Healthcare Career Advancement Opportunities for Phlebotomists

The unemployment rate is sky-high and job opportunities are scarce. There is one bright spot in the employment arena, however, and that is in the medical field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job openings will multiply rapidly for trained medical personnel, including certified phlebotomists.

Entry Level Phlebotomy Positions

If you’ve ever had a blood test, you’ve probably dealt with a phlebotomist. Phlebotomists are the people who draw blood for medical analysis and blood donations. After completing a short training program online or at a vocational school or community college, phlebotomists can find work in a variety of settings.

One of the most likely places to find a phlebotomist at work is hospitals. Hospital labs are open 24-7, so they need trained workers around the clock, including weekends and holidays. In a hospital setting you may also be required to give injections and perform other tasks to help lighten the load of the nurses.

Other phlebotomists choose to work in a doctor’s office or private lab facility where they can enjoy a more traditional work schedule. Collection centers also require skilled phlebotomists and usually offer daytime hours. Still other people enjoy traveling with a mobile blood collection unit or rotating between more than one hospital or clinic setting.

Career Advancement Opportunities for Phlebotomists

Many people choose to use phlebotomy as a stepping-stone to more advanced, better paying positions within the medical community. You can usually complete the required education requirements to become a phlebotomist in less than a year, start earning a respectable income, and then take advanced training if you wish.

One of the options is to learn to how to start IV’s in patients or you may choose to train to do draws from specific body locations, like arterial blood draws. For each additional skill you master, you should see an increase in your wages.

Another logical progression is receiving additional training to become a medical assistant. A person with dual certifications is a valuable asset to many doctors’ offices and clinics.

You may also enjoy the opportunity to work as a sales rep for a lab equipment manufacturer.

While you are making a good income as a phlebotomist, you may want to invest in more schooling to enter another field in the medical sector. Many nurses, radiologists, or other medical personnel began their healthcare careers as phlebotomists.

Phlebotomy is a career that can open many doors. It gives you entry into the medical field, which is one of the only thriving sectors of the economy. If you have been laid off, a victim of downsizing, battled long-term unemployment, or suffered other negative effects to your career because of poor market conditions, you understand the importance of finding work that pays well and is immune to the whims of the economy. Beginning a career as a phlebotomist is one of the wisest moves you can make. Why not start learning more about becoming a certified phlebotomist right now?