Surgical Technician Career

What You Do in This Career

Surgical Technicians go by a lot of names: Surgical Technologists, Operating Room Technicians, Surgical Technicians, or my favorite, Scrubs. Scrubs are part of operating room teams which help surgeons, anesthesiologists, and registered nurses do their jobs. When you see a surgeon on TV ask for a scalpel, the person handing it to him would be the surgical technician. But, handing over tools when asked isn’t all of the gig. Surgical technicians also have to prepare patients for surgery (read: washing, shaving, disinfecting), wheel patients into the operating room, and cover them with sterile surgical drapes. Most importantly, they help monitor vital signs.

Salary and Career Path

Even though surgical technicians are working right beside the surgeons, they are paid a lot less. The median annual income for 2008 was only $38,740, with the highest salaries over $54,300. That’s definitely enough to make a living, and if you love saving lives and being in on the action, this might be the career for you. Dentist offices pay the worst, so if money is an issue, look for general or surgical hospitals and especially specialty hospitals for the big bucks. Technologists can specialize, which increases pay and employment possibilities, in areas like neurosurgery and cardiovascular surgery. Some may go on to become nurse practitioners who also work in surgery.

What Kind of Degree or Coursework You Need

Training programs are often offered by community colleges, vocational schools, universities, hospitals and the military, usually lasting 9-24 months. Those who did well in health, biology, chemistry and math classes in high school will have an easier time of the coursework since much of it is in anatomy, physiology, microbiology and other biological disciplines. Chemistry comes in handy for drug interactions, and learning medical terms is vital for fast communication over the surgical table. Other lessons require less thinking and more cleaning, since proper sterilization procedures must be followed.

Top Online Health Services Programs

Adventist University of Health Sciences
BS in Radiologic Sciences
 		Adventist University of Health Sciences — Founded in 1992, the Adventist University of Health Sciences is formerly the Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences, a school focused on privding higher education in the several fields of healthcare. The BS in Health Information Technology program prepares students to become radiologic technicians. Adventist University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Click here to see more health degrees...