Phlebotomy Training MN (Minnesota)

Phlebotomist Requirements for Minnesota

Minnesota, home to almost 5.4 million people and 60% of those reside in what is known as the “Twin Cities” of Minneapolis-St. Paul. Minneapolis, the largest city, and St. Paul the capital of Minnesota, together comprise the center of government, business and industry in the state. Medical care is among the highest rated, largely due to the presence of stellar institutions like The Mayo Clinic who has partnered with the University of Minnesota Medical School. The state funded a research partnership in the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics that investigates breakthroughs in cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart health, obesity and more.

The average starting phlebotomist salary in Minnesota is $21,000, which is a bit lower than the nationwide average. If you are living or want to live in Minnesota, here are the state requirements and a list of schools providing phlebotomist training in MN:

• Certification is NOT required to be hired as a phlebotomist in Minnesota, but you are unlikely to be hired without any prior training or certification
• Most phlebotomy positions are in laboratories, hospitals, and blood banks
• It’s fairly straightforward to become a phlebotomist in Minnesota. Technicians should be friendly, flexible, well-organized and able deal with many different people who have a variety of problems and conditions.
• You will work with healthy people sometimes, but there will be less of them so it is important to get certified to make sure that you know and follow the proper safety and cleanliness procedures.

Even though the State of Minnesota does NOT require phlebotomists to be certified having completed a phlebotomy certification and training program from an accredited school in MN is a requirement of most reputable employers. Many employers in Minnesota require that you become nationally certified by one of the following agencies, and any good training program would provide certification with a nationally recognized agency as part of their curriculum:

• National Phlebotomy Association. Phlebotomist. Requires oral or written exam
• National Center for Competency Testing 145 test questions must be answered over 2.5 hours. Written evidence of clinical competency is required.
• American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians, Phlebotomist. Requires practical exam, written exam, annual CEUs to maintain certification
• American Medical Technologists. Phlebotomist. Requires work experience, oral or written exam, renewal every three years through CEU and re-examination.
• American Society for Clinical Pathology, Phlebotomy Technician (PBT, ASCP). Requires training or work experience, oral or written exam, renewal every ten years, can renew through CEU

There are many advantages to becoming certified, but most important is that you become a much more valuable job candidate. A diploma program is required for future phlebotomists and depending on the program you choose and the types of courses you take, phlebotomy training in Minnesota can take 3 – 6 months or longer. In general, expect to:

• Provide your High School or GED transcripts
• Successfully pass a background check and drug test
• Successfully complete up to 40 hours of didactic (classroom) training
• Successfully complete up to 40 hours of practical training
• Successfully prove that you are capable of as many as 100 venipunctures and 10 skin punctures

Even though you can be hired immediately upon graduating High School or receiving your GED and there are no real requirements for a phlebotomist in the state of Minnesota, almost all agencies will prioritize someone who has national or other accredited certification in addition to previous training.

Professional phlebotomy certification differs from postsecondary certificates (entry-level credentials) as they signify that you have undergone specialized training at an accredited organizations.

There are many Phlebotomy Training Programs available in Minnesota and you can choose between short and long programs, some will have more hands-on experience than others, and some will offer externships that may help you to start your job search while you are still in training. Make sure your choice is based on the certification and licensure that you will want when you begin your search for employment.