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In the past few years, becoming a phlebotomist in Texas is more popular.
Still, there is a high demand for qualified and skilled phlebotomists across the state.
Phlebotomists are healthcare technicians who are responsible for drawing blood from the patients.
The blood samples are further used to diagnose illnesses, diseases, or deficiencies.
Blood tests are highly important because they can help diagnose pulmonary issues, various infections, conditions, etc.
Therefore, the phlebotomist role is highly important for the treatment process.
According to the website Indeed.com, there are more than 600 positions for phlebotomists across the state.
Cities such as Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio are top locations for phlebotomists in terms of salaries and employment options.
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Get Certified in Texas?
Some states set their own requirements for the future phlebotomist’s certification process.
Texas doesn’t require its phlebotomists to have a certificate to be allowed to work with the patients.
However, even if you have a lot of experience, you might still experience issues in the job finding process if you aren’t certified, phlebotomists.
The majority of reputable healthcare facilities in Texas prefer certified phlebotomists.
Besides, certification serves as proof that you have completed appropriate training and gained necessary practical experience for the role.
Having a certification not only improves your job opportunities, but it also can help you to negotiate a better salary and secure position at any medical facility.
Also, certification allows you to work without issues in any other US state, which is useful for technicians who plan to relocate in the future.
Uncertified phlebotomists usually need to complete additional courses when relocating.
The Concept of Phlebotomy Courses
In general, phlebotomy courses are similar.
However, not all of them are accepted for the certification.
Only courses held at accredited institutions will prepare you and make you eligible for the certification exam.
Also, you should research and read detailed course descriptions to find out the best course for you.
For example, many mandatory topics can be found in the examination, and those are highly important for proper phlebotomist education.
Those include knowledge of the circulatory system and blood composition.
Next, you will have to answer questions related to specimens collects, handing, transporting, and processing of the samples.
All certification exams will inspect your knowledge about safety procedures, non-blood specimens, and patient management.
Therefore, when looking for a course, make sure it covers all mention topics.
A typical certification course in Phlebotomy includes two parts.
The first part is classroom instruction that covers the theoretical aspects of phlebotomy.
The second part includes practical clinical experience.
During the second part, you will learn about safety standards and procedures, veins, handling challenging patients, lab equipment, and all other duties that will help you to perform all duties safely, properly, and confidently.
Certification Exam
After the training, you need to apply for the certification exam.
There are some documents you need to submit upon application.
Usually, applicants need to be older than 18 and need to submit a proof of age, as well as a high school diploma and proof that the training is completed.
The examination is taken electronically, in a question form.
As you answer one question correctly, the second one gets more challenging, etc.
License Maintenance in Texas
The phlebotomist’s license in Texas is valid for two years.
You should renew the license promptly, as allowing it to lapse may cause you problems at your work.
Additionally, if you let it lapse for too long, you might need to take a refresher course.
Why Choose Phlebotomy?
Phlebotomy is an excellent starting point for all healthcare workers who want to start their careers in the medical field.
It also, servers as an excellent entry point for those who wish to improve their knowledge and opportunities.
Therefore, after a few years of working as a certified phlebotomist in Texas, you can pursue a medical assistant, nurse career, or become an ultrasound technician.
Schools
There is a large number of schools in Texas that offer great training in phlebotomy.
In Houston, you can choose between the following programs:
- Houston Community College
- Pima Medical Institute
- San Jacinto College
- Texas Southern University
In Dallas, future phlebotomists may get educated at Brookhaven College.
San Antonio also has two excellent schools.
Those are St. Philip’s College and Lamson Institute.
College of the Mainland is located in Texas City and Central Texas College in Killeen.
Check the table for more information.
School Name Address Alvin Community College 3110 Mustang Rd., Alvin, TX 77511 Amarillo College 3110 Mustang Rd., Alvin, TX 77511 Angelina College 3500 South First Street, Lufkin, TX 75904 Austin Community College 5930 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, TX 78752 Blinn College Bryan (301 Post Office Street, Bryan, TX 77805); Schulenburg (100 Ranger Drive, Shulenburg, TX 78956); Sealy (3701 Outlet Center, Sealy, TX 77474) Brookhaven College 3939 Valley View Lane, Farmers Branch, Dallas, TX 75244 Central Texas College P.O. Box 1800, Killeen, TX, 76540 College of the Mainland 1200 Amburn Road, Texas City, TX 77591 Houston Community College 3100 Main St., Houston, TX 77002 Lamson Institute 5819 Northwest Loop 410, San Antonio, TX 78238 Lone Star College System 5000 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77381 McLennan Community College 1400 College Drive, Waco, TX 76708 Northeast Texas Community College 1735 Chapel Hill Road, Mt. Pleasant, TX 75455 Odessa College 201 W. University, Odessa, TX 79764 Pima Medical Institute 10201 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77024 San Jacinto College 13735 Beamer Road, Houston, TX 77089 St. Philip's College San Antonio (1801 M. L. King Drive, San Antonio, TX 78203) (800 Quintana Road, San Antonio, TX 78211) Texas Southern University 3100 Cleburne Street, Houston, TX 77004 Vernon College 2813 Central Expressway East, Wichita Falls, Texas 76302 Weatherford College 225 College Park Drive, Weatherford, TX 76086
Salary
The average salary of a phlebotomist in Texas is $34.754 per year.
The salary varies across the state and healthcare facilities.
Annual Salary Range:Location Avg. Annual Salary Houston $36,277 Dallas $35,051 San Antonio $34,415 Austin $34,808 El Paso $30,956 Fort Worth $34,486 Arlington $34,430 Corpus Christi $32,823 Plano $34,899 Garland $34,975 Regional Salary in Texas
Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary Abilene, TX 90 $34,250 $16.47 $44,020 $25,380 Amarillo, TX 130 $37,140 $17.85 $45,690 $31,110 Austin-Round Rock, TX 860 $44,290 $21.29 $54,310 $35,270 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 150 $39,580 $19.03 $52,870 $30,500 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 200 $35,630 $17.13 $47,210 $28,180 College Station-Bryan, TX 120 $38,840 $18.67 $49,060 $30,310 Corpus Christi, TX 210 $38,450 $18.49 $48,380 $30,780 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 4,070 $44,140 $21.22 $50,400 $35,440 El Paso, TX 360 $35,630 $17.13 $45,820 $28,060 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,870 $42,390 $20.38 $47,800 $34,250 Killeen-Temple, TX 160 $37,950 $18.25 $45,340 $30,120 Laredo, TX 90 $34,680 $16.67 $46,070 $28,080 Longview, TX 110 $38,670 $18.59 $43,650 $30,320 Lubbock, TX 220 $37,400 $17.98 $47,170 $28,560 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 410 $35,710 $17.17 $45,690 $28,480 Odessa, TX 70 $40,370 $19.41 $48,560 $34,340 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 1,120 $39,900 $19.19 $47,180 $31,830 Sherman-Denison, TX 50 $34,440 $16.56 $42,610 $29,240 Texarkana, TX-AR 80 $34,560 $16.62 $44,810 $27,990 Tyler, TX 280 $37,090 $17.83 $43,250 $30,950 Waco, TX 130 $39,030 $18.77 $47,820 $31,220 Wichita Falls, TX 70 $37,610 $18.08 $45,100 $29,530
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Phlebotomy Classes by State