Barton Community College’s Director of the Medical Laboratory Technician Program Karen Gunther led a phlebotomy workshop for Kansas Health Science instructors last week on the Barton campus.
Gunther said the event provided essential training to Kansas high school health science instructors interested in incorporating phlebotomy into their classrooms and HOSA chapter activities.
“There are teachers across Kansas who want to implement phlebotomy into their HOSA chapters and health science courses, and it is a great way to learn anatomy, blood structure, and job skills,” she said. “It is, however, a skill that needs to be taught correctly and one that is not offered to teachers through education courses. One of the only ways for high school teachers and others to get the training needed to correctly perform the skill and teach it, along with obtaining the background theory needed, would be a workshop such as this or to participate in a medical professions program.”
Gunther said phlebotomy can open doors to many opportunities for students throughout the medical world.
“Phlebotomy is a course that can lead high school students to a workforce certification and completion of a CTE Health Science Pathway before graduation,” she said. “It is a high-demand position for medical professionals and is a skill that is used in many healthcare careers such as nursing, medical laboratory science, emergency medical services, medical assisting, and more.”
Allowing students to test the waters of the medical world is a crucial step for students to see if they’re interested in going further. Gunther said phlebotomy is a great jump-off point because it is a job that focuses not only on technical skills but requires an introduction to many relevant theories and soft skills that are beneficial for success as a medical professional beyond technical skills.
“A phlebotomist is also a professional involved in almost every area of the hospital, and phlebotomists communicate and interact with patients, as well as many different professionals in the healthcare setting,” she said. “So, the potential of phlebotomy as a career exploration tool is tremendous, and it gives the student a skill set they can use in many ways.”
For more information on phlebotomy, medical lab technician, or medical lab assistant opportunities for college or high school students, visit mtl.bartonccc.edu.
