As a phlebotomy technician, you’ll be part of a team of clinical laboratory technicians filled with people who help diagnose and treat patients. To work in this job, you typically need at least a four-year degree, but that doesn’t mean that you have to attend classes on a traditional college campus. Many students find that online phlebotomy technician programs are much more conducive to their schedules, as the flexible nature of distance learning allows you to raise a family or work full time in addition to going to school. Both non-traditional adult students and students right out of college can great a great phlebotomy education online – but which online degree programs are the best?

Accreditation

First and foremost, the online phlebotomy technician college you attend should be accredited by a recognized national or state medical organization. This process ensures that the phlebotomy technician program will actually prepare you for your job. Some college are running diploma mills, where they simply give out certificates and diplomas in exchange for money, and students aren’t required to work, attend classes, take tests, or learn much about the field of phlebotomy. It should be no surprise that most employers won’t consider job candidates who’ve attended such schools. Although there are certainly some great non-accredited programs out there, the only way that both you and your future employers can be sure that you’re ready for a phlebotomy technician job is if your online college is accredited. Luckily, hundreds of schools are!

Professors with Phlebotomy Experience

If you showed up at a brick and mortar college and your literature class was being taught by someone with a degree in humanities and no practical experience working in a literature-related field, you’d question the school’s judgment in hiring professors. The same should be true for online colleges. The people who teach your phlebotomy classes should have experience in this field, as well as advanced education. Phlebotomy technicians aren’t just general clinical laboratory assistants. Without teachers who have honed their skills in bloodwork, your education will only be second-rate.

Hands-On Experience

Phlebotomy is a very hands-on field, so any online college that doesn’t provide you with hands-on experience isn’t giving you the best education possible. This can be tricky, since students and professors at online schools are scattered across the country. However, the top online phlebotomy technician programs will have simulations, virtual reality programs, and even partnerships with local hospitals or health organizations. If you try to get hired as a phlebotomy technician but have never actually drawn blood, you’ll have a hard time convincing an employer to take a chance on you.

Student Services

Find out how many phlebotomy technician students are hired within six months of graduation. Student services like help with resumes, networking events, and job placement are important at any college. Just because you attend an online school doesn’t mean that you should be thrown to the world after you graduate with no help in finding a job.

Phlebotomists are key to the ever-growing healhtcare industry, as they are the ones trained to draw blood for lab tests or donations. In the U.S. the requirements for becoming a phlebotomist vary from state to state. But most will require at least a high school diploma, and getting some additional college education will surely improve one's chances of beginning a career.

Top Phlebotomist Tech Schools

BBA in Human Services Mgmt	DeVry University — The BBA in human services management from DeVry quite frankly is more training than a typical phlebotomist will need to begin a career. This degree is better suited for the phlebotomy technician looking to expand his/her career with a more managerial role.
BS in Health Services Mgmt	Virginia College Online — The BS in health services management degree program is another bachelor's degree-level program that will provide an aspiring phlebotomist with more schooling than is necessary to begin in an entry-level position. Graduates of this program are well suited to begin in healthcare management.
AS in Medical Assisting	Keiser University — The medical assisting associate's degree from Keiser is a perfect curriculum for anyone looking to enter the field of phlebotomy, as students of this program will learn skills such as taking X-rays, giving injections, performing venipuncture, and more.
AS in Allied Health	Independence University — Independence offers an AS in allied health that is well-suited for the high school graduate looking for a little more education and training to give him/her a leg-up when looking for a position in the field of phlebotomy.
AS in Allied Health Science	South University — South provides an associate's in allied health science that will teach students most of the healthcare knowledge that they will need to being an entry-level position as a phlebotomist.
BS in Medical Imaging	Grand Canyon University — GCU's medical imaging bachelor's degree degree will look fantastic on the resume of anyone applying for a job in phlebotomy. A graduate of this program will be head and shoulders above most other job applicants in terms of education and training.
BS in Clinical Lab Science	University of Cincinnati — Cinci's BS in clinical lab science is a degree program that will provide anyone training to become a phlebotomist with more than enough education and skills to enter a career in the healthcare field. In fact, graduates of this program will be overqualified to work as a phlebotomist and will be candidates for jobs with more responsibility if anything.
AABA in Healthcare Admin	American InterContinental University — AIU's world-renowned reputation as a top online university will aid any graduate of its AABA in healthcare administration degree program in acquiring a job post-graduation.
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