Nashville, TN, — MAKO Medical Laboratories, a national full-service reference laboratory and national leader in COVID-19 testing, is expanding its accredited American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians (ASPT) training school for phlebotomists by adding additional training dates and options for classes, as well as a full-time class. Currently, the classes are for MAKO Medical employees, but the facility plans to offer the training to that outside of MAKO in early 2023.
“We care deeply about the needs and wants of our team, and we are excited to be able to offer phlebotomy certifications as yet another career growth opportunity within MAKO,” said Josh Arant, Chief Operating Officer, MAKO Medical.
MAKO team members can sign up for the Phlebotomy course through MAKO University (MAKO U), a career enhancement effort established during this rapidly changing time in health care. MAKO will offer this program free to team members across all MAKO locations.
Chad Price, MAKO Medical Founder, and CEO said, “We’re pleased by the success of our phlebotomist training program and are excited to expand the school.”
MAKO U has the backing of ASPT, one of the top two phlebotomy certifiers in the U.S. It will include 14 weeks of class time and hands-on instruction, with the potential for expediting the process, depending on how quickly students progress through hands-on clinical days.
“Without a certification, phlebotomists are hard-pressed to land a job,” said Tiffany Filbeck, MAKO phlebotomy supervisor and lead instructor for MAKO U. “I’m looking forward to pursuing my passion of teaching while making a lasting impact on student’s career trajectories beyond their certification exam.”
In order to pass the program and qualify for the ASPT certification exam, MAKO U students will participate in two four-hour virtual instruction days per week, paired with online assignments. One month into the program, students will begin hands-on training by practicing on manikin arms before moving to the real thing.
Students will need to conduct 25 successful draws before progressing to their clinical rotation where they must complete an additional 75 successful draws before then taking the ASPT exam for final certification. The exam includes a written portion and a practical blood draw simulation.
As MAKO team members graduate from MAKO U and receive their certification, they will be able to return to assist with future classes as instructors. This keeps them involved in the program while also allowing them to stay up-to-date on their skills. As more graduates return to serve as instructors, MAKO hopes to increase teaching capacity enough to open the program up to the public.