If you are looking for a way to get into the lucrative medical field and you are not afraid of a little blood, then becoming a phlebotomist might be an excellent career choice for you.
Even better, did you know that you can get free phlebotomy training to become a certified phlebotomist? Well, you can, and it might be a lot easier than you think.
I’m sure you’ve probably seen ads all over the place advertising for training to become a certified phlebotomist. Most of these ads are from major universities like Kaplan University or the University of Phoenix.
These are legitimate colleges that will train you to become a phlebotomist, but there’s another way you can become a phlebotomist that is not talked about a lot. There is actually free phlebotomy training out there if you know where to look.
The First Place You Should Look For Free Training
The very first place you should look for free phlebotomy training is your local unemployment office. I know this may sound a little crazy at first, but it’s actually a great place to start looking for free training to become a phlebotomist.
American University and College tuition costs are staggering and if you come across a free program or an organization that will cover the cost, take it with both hands!
Your state’s unemployment office will usually have information on a variety of vocational courses that actually helped you become a certified phlebotomist. Then, you may even go on to become an RN (Registered Nurse).
The reason the unemployment offices are the first place you should look for free training is because most of these classes will be subsidized by the state or federal government. This means you will have to pay very little, and usually nothing at all out of your pocket to get your free training to become a phlebotomist.
The only downside to this method is that they usually only help people that don’t have a job at the moment. However, there are other avenues you can explore as well. It’s all about mapping your career path and seeing if there’s a scholarship available for you.
If you are not unemployed, then there is another great alternative that many people don’t think about. This may require little effort on your part, but try checking with your local nursing home or home health care agency.
Many of these types of facilities will actually offer free phlebotomy training. Why would they do this? The answer is actually quite simple. These types of facilities are often overloaded with patients.
Think about it a moment. With the baby boomers entering retirement age, the need for qualified phlebotomists and quality nurse aides is increasing at a rapid rate.
Many of these nursing homes and home healthcare facilities are more than willing to pay for the education of qualified employees. The only thing that these types of facilities will usually require is that if you accept their offer, they will often require you to work for them for a set amount of years.
Another way to get free phlebotomy training will depend on where you are currently working. If you are already working in a hospital, medical clinic, or some other sort of large healthcare facility, then you already have a foot in the door.
These larger healthcare facilities often have budgets set aside to help further the training of their employees. And don’t think you can’t do it. Don’t think small. Take every opportunity you can to develop yourself to the fullest!
Depending on where you work, some of these large healthcare facilities will pay for a percentage of your education, and some of them will even pay for all of it. Also, if you have enough experience, many of these places will even teach you how to become a Phlebotomy Technician on the job while using great visual teaching resources.
In case you didn’t finish high school, don’t despair! Go get your GED and you’ll be on your way. There are quite a few good and free online GED prep courses that will not only offer online education but also direct you to physical prep facilities based on your geo-location.
Becoming a phlebotomist can be a great way to get your foot in the door of the medical field, and it can even be an excellent career all by itself. All you need is the right training. With all the different ways that you can get free phlebotomy training these days, it’s kind of silly to pay thousands and thousands of dollars if you don’t have to.