Phlebotomy (C45600)

Specific Program Requirements

In addition to meeting the college admission requirements, applicants to the Phlebotomy Certificate Program must meet the following criteria:

1. Must be a high school or GED graduate.
2. Attain a minimum composite score of 16 on the ACT examination (or 790 on the SAT) to be considered for admission. Exam scores must be current within 5 years prior to entry. Individuals with a previous college degree will have the ACT/SAT examination waived with proof of graduation from an accredited college.
3. Take the College Placement Test. This can be scheduled through the Gaston College Admissions Office. NOTE: If the College Placement test score indicates that the applicant needs to take Reading 090 (RED 090 ), this course must be completed before the applicant can be accepted into the Phlebotomy Program.
4. Complete the application form for Phlebotomy Program. (This form may be obtained from the Medical Assisting Department.)
5. An admissions interview will be scheduled by the Department Chair for Medical Assisting/Phlebotomy.
6. Submit a satisfactory physical examination report from a duly licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner indicating physical and emotional status. (Must be current within six months prior to entry into the program.) This form will be mailed with your acceptance letter once you have been accepted into the Phlebotomy Program.
7. Must complete the (series of three) Hepatitis B vaccine. Two of the immunizations must be completed by the first day of class. NOTE: A complete listing of immunization requirements for NC students entering college and programs that have a clinical component is located on the last page of the Phlebotomy Program Application.
8. A minimum grade of “C” (80%) in each PBT course is required to pass the course.

Criminal Background Check, Fingerprints & Drug Screening

In order to comply with current Student Affiliation Agreements students accepted into the Phlebotomy Certificate Program will be required to submit a Criminal Background Check, Fingerprints and Drug Screening according to Gaston College procedures prior to placement in a clinical facility. The facility reserves the right to deny the student access to the facility. If the student is denied access, the student will not be allowed to complete the program. Completion of clinical experiences is required for the satisfactory completion of the program. More information will be provided upon acceptance into the program.

NOTE: All information should be accurate to the best of the applicant’s knowledge. Giving false information or withholding necessary information to the college/program may result in dismissal from the college/program. Questionable situations shall be discussed with the Department Chairperson and the Dean of Health Education.

The Phlebotomy Certificate Program is limited to the number of students matching the number of internship spaces recruited. This usually means that 12-15 students can be accepted. Therefore, the top 12-15 qualifying admission scores will be accepted for program entry. Individuals not accepted must repeat the application process to be considered for admission to the next class.

Selection Process

Applications are accepted May-September. Interviews for admission are conducted September through the end of the second week in October. Acceptance letters are mailed during the third week in October. All applicants must meet the admission criteria to be considered for admission. Acceptance is based on a point system with selection being conducted by the following method:

Applicants earning the highest Admission Points will be offered acceptance into the program.

1. While the ACT score is the only required admission criterion, ADDITIONAL ADMISSION POINTS can be earned from the following categories:
   
   1. CPR Certification (current)
   2. Nursing Assistant I/II Certificate (current)
   3. College degree/diploma
   4. College level math course
   5. College level Anatomy & Physiology course
   6. PSY 110  or PSY 241 
   7. Previous Applicant
2. In the event of a tie, the ACT score with the highest math component will be accepted first.
3. In the possible event of a tie for the math component, the English component will become the deciding factor.

Major Courses

Note(s):

The semester sequence for the program will consist of a ten (10) week concentrated classroom experience followed by a six (6) week internship experience. Upon successful completion of PBT 100 , PBT 101  and PSY 110 , the student will be awarded the Phlebotomy Technician Certificate.

Due to the limited number of internship facilities, the student rotations through clinical facilities may be divided. The internship rotation may consist of two (2) sections, based on need.

If there are more students than internship sites available at the end of the ten (10) week classroom experience, the group will be divided into two (2) sections as listed below:

Students assigned to Section A will complete their Phlebotomy Internship immediately following the ten (10) week concentrated classroom experience.

Students assigned to Section B will complete their Phlebotomy Internship six (6) weeks after the concentrated classroom experience, following Section A.

If all students can be placed in an internship facility for the first rotation (immediately following the ten (10) week concentrated classroom experience), there will be only one Phlebotomy Internship for that year.

Assignment to a Phlebotomy Internship section is the sole decision of the Phlebotomy faculty.

THE CLASSROOM/LABORATORY PHASE will concentrate on the courses listed below:

• PBT 100 Phlebotomy Technology (6 Credit Hours)  (M,W,F) *
• PSY 110 Life Span Development (3 Credit Hours)  (T,Th) *

*Classes will meet M-W-F or T-Th between the hours of 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

THE INTERNSHIP PHASE will provide the student the opportunity to apply the skills learned in the classroom/laboratory phase to the work environment, under supervision. Students will be assigned to either an area hospital laboratory, an independent laboratory, a medical clinic, or a physician’s office laboratory for an eight-hour (8-hour) shift, three (3) days a week for a total of twenty-four (24) hours a week clinical experience. Hours for the internship will vary according to the facility to which you will be assigned and may be any of the following sets of hours:

06:30 a.m. - 02:30 p.m.
07:00 a.m. - 03:30 p.m.
08:00 a.m. - 05:00 p.m.
08:30 a.m. - 04:30 p.m.
11:00 a.m. - 07:30 p.m.
02:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
03:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

NOTE: In order to participate in the Internship Phase of the Phlebotomy Program, students must pass PBT 100  and must be willing to work any of the internship assignment hours listed. There is no guarantee of “preferred” hours.