Considering a Career in Surgical Technology

The field of medicine is much more complex than people at first imagine. Most of us are exposed to doctors, nurses, dentists and other general practitioners throughout the course of our lives. The problem is that we don't realize that there are dozens of other individuals playing key roles in our health until we end up in a dire situation ourselves. One such key player is the Surgical Technologist – an individual with great responsibilities as they pertain to your success during a surgical procedure.

What Do Surgical Techs Do?

Surgical technologists, also known as surgical techs, play a huge role in the operating room. While your duties will vary from site to site, you can expect to have a core group of duties to handle each and every day. All surgical technologists answer to the surgeon during a surgical procedure. It doesn't matter if you are working in an outpatient clinic, surgical center, or hospital setting. You may be asked to grab equipment, help bandage wounds, or even wipe the surgeon's brow while he's working.

You'll simply have to do what is demanded. Surgical techs have a wide variety of important roles to play before and after the surgery as well. Before the surgery you will have to make sure the room is sterile,You may also have to help the doctors and nurses assisting with the surgery to get their scrubs on after they wash up.

After the surgery you'll have to count the supplies again to make sure nothing has gone missing. You may be asked to take your patient to recovery and you will certainly be responsible for helping with the clean-up of the room.

Becoming a Surgical Technologist

There are quite a number of schools in the country that offer training for surgical technologists and the length of the course will vary depending on the type of program you choose. The average length of training can last anywhere from 9 months to 24 months. You may find programs at technical schools, at allied health schools, through the military, at junior colleges, and even at 4 year universities.

Let us, for example, consider a technical school. These programs tend to be a bit shorter, allowing you dedicated classroom time and experience in the field. Unlike junior college programs, you won't find yourself wasting time with history classes and electives necessary to obtain a degree but totally unrelated to the job you are seeking. That does not mean that going through a surgical tech program at a 2 or 4 year college is not without merit. You may decide to earn your 2-year degree at the same time, giving you a leg-up as far as education is concerned and putting you ahead of your peers.

You'll also have a strong academic base to fall back on if you should decide to apply for a promotion or go back to school later on. The type of program you choose will depend on several personal factors. These include the length of time you have to study, the urgency of your need to work, the amount of travel you'll have to do to get to school, your home life, and more.

Obtaining Surgical Tech Certifications

Once you've finished your surgical technologist training program you'll want to move on and obtain your formal certification. Obtaining proof of your dedication to your education and career is really the ultimate goal of any student in a surgical program. Every state will require you to take a certification exam in order to become a “Certified Surgical Technologist” and each has its own set of rules and regulations dictating who can become certified. It is important for you to check into your state's regulations before you sign up for your program. Let's say, for example, you have a minor criminal charge on your record. Some states will not allow you to become certified and the time and money spent on classes will ultimately be wasted.

While many states require you to complete a surgical tech program, a few will allow you to sit for the test if you have enough on-the-job training. Some individuals who have worked as surgical techs in other areas or countries may be able to take the test in a new state without going back to school as well. It's not easy to become a surgical technologist. The fast-paced job comes with its own level of stress and with its own challenges. If you're dedicated to a career in medicine, this job may just be for you.