Health Occupations - Phlebotomy Technician & Medical Lab Assistant

Phlebotomy Technician & Medical Lab Assistant

This program will teach students to draw blood, how to use diagnostic equipment, and how to perform diagnostic tests in the medical lab. Having the combination of phlebotomy and lab assistant training makes you much more employable in the healthcare field. Students will act and learn in the classroom, in the lab as both phlebotomists and patients, and be placed in a required 120-hour internship for on-the-job experience. Click on the Program Guide button for the current fees, schedules, and requirements.

Learning Outcomes

What certification will I receive after completing the program?

The Phlebotomy & Medical Lab Assistant program is approved by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and meets all requirements for completers to qualify to take the American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians (ASPT) and/or the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) certification exams.

What will I learn in this program?

This course provides entry-level, training as a Phlebotomy Technician as well as training in the medical laboratory field. Employment possibilities include clinical laboratory assistant and research laboratory assistant. Instruction will cover the following areas: general laboratory, phlebotomy, collection and handling of specimens, hematology, urinalysis, serology, immunohematology, clinical chemistry, histology, cytology, microbiology, and parasitology. Legal aspects of the clinical lab for lab personnel are included. Students may use equipment, which includes automated cell counters, clinical microscopes, incubators, centrifuges and more.

Upon completion of this program, students will understand the following:

The impact of hand hygiene compliance
Three categories of isolation precautions
Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) application and removal
The purpose and general components of an infection control program and the role of OSHA
The steps to take in the case of blood borne pathogen exposure and follow up care
Biohazardous spill cleanup procedures
Proper waste disposal procedures for all laboratory waste streams
The safe use of the various needle safety devices for vacutainer, syringe and butterfly systems
Patient identification procedures
Basic concepts of healthcare communication
Proper telephone protocol in a laboratory
Legal terminology associated with healthcare
Components of the patients’ bill of rights, HIPAA
The phlebotomists scope of practice.
Describe the CDC and discuss its purpose and function
OSHA and their purpose and function
Tests and procedures used in a laboratory setting
The importance of critical thinking skills
Being part of a cooperative team in clinical settings

Requirements

What are the requirements to take this course?

Be at least 18 or older
Attend a Medical Orientation
Attend First Class day for the phlebotomy technician & MLA program
Proof of required immunizations (list will be provided at registration)
Be a high school graduate or equivalent (must have an official sealed transcript)

Please check the program guide to for the most current list of requirements.

Schedule

When is the program offered?

We offer two schedules for our Phlebotomy & MLA program:

A 1-semester course (5 months) that is offered twice a year starting in August and January. The course is Tuesday/Thursday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.
A year long course (10 months) that is offered once a year starting in August. The course is Tuesday/Thursday, 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

All students will also be required to complete a 120-hour internship at the completion of the course.

Please check the program guide to for the most current schedule.

Cost

How much does the program cost?

The program registration fee is $525 and is due in full at the time of registration.

Are there any additional costs associated with the program?

All students will need to complete an American Heart Association (AHA) approved Basic Life Support course. We offer the course at the beginning of each semester for $55. Additional fees that need to be considered average approximately $500 and may include:

Scrubs
Textbooks
Background check
Immunizations
Certification fees

Is financial aid or tuition assistance available?

As a K-12 adult school we are unable to offer financial aid. We do partner with the San Diego Workforce Partnership, local career centers, and other organizations whenever possible to offer opportunities for registration and additional fees to be reduced or covered for qualified participants. For more information on what is available for this program, attend an orientation to connect with a transition services specialist.

What is the refund policy?

Students have until the last day of the second week of class to request a refund for the registration fee minus a $25 processing fee.

Prices subject to change. Please check the program guide to for the most current cost.

Job Outlook

What is the job outlook?

According to the California Economic Development Department, employment opportunities for Certified Phlebotomy Technicians are predicted to increase by 28.7% or 3,700 jobs between 2016 and 2026. Explore the links below for more information about the labor market for Certified Phlebotomy Technicians.

Instructor

Carol Curl, CPTI

Carol Curl has been an instructor for the Phlebotomy and Medical Lab Assistant program since 1998. She holds a Designated Subjects Teaching Credential to teach Career Technical Education courses in California. Carol worked in the field as a phlebotomist for over 5 years.

Facilities

Where is training for the program completed?

Skills lab work for the Phlebotomy and Medical Lab Assistant Program is performed in our new state of the art phlebotomy lab, completed in January 2020, located at the Health Occupations Center in Santee. The lab contains 8 phlebotomy stations and is fully stocked with all of the necessary equipment and supplies to prepare students for the move directly into the field following the completion of the program.

A fake hand used to practice drawing blood

A medical station stocked and ready to go

Next Steps

I'm interested! What are my next steps?

The Phlebotomy and Medical Lab Assistant program accepts students twice a year through the orientation and First Class day process. Check the Program Guide for the next class start dates. Visit the How to Get Started page now.

Refund Policy

Refunds for this class must be requested by the end of the second week of class. A $25.00 processing fee will be charged.

Health Occupations Center

8770 Mast Boulevard

Santee, CA 92071

(619) 956-4300

8770 Mast Blvd.

Grossmont Union High School District programs and activities shall be free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on age, gender, sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, nationality, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or the perception of one or more of such characteristics. (GUHSD Board Policy 5145.3)
4119.26 BP Employee/Student Interaction Policy

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