The phlebotomy course requires completion of HES 10 Intro To Clinical Lab as a prerequisite. Then you would enroll in HES 110A Theory of Phlebotomy Techniques and HES 110B Practicum in Phlebotomy Techniques at the same time (they are co-requisites). HES 110A is a lecture for the first 10 weeks of the semester. Students that pass 110A with a C or better continue on to HES 110B. HES 110B meets in a student lab for 3 sessions.

During this time, the student must successfully draw 20 venipunctures and 10 fingersticks and pass a final exam where a teacher observes the student draw 3 people. After passing this portion of HES 110B, then student is then placed in a clinical site drawing blood from actual patients. The student must complete 40 hours at the clinical site. The training supervisor at the clinical site evaluates the student's performance.

Students pass 110B as Credit/ No Credit. Students that pass all portions of 110A and 110B receive a course certificate. This certificate is required to qualify for the exam required to work in California. The teacher of the phlebotomy course generally arranges to give and proctor the licensure exam. Once the student receives a passing certificate for the licensure exam, then they send copies of the class certificate from Hartnell, the pass certificate from the NCCT licensure exam, $64.00 and a completed application to the State of California. The student should receive their license in approximately one month. The student may then seek employment as a phlebotomist.