Externship
Phlebotomy externship
A phlebotomy externship is supervised practice in a clinic, lab, or donor site. It is where the class becomes a skill a hiring manager can ask about.
Ask who finds the site. Some schools place you. Others give you a list and expect you to call. A program that cannot name a single current site is a risk, especially if your city has few labs willing to host students.
Ask whether the hours are paid, which shifts are offered, and what happens if the site drops you. Also ask how many successful collections the school will document. That log is what you will describe in an interview.
An externship is not a job offer. It can become one if the site is hiring and you were reliable. Treat it as training with a witness, and keep the contact of the person who supervised you.
States and territories
- Alabama 11
- Alaska 3
- Arizona 32
- Arkansas 31
- California 305
- Colorado 22
- Connecticut 22
- Delaware 8
- Florida 172
- Georgia 54
- Guam 1
- Hawaii 1
- Idaho 7
- Illinois 64
- Indiana 64
- Iowa 12
- Kansas 13
- Kentucky 21
- Louisiana 58
- Maine 14
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 22
- Michigan 63
- Minnesota 20
- Mississippi 15
- Missouri 30
- Montana 8
- Nebraska 4
- Nevada 17
- New Hampshire 10
- New Jersey 18
- New Mexico 16
- New York 82
- North Carolina 62
- North Dakota 2
- Ohio 133
- Oklahoma 10
- Oregon 14
- Pennsylvania 36
- Rhode Island 4
- South Carolina 16
- South Dakota 3
- Tennessee 33
- Texas 170
- U.S. Virgin Islands 3
- Utah 15
- Vermont 1
- Virginia 40
- Washington 34
- West Virginia 14
- Wisconsin 20
- Wyoming 4
Questions
Is an externship required?
Many programs require it, and California’s approved path expects documented practical training. Confirm the rule for your program and your state.
Can I use my current clinic job as the externship?
Sometimes, if the school and the site agree and the draws are the right kind. Get the agreement before you assume it counts.