Aspiring phlebotomists in Michigan can complete certificate training programs at sites such as Phlebotomy Career Training in Garden City or Wayne County Community College in Detroit. Students also can attend Oakland Community College in Bloomfield Hills, where they can actually earn a certificate of achievement in phlebotomy training as part of a certificate or associate degree program in medical assisting.
To get into phlebotomy training programs in Michigan, students usually must have a high school diploma or GED and be 18 years old. Some programs also want students to submit transcripts of any previous college courses they have completed. In addition, students might have to take college placement tests such as the Accuplacer or computer-adaptive placement assessment and support system (COMPASS) assessments. Programs also look for students who have medical field experience, such as nursing assistants or emergency medical technicians.
Courses in a Michigan phlebotomy training program cover topics such as whole blood and blood components, blood labeling, emerging diseases and coagulation. Students also learn about medical terminology as well as medical law/ethics, and are taught how to handle specimens and properly care for medical equipment. In addition, students learn biology and even medical computer systems. Students also can gain skills in the challenging act of practicing phlebotomy in children.
Michigan training in phlebotomy prepares students to complete clinical rotations, or externships, which improve their employment opportunities in the field. For example, students can get hands-on experience working in neighborhood health centers, blood banks, hospitals or laboratories such as Michigan's Detroit Biomedical Labs or Oakwood Laboratories. They then can land jobs as lab technicians or even donor specialists. In addition, students can pursue certification from organizations such as the National Phlebotomy Association or the American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians.
Employment of clinical laboratory workers such as phlebotomists is projected to climb by 14 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is fitting in Michigan, where health care is a popular industry in cities such as the capital Lansing, reports City-Data.com. Average salaries for phlebotomists in Michigan in 2010 were $28,000, according to SimplyHired.com.