• Phlebotomy is the practice of drawing blood for research or testing purposes. Health professionals who draw blood receive special training, usually offered at two- or four-year colleges. Georgia has a system of two-year technical colleges that offer health care coursework and certificate programs, including phlebotomy. Some technical colleges in Georgia offer specific phlebotomy certificate programs; other schools include phlebotomy in other, larger training programs.
  
  

Athens Technical College

• Athens Technical College is a two-year technical college that serves a 10-county area surrounding Athens, Georgia, and offers 34 degree and certificate programs. Athens Tech offers phlebotomy courses as part of several degree and certificate programs, including health care assistant, patient care assisting, nursing and practical nursing. Phlebotomy courses teach students the appropriate procedures to draw blood from patients. Athens Tech notes that admission for its allied health programs is extremely competitive; health program faculty members strongly advise potential students to attend one of the school's monthly orientation sessions, to learn more about coursework and admissions tips.
  
  Athens Technical College
  800 US Highway 29 North
  Athens, GA 30601
  706-355-5000
  www.athenstech.edu
  
  

Lanier Technical College

• Lanier Technical College is a technical college offering 40 degree and certificate programs to students in an eight-county area. Although the college offers programs on five campuses, only the main Oakwood campus and the Forsyth campus offer certificate programs for students interested in becoming phlebotomy technicians. Offered by the Clinical Laboratory Technology department, the phlebotomy program is an 18-credit program of study that requires three quarters to complete. According to Lanier Tech's course registration information, the total cost of the phlebotomy certificate program is a little more than $1,600 and includes courses in medical terminology, venipuncture, anatomy and physiology, and clinical practice.
  
  Lanier Technical College
  Oakwood Campus
  2990 Landrum Education Drive
  Oakwood, GA 30566
  770-531-6300
  laniertech.edu
  
  

Columbus Technical College

• Columbus Technical College offers degree, diploma and certificate programs through classes at its main campus as well as through online distance education systems. The college segments its programs into four schools: Applied Business, General Studies, Health Sciences, and Professional and Technical Services. Columbus Tech's phlebotomy technician certificate program features four classes totaling 20 credit hours. Students can complete the program in two quarters and qualify for the national certification examination upon graduation. In addition to tuition and fees, Columbus Technical College charges phlebotomy students approximately $600 for uniforms, lab supplies, malpractice insurance, background checks and the fee to take the national certification exam.
  
  Columbus Technical College
  928 Manchester Expressway
  Columbus, GA 31904
  706-649-1800
  www.columbustech.edu