Phlebotomy and EKG

[MacdaddyDaniels]

I have read a few posts mentioning certification for phlebotomy and/or EKG. How much schooling does this take? Where could I potentially take this course at (community college?)? Could I really find a job easily? What kind of job could I find? How much could I make with this kind of certification? This actually does interest me. I woulnd't be doing it just to add something to my application, but I am wondering would it look good on an application? Do a lot of Pre Med students do this? Thanks

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[FuturaDocta]

I have read a few posts mentioning certification for phlebotomy and/or EKG. How much schooling does this take? Where could I potentially take this course at (community college?)? Could I really find a job easily? What kind of job could I find? How much could I make with this kind of certification? This actually does interest me. I woulnd't be doing it just to add something to my application, but I am wondering would it look good on an application? Do a lot of Pre Med students do this? Thanks

It usually takes about a semester to take classes and get certified if you choose to train at a cc.

Althought, my dad told me that people use to train on the job for free in order to work as an EKG tech, which is also an incentive (you don't have to pay for tuition). But, it is kinda hard to get. Asking around wouldn't hurt.

Finding a job as an EKG isn't that hard. It just depends on your area.

You could look EKG wages up. They generally make about 15-20 dollars an hour if I remember correctly. It is nice, but it just depends on the hospital you work at. The rural hospitals will definitely pay you more.

I would say that being an EKG tech is really nice to put on your resume for clinical experience. Not only is it nice. But, you would get to do some pretty cool stuff. You just go around taking peoples labs and all that good stuff. I too am very interested in doing this, once I find an easy semester to train on the side.

I am not sure how many pre-meds actually do this. But, as far as just putting it on a resume, I think most pre-meds prefer EMT or just volunteering.

IMO, I think EKG is one of the best ways to go because you get to actually learn a lot about patient labs and the heart.

 

[MacdaddyDaniels]

Thanks for all the info.

 

[meliora27]

You may not even have to get trained. Some hospitals may offer on the job training for EKGs and basic blood drawing skills.

 

[Ashers]

I did phlebotomy for a year in between college and med school. The job was willing to train me without any experience or classes.

Phlebotomy was a handy skill to have in med school for general poking people and for anesthesia when I had to put in IVs -- the residents gave me more leeway, and people liked to bring my phlebotomy experience up in residency interviews.

 

[MacdaddyDaniels]

whats the best way to find one of these places that has on the job training? should I just start calling hospitals in the area?

 

[Ashers]

whats the best way to find one of these places that has on the job training? should I just start calling hospitals in the area?

Probably. I had a connection for mine.

 

[mvenus929]

At my hospital, to get hired for on-the-job training as a phlebotomist, you have to be an insider. For instance, we have a girl going through processing to be hired now who is the daughter of one of the ICU nurses... she'll train on the job. We also have all our med tech students training in phlebotomy this week (we have to deal with them for morning run. Joy.), and I don't think any of them have any previous experience.

The easiest way to get certified as a phleb is to go to a CC for phlebotomy. It's usually just a one-semester course and will get you the requirements you need to actually know what you're doing. But, of course, you'll just need practice to really be good at it.

 

[quiltlady]

Where I live the local medical lab gives a summer course in the evenings for phlebotomy. After 4 weeks or so, you are trained, and the lab will probably hire you, either for the hospital or for out-patient clinics. For the more difficult draws, you learn on the job. Try calling some hospital labs.