Carley Scott

"When my cousin told me about her job as a surgical technologist, I thought it sounded like a really cool way to make a living. I began to wonder if a job in health care might be for me. One day, while watching Grey’s Anatomy, I decided to take the plunge.  

I still wasn’t 100% sure if the field was right for me, so I decided to start out as a phlebotomist. I did all kinds of research, curious about what type of education I’d need, how long it would take and what the job outlook was. 

I decided to enroll at the Washburn Institute of Technology, and after one semester I was ready to apply for jobs. I’m now a phlebotomist at Stormont Vail Health. We go to patients’ rooms to draw blood, and work in the emergency department as well. We get to see some pretty cool stuff!

There’s a lot to love about my job, but the best part is the knowledge you gain as a phlebotomist in the hospital. When I first started, I didn’t know a single thing about medicine other than how to draw blood, and I feel like I’ve learned so much. Also, when you stick 20 to 30 people a day, you become very skilled. The compliments you get from the patients are the best. It feels great to hear comments such as, 'Wow, you’re done already?' and 'You’re good at your job; I didn’t even feel anything.' 

Eventually, I’d still like to become a surgical tech. God did a spectacular job at creating the human body and I would like to keep learning about it. It’s a relief to see that Stormont Vail has a tuition reimbursement program that can help out when I’m ready. As for preparation during high school, I’d recommend taking as many anatomy and biology classes as possible. They can only help when it’s time to tackle classes post-graduation! 

I’m glad I found this career when I did — I could fast track my training and get started, then decide where to go from there. If you’re interested in breaking into the healthcare industry but aren’t sure where to start, I highly recommend phlebotomy!"