Valley medical school, first to offer Workforce Pell Grant to low-income students
Oct. 30
One Valley school has become the first in the state to offer low-income students the federal Workforce Pell Grant.
Students enrolled in the phlebotomy program at Pima Medical Institute (PMI) in Phoenix were able to apply for the grant, which is disbursed on a financial need basis.
PMI’s Corporate Director of Admissions Christopher Luebke said students can finish the phlebotomy program in about 11-13 weeks. In the past, students took out loans to cover the cost of tuition since programs like phlebotomy are shorter and there were no options for students to receive Pell Grants.
“It will have a lasting effect to really help students reduce what they might have to borrow to obtain this education. So we’re excited for our students and hope that it really can enable more people to use this to help them launch a start in the medical field,” Luebke said.
A Workforce Pell Grant is not a loan and does not need to be paid back by the student. The grant was created to help low-income students cover the cost of tuition for short-term programs that are in high-demand careers. Students typically receive grants between $800 – $2,200, according to the National Governor’s Association.
Why was the phlebotomy program chosen for the Workforce Pell Grant?
The need for phlebotomists is expected to grow faster than average from 2024 to 2034, with an annual salary of about $43,660, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Phlebotomists are medical professionals who are trained to collect blood for transfusions, research, or blood donations.
PMI is a privately owned school where students can fast track and complete certifications and degrees quickly within the healthcare field. Students aren’t required to complete the standard general education requirements that other schools may require.
“A lot of it comes down to the reputation of the institution and how that program fits within the parameters of that Workforce Pell program. And so based on all of those things we were selected to be the very first school in Arizona to participate,” Luebke said.
PMI graduates about 70-120 phlebotomist students a year, according to Luebke. Students who graduate from the phlebotomy program have the opportunity to work in a variety of settings including hospitals, clinics, blood donor centers and laboratories.
The Workforce Pell Grant was approved by Congress this past July in order to help students get into a skilled trade, like the phlebotomy program at PMI. Students who complete the phlebotomy program often use it as a way to make a living as they work toward larger goals, Luebke said.
“We see it all the time, because of the flexibility with where they need full-time, (they’re) able to still work different shift times, weekends, all those things, and use it as a stepping stone to a much larger career path,” Luebke said.
Reporting by “Arizona Horizon” Education Solutions Reporter Roxanne De La Rosa. Her role is made possible through grant funding from the Arizona Local News Foundation’s Arizona Community Collaborative Fund and Report for America.
