Welcome, Phlebotomy Training Academy Students!
This home page provides general information and the initial required steps for PTA externship applications at
PMC Palomar, Sharp Rees-Stealy, and Mobile Doctor Medical Clinic facilities.
For specific details regarding each site application, please visit the site's dedicated page from the menu above.
Please contact lheredia@euhsd.org or info@phlebotomyta.com with questions regarding the Phlebotomy externship process.
Update 6/13/26: New Externship Opportunity! We are excited to announce our new partnership with Mobile Doctor Medical Clinic in Oceanside, offering qualified phlebotomy students the opportunity to complete their externship in a unique mobile healthcare setting. Visit the dedicated Mobile Doctor Medical Clinic page on our website for eligibility requirements, application instructions, and additional program details.
Update 5/30/26: The externship packet has been updated to reflect the new CDPH licensing requirements that took effect on 5/14/26. CDPH no longer requires the Attestation Document as part of the CPT-1 license application process.
Please download and print the updated externship packet using the link below. If you downloaded the packet prior to 5/30/26, you must download the revised version to ensure you have all current required documents.
Update 4/16/26: All available externship placements at Palomar and Sharp are filled through August. We will not review new applications (unless you are applying to a different facility) during the summer break. Application review for the 2026–2027 school year will resume on August 18, 2026.
Externship Workshop Update (2025–2026 School Year): Workshops will resume after August 18, 2026 for the 2026–2027 school year. Please check the externship registration form for updates and upcoming workshop dates.
Ensure your Complio subscription remains active. Subscriptions are valid for one year, so most should still be in effect.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through these challenges. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions
or concerns.
PTA offers an additional externship facility for student placements. Please contact Ken Gravley at info@phlebotomyTA.com for more information.
The following is GENERAL information regarding the additional externship site PTA offers. The information listed here DOES NOT substitute for contacting Ken Gravley and requesting to apply for this site. I DO NOT have ANY additional information regarding this site or the requirements to apply for an externship at this location. Students MUST contact Ken Gravley for the most up-to-date and accurate information regarding the process to apply. Please DO NOT contact me to ask questions; please direct ALL questions regarding this site to info@phlebotomyTA.com
PTA has provided a Dr. Wong general information sheet about this facility's externships.
Students who have a confirmed start date for Dr. Wong and wish to pay their Externship fee, please use the secure "Stripe" payment link here: Dr. Wong Externship Fee
If you need assistance with the payment process or link, please contact Ken Gravley at info@phlebotomyta.com
This website is for students pursuing a Palomar, Sharp Rees-Stealy or Mobile Doctor Medical Clinic externship ONLY! Please do not proceed with any of these instructions until you have determined which facility you are suitable for.
Please take note of the following stipulations before beginning an externship experience:
We encourage students to seek an externship placement if:
They are ready to take responsibility to read, follow, and complete comprehensive instructions and tasks before, during, and after an externship. Students who do not demonstrate an ability to follow instructions and complete tasks requested will not be placed in an externship.
They best represent our school and our programs. We will not place students in an externship who do not demonstrate a basic level of maturity or responsive work-ethic. We will not jeopardize our reputation, our business partners, or the safety of patients with students not fit to perform the duties expected during an externship.
If you would like to complete an externship at a different, specific facility, outside of what our program already has established, we encourage students to begin contacting that facility before they complete their in-class program.
Students are required to be covered for workers’ compensation and liability insurance through the Phlebotomy Training Academy during their externship hours. This requires each business partner to agree to an Affiliation Agreement contract that must be PTA-approved and held in good standing with the PTA business services department.
To begin a NEW Affiliation Agreement process:
Fill out the Externship Request Form, and when prompted, if you have a facility, select "Yes" and you will be prompted to provide the following information.
The full name of the facility
The full name of the facility contact person
The facility contact person's Title. (Must be specific, not just "manager" "employee", or "nurse". We need the contact to be someone authorized to sign legal contracts for the facility like the "Regional Manager", "Supervising Phlebotomist", "H.R. Director", etc.)
The facility contact person's workplace phone number and workplace email address.
The facility's email address and the physical address of the location you wish to be placed.
If ALL of this information is not submitted or is not accurate, we will not begin drafting an AA with the facility.
Processing a NEW Affiliation Agreement takes 2-8 weeks depending on:
When the request is drafted.
How long it takes for signatures to be rendered by both parties.
Please note students are NOT eligible for an externship or to begin the externship process UNLESS:
The student has paid their tuition in full
The student has completed the minimum attendance hours required for their program
Fill out the Externship Request Form
It has been less than a year since the student completed their coursework.
For Palomar externships, students must be available from 7:30am to 4:00pm Mon-Fri. NO EXCEPTIONS
For Sharp externships, students must be available from 8:00am to 5:00pm Mon-Fri. NO EXCEPTIONS. Please note that each Sharp location may have a slightly different start and end time. See the Sharp page for details.
For Mobile Doctor Medical Clinic externships, students must be available from 8:30am to 5:00pm Mon-Fri. NO EXCEPTIONS. Please note that actual end time may vary slightly depending on the day's appointments. See the MDMC page for details.
We have the right to refuse externship placement services to any student who does not comply with Externship protocols, does not demonstrate professional behavior, or does not meet acceptable health & medical industry working standards.
The student has passed the National Phlebotomy Exam AND has their digital results.
If you need additional assistance registering for your exam, access our NHA Phlebotomy Exam Instructions
*This document is to assist you with the process. We are not responsible for any changes in the procedures, protocols, or steps to completing the NHA CPT I exam that NHA may make at any given time. It is your responsibility to register, schedule, pay, and complete the exam according to NHA guidelines.*
You should contact info@phlebotomyta.com to verify requirements have been met before pursuing an externship placement. It is the responsibility of your instructor to digitally record your attendance hours.
*Please note: If, AFTER reading through ALL of the instructions, documents, and links to additional resources provided, you still have questions, please email lheredia@euhsd.org. When you send an email, please be sure to provide your FULL NAME, when your phlebotomy course ends/ended, and a detailed description of the question/s you have.
If you would prefer to ask questions in-person you can register for a Palomar or Sharp workshop using the registration form:
This section details instructions for externships at
Palomar or Sharp Facility ONLY!
All students interested in an externship at a Sharp Rees-Stealy facility or at PMC Palomar Escondido or Poway must attend a one-hour orientation either in person or via Zoom. These orientation "workshops" serve as the initial vetting process to determine if you are a suitable candidate for placement at Palomar or Sharp. Palomar and Sharp have a very comprehensive compliance process that not all students will be able to complete because of individual or unique circumstances.
Students can also come to this orientation having completed as much as they can or their entire Complio clearance profile by following the directions provided below. You can have your "Cleared" Complio profile reviewed, and if completed properly, we can move you to the Clinical Rotation step during your orientation.
Students can register for a Palomar & Sharp orientation workshop using the following form: Palomar & Sharp Orientation Workshop Registration
Please access the Palomar, Sharp, or Mobile Doctor Medical Clinic page from the link below or the menu above to complete Steps 3 & 4 for your facility's specific clearance documents and requirements.
Once you have completed your clearance requirements and received your placement date, return here to the home page for the required steps to complete during and after your externship.
Palomar Externship Application Requirements
Once students secure an approved externship placement, they will need to:
Access the Phlebotomy Externship Packet.
The packet contains all the documents you need conveniently combined for easy printing and reference.
Access the Phlebotomy Uniform Standards & Code of Conduct document to review what is expected of all externship candidates in regard to professional appearance and professional conduct.
Download and read thoroughly all the required externship documents provided. See instructions for each document in the sections below.
Ask for clarification or any questions regarding the requirements detailed in the externship documents provided.
Properly complete and attain all signatures each document requires in order to receive externship certification.
Print and/or fill out each document digitally or using a pen. All signatures required must be a "wet" signature or hand-signed.
All documents requiring a signature must be returned to the Externship Coordinator for verification and processing of certification.
The following sections provide detailed instructions for each of the externship documents you will use during your externship experience.
Please be advised: If these documents are not filled out EXACTLY as is described below, your packet will be REJECTED, and you will not receive the necessary certificate from PTA required for your CDPH License application.
Please READ and FOLLOW the directions provided CAREFULLY!
Pre-fill the information at the top of the document with your full name, training dates (MM/DD/YY), externship site name, facility address, phone number, and supervisor's full name.
The Phlebotomy Training Plan is required for students to use to:
1) Document when a student experiences each competency and whoever provides the student with their training.
a. Although a student might have one supervisor for their externship, different medical facility employees can provide students training to meet the expectations for the competencies listed in the training plan.
2) Log each competency experience with:
a. The date when the experience occurred and the supervisor's initials for each competency listed.
3) Sign and date the training plan document
4) Attain their supervisor's signature and date of signature.
The Phlebotomy Training Time Sheet is required for the student to:
Pre-fill the information at the top of the document with your full name, course title ("Phlebotomy"), externship site name, location, phone number, and supervisor's name.
Log the scheduled shifts throughout the 40 hours of the externship term.
Students should:
Discuss their weekly availability as well as the availability of hours they can schedule monthly with their supervisor prior to beginning their externship term.
Although not required, students should try to work out a schedule with their facility that allows them to complete their externship in no more than 4 weeks. This would allow students a minimum of 10 hours a week and provide a steady schedule to meet the goals of the 40-hour externship.
When a schedule is agreed upon, students are required to:
Complete the externship timesheet with the required signatures for their supervisor.
Make sure to use the "Time Sheet Instructions" in the externship packet to correctly fill in the hours worked.
Attain their supervisor's signature and date of signature.
The Phlebotomy Training Evaluation is required for the externship supervisor to use to:
Evaluate a student's externship performance.
Preview each of the evaluation criteria with the student before they begin their externship.
Keep an open dialogue regarding the evaluation expectations.
Students should:
Pre-fill the information at the top of the document with your full name, training dates (MM/DD/YY), externship site name, and supervisor's full name.
Ask your supervisor to communicate any concerns they have regarding your performance as they occur. This will give you the opportunity to adjust or improve your performance before your externship ends.
Ask your supervisor throughout your externship if you can do anything to improve your performance.
Be open to constructive criticism.
If you have any concerns regarding your experience during your externship, please contact your Externship Coordinator immediately. This will give us the opportunity to assist you with any issues that may arise.
Students are required to:
Attain their supervisor's signature and date of signature.
The Venipuncture and Capillary log forms must be used to document your supervised and successful draws.
How to fill out these logs:
You can combine your punctures logs from your externship site and your course experience for a minimum total of 50 Venipunctures and a minimum of 10 capillary punctures (capillary punctures will most likely have been completed in class)
Document all SUCCESSFUL punctures you do during your clinical training.
Make sure to use the correct log for each different type of puncture.
(Venipuncture only) Please indicate whether the draw was using a vacutainer or syringe by indicating a “V” or “S”.
(Venipuncture only) If the draw was performed using a butterfly please indicate with a check mark “✔”.
Please indicate what type of patient the draw was performed on; A=Adult, E=Elderly, C=Child.
Please have your supervisor determine if the draw was successful by indicating a “Y” for Yes or “N” for No.
Please have a qualified and certified clinical supervisor witness and attest to the draw by signing their initials in the column provided.
You are welcome to number and log additional successful draws in the additional rows provided on each log. The more recorded draws the better!
Do not lose your logs!! It would be wise to take a picture or scan the logs once you reach the minimum draws needed just in case you misplace the paper logs.
Students are responsible for completing all of the steps outlined in the externship process.
Once all hours are completed, competencies are met, all documents are filled out appropriately, and all signatures required attained; students will need to:
Send their completed documents to lheredia@euhsd.org via email. All documents must be sent in one .pdf file. Any images of documents must be clear, not cut off in any way, or blurry.
OR, students can drop them off at our Escondido Crest campus in a sealed manilla envelope with their full name and program name clearly labeled on the front.
Please fill out the Post Student Externship Survey and provide us with your valuable feedback.
Once all documents are received and verified you will be eligible to request a Phlebotomy Externship Certificate here: Health and Medical Certificate Request Form
Please allow 7-10 business days to process your externship certificate request.
Congratulations on completing the phlebotomy course externship!
In order to practice phlebotomy in the state of California, you must have your California State License.
Please follow the steps below carefully.
You must complete Steps 1 through 4 PRIOR to applying to the State of California for a Phlebotomy License.
Step 1: Successfully pass the phlebotomy class and all 40 hours of attendance.
Step 2: Successfully pass the Phlebotomy Certification Examination and receive your national license certification.
If you need additional assistance registering for your exam, access our NHA Phlebotomy Exam Instructions
*This document is to assist you with the process. We are not responsible for any changes in the procedures, protocols, or steps to completing the NHA CPT I exam that NHA may make at any given time. It is your responsibility to register, schedule, pay, and complete the exam according to NHA guidelines.*
Step 3: Complete a phlebotomy externship of a minimum of 40 hours and receive an externship certificate from the Escondido Adult School.
Step 4: After steps 1-3 are completed and verified you will receive a certificate of completion from the Phlebotomy Training Academy.
Step 5: Apply to the State of California for the Phlebotomy License.
Create an account at the California Dept. of Health to "Request access to the Laboratory Field Services application". Save your login credentials.
Once you have created an account visit the CDPH - CPTI Certificate webpage.
Here, you will find information regarding your requirements. READ the requirements prior to applying!
At the bottom of the page, click on the "Apply Online" button under the "How to Apply" section. You will be taken to another website and asked to use your account credentials to sign in.
Login to your account and follow the directions carefully.
You will need:
Your National Phlebotomy Certificate from passing the NHA exam.
Your completed "California Phlebotomy Practical Training Assignment and Attestation". (From your externship packet. Please add the year to the signature date)
Your Certificate of Completion from Phlebotomy Training Academy.
Official High School Transcripts - be sure to follow the instructions *exactly* as they are written on the CDPH - CPTI Certificate webpage or your application will be "abandoned".
You will then pay the application fee and wait for processing.
If ALL of the documents and instructions are not completed as stipulated, the CDPH will "abandon" your application and you will have to re-apply AND pay the application fee again.
Our office cannot (per CDPH policy) and does not assist with the State of California Licensing process.