduate and sit for the exam, all students must complete a 220-hour clinical externship during which they are assigned to a senior phlebotomist as a mentor and supervisor.

Once you’re certified through the NPA, you must renew your certification every year by paying the $100 renewal fee. There is no additional exam required to renew.

Alternatively, students who have already taken a different NPA-approved training can apply to take the exam for a fee of $170. Those who have been practicing as a phlebotomist but not yet certified can also apply to take the NPA phlebotomy exam by submitting proof of work history through the organization’s reclamation program.

American National University offers a fully online phlebotomist and echocardiogram diploma program as well as two hybrid programs at the Kentucky campuses.

Most phlebotomy schools don’t offer online-only training because phlebotomy is such a hands-on practice. The majority of schools emphasize clinical practic*ms, and it’s tough to provide all the skills training a phlebotomist needs without in-person classes.

However, American National University managed to create comprehensive phlebotomy plus echocardiogram training to prepare students for entry-level jobs in the field of phlebotomy. To be admitted into the program, prospective students must have earned an associate degree at minimum and a 2.5 GPA.

ANU emphasizes that many of its phlebotomy course instructors are also practicing phlebotomists, so students can rest assured knowing they’re receiving an education from professionals who are up to date on current best practices, skills, and techniques in phlebotomy.

Although you can take the course completely online, students still must log into video lectures at predetermined times. Students can complete all other coursework, including homework, quizzes, and studying on their own time as long as they adhere to course deadlines.

Since this is an online course, you’ll have to look into local options to gain the hands-on experience most employers require. Reach out to hospitals and clinics near you to see if they offer supervised internships for newly certified phlebotomists. Or you can look into the hybrid courses at the Kentucky ANU campuses.

This program is that it serves as a stepping stone to other ANU programs, including an associate’s degree and bachelor’s degree. So, if you want to begin working as a phlebotomist now but wish to advance your career later, ANU is a good place to start.

However, prospective students should be aware that not all phlebotomy courses are offered each semester, so certification may be delayed. If all of the required courses are offered each term, students can expect this phlebotomy course to take six to 12 months. At $350 per credit hour, the tuition total adds up to $12,600, which is far more expensive than the other programs on this list. However, the curriculum is more thorough, which may make it worth it to some prospective students.

This eight-week blended format phlebotomy training covers everything aspiring phlebotomists need to know for just over $1,000.

Aspiring phlebotomy technicians can get the most bang for their educational buck by attending Heart to Heart Healthcare Training’s phlebotomy training certification course. The total cost of this eight-week phlebotomy training is $1,075, including all lab supplies. Students are responsible for purchasing scrubs and the course textbook, as well as paying for the national board-certifying exam fee ($115) and covering living costs.

The Heart to Heart Healthcare Training phlebotomy course is delivered in a blended format, meaning students will attend some in-person classes and complete other coursework online. Students will attend labs at the Ypsilanti or Essexville, Michigan, campus for two hours, twice a week. Online coursework includes lectures, PowerPoints, homework, quizzes, and exams.

Heart to Heart Healthcare Training does not offer federal financial aid, but the institution does have financial assistance through Climb Credit and Michigan Works. Students can also opt to enroll in a payment plan if they don’t qualify for financial aid.

The requirements for enrollment in Heart to Heart Healthcare Training are that you must be 18 years of age and have either a high school diploma or GED. The curriculum for this phlebotomy certification program covers the soft and hard skills needed for a successful phlebotomy career, including patient communication and blood-draw techniques.

Article Sources

1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook: Phlebotomists." Accessed Dec. 5, 2021.