• Set up of the operating room for each designated surgical procedure
• Establish and maintain a sterile operative field
• Assist surgeons during surgery by holding retractors, cutting sutures, suctioning wounds, adjusting operating room lights and applying surgical dressings
• Passing of supplies and instrumentation to the surgeons
• Provide some minimal patient care

Employment Opportunities Include:

• hospitals-ambulatory surgery centers
• private employment by surgeons
• education
• business (i.e. insurance companies, equipment sales, etc.)

What Skills and Abilities Will You Need?

• hand-eye coordination

• multi-tasking skills
• schedule flexibility
• strong self confidence and be self motivated
• ability to work well in a fast paced, high stress, environment
• ability to learn quickly and build on each surgical procedure

What Else Should Be Considered About This Program or Career Choice?

• Following successful completion of our program and certification exam, a student has many employment opportunities that produce an excellent income for a one-year educational investment.  There are also many opportunities for students to continue their education and advance following a start in this field.

Recommended High School Courses:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Health based courses
• Biology or Microbiology
• Physics
• Computer
• Basic Math
• Basic English and Reading

Basic Skills Needed in the Program and On the Job

Reading
Reading materials used in the Surgical Technology program include textbooks, professional journals, computer and internet, and other supplemental materials.  There are often long reading assignments with technical words and meanings. 

An ability to comprehend what has been read and apply it to the course work is extremely important.  We are a fast paced program which often covers a unit in 3-5 days.  Comprehension is essential to student success in Surgical Technology.

On the job, Surgical Technologists are expected to read and comprehend preference cards required for the set-up of every procedure.  Often Surgical Technologists are required to read equipment and supply manuals and comprehend usage prior to a procedure.

Successful scores in the reading portion of the ASSET test is required or additional developmental coursework will be required for admission into the ST Program.

Language
Students will need good speaking skills for effective communication with peers in the classroom as well as effective communication in the workplace.  Students will be required in various parts of our program to write papers and do presentations.  Professional communication of ideas is essential. 

The operating room environment is run on verbal and written communication between team members.  If someone cannot communicate effectively, they ultimately put the patient at risk.

Successful scores in the language portion of the ASSET test is required or additional developmental coursework will be required for admission into the ST Program.

Math
General math knowledge, including basic algebra, fractions, and ratios are utilized in the Pharmacology portion of the program.  A knowledge base of the metric system is also helpful in Pharmacology. Students in the program and Surgical Technologists on the job use math skills to figure drug dosages daily. 

Successful scores in the math portion of the ASSET test is required or additional developmental coursework will be required for admission into the ST Program.

Thinking Skills
Students in this program need to be able to memorize easily, process information quickly, and utilize a higher level of thinking skill for applying knowledge learned in the classroom to the Operating Room setting. 

Computer
Computers are used often in the ST program.  Internet assignments requiring research are done weekly.  We cover basic computer concepts in our curriculum but some familiarity is helpful.

On the job, most operating rooms have converted to computerized patient charting.  Surgical Technologist will be required to access a computer daily in their workplace. 

Helpful Information For a Student to be Successful in this Program….
We offer job shadowing experiences for students who aren’t sure if a career in Surgical Technology is right for them.  Last year, I implemented a Student Mentoring program that matched each student with an experienced tech from somewhere in the U.S.  The mentor served as a resource to the student and provided support throughout their training. 

Overall, a successful Surgical Technology student is someone who is dedicated to their education and future career.