Seeing Double: Twins Find Their Path In Phlebotomy Program

When Jordan and Jessie Dilling walk into a room, people often do a double take. The identical twins share the same smile, the same mannerisms, and now, the same CCC phlebotomy diploma. Although they completed the program a semester apart, both sisters discovered that phlebotomy was the right fit for their healthcare goals.

Jessie completed the program in spring 2025, with Jordan finishing one semester later in fall 2025. While their paths looked a little different, both credit CCC’s phlebotomy program and instructor Angie Stiles for helping them gain confidence and skills, and find clarity about their futures.

Jessie knew early on that she wanted to work in the medical field. Her mom is a phlebotomist, so she grew up familiar with the profession and saw it as a strong stepping stone. After enrolling in nursing school, Jessie realized it wasn’t quite what she expected.

“I knew pretty quickly that nursing wasn’t for me,” she said. “Phlebotomy made more sense.”

She enrolled at CCC after hearing that Cleveland Community College was “the place to come” for phlebotomy. From the very first day, she felt at home.

“We started learning right away,” Jessie said. “The environment was great, and the class was a lot of fun.”

Jordan’s journey went a different direction before landing in the phlebotomy lab. She originally enrolled in the Radiography program but struggled with the physics portion. Rather than risk failing, she decided to withdraw and reassess.

That’s when Jessie stepped in.

“She told me how much she loved phlebotomy,” Jordan said. “So, I decided to try it, and I loved it too.”

Once Jordan enrolled, everything clicked. Like her sister, she thrived in the hands-on environment and quickly picked up the skills. Both sisters were among the first students in their respective classes to successfully complete all required blood draws, or “sticks.”

Their instructor, Angie Stiles, noticed the similarities right away before realizing they were twins.

“I didn’t know they were sisters at first,” Stiles said. “But their mannerisms were the same, their skill levels were the same, and they both caught on very quickly. It was like seeing double.”

The similarities didn’t stop there. Stiles noticed that the sisters chose the same chair in the classroom, semester after semester. During clinicals, Jessie even served as Jordan’s preceptor, guiding her through hands-on experience in a real medical setting.

“They were very strong students,” Stiles added. “You could tell they were confident and capable.”

Today, Jessie works in a doctor’s office, where she enjoys interacting with the patients. She appreciates that phlebotomy allows for meaningful, although brief, patient interaction.

“I like that I can connect with people without being overwhelmed,” she said.

Jordan plans to revisit Radiography in the future, now with a stronger foundation and more confidence. For Jordan and Jessie Dilling, phlebotomy was the right step at this point in their lives. In the future, they may choose different paths, but they will always have the strong foundation they built in the phlebotomy program at CCC.