Blog #6: Requirements for this career

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Welcome back to " So you wannabe a surgical technician" On today's post we will be taking a look at
training/educational requirements, advantages/disadvantages of the job.

Training:

The chart below shows the level of education reported by a subset of workers in this occupation.
The workers surveyed

were between age 25 and 44.

To work as a surgical technologist, you typically need to:

have a high school diploma or equivalent; and complete a surgical technology program.

Educational:

Education after high school

Many surgical technologists earn an associate degree by completing a two-year training program.

Professional-technical schools, two-year colleges, universities, and hospitals all offer surgical

technology programs. As a student, you learn anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and

medical terminology. You also learn about aseptic techniques, the care and safety of patients

during surgery, and infection control and prevention.

Certification is important in this occupation. Certification requires a combination of training,

experience, and good scores on exams.

On-the-job training

While completing a training program, you get hands-on training by working under the supervision

of an experienced technologist. You may receive training for up to six months.

Military training

Some branches of the military train people to be medical care technicians.

This occupation includes surgical technologists. Training lasts seven to 52 weeks, depending

on your specialty. Additional training occurs on the job.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be

different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced

Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school.

If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can

also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Health Education
• Introduction to Health Care
• Nursing
• Safety and First Aid

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not

already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering

taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities

are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing,

internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your

school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By

participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe

one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that

may be available in your high school or community.

ADVANTAGES:

• SHORT SCHOOL TIME: SURGICAL TECHS MAY GO TO SCHOOL FOR TWO YEARS, BUT HAVE THE OPTION OF GOING FOR ONLY ONE YEAR AND STILL HAVING COMPETENT SKILLS IN THE JOB MARKET.
• LESS PATIENT CARE: IF YOU ARE NOT IN IT FOR PATIENT INTERACTION, OR NOT INTERESTED IN PROVIDING DIRECT PATIENT CARE, THIS IS AN ADVANTAGE FOR YOU.
• UNIVERSAL JOB DESCRIPTION: A SURGICAL TECH IS A SURGICAL TECH. NO MATTER WHAT SETTING YOU WORK IN, THE JOB WILL BE MOSTLY SIMILAR. YOU CAN RELY ON ALL THE SKILLS YOU LEARN IN SCHOOL THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER. THE SAME CAN’T BE SAID OF NURSING.
• MORE BALANCED GENDER POPULATION: ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CENSUS, MEN MAKE UP ABOUT A THIRD OF ALL “MISCELLANEOUS HEALTH TECHNOLOGISTS AND TECHNICIANS.”

DISADVANTAGES:

• LESS EARNINGS: SURGICAL TECHS MAKE AN AVERAGE OF $19.19 PER HOUR COMPARED TO THE AVERAGE NURSE’S $31.10 PER HOUR.
• LESS FLEXIBILITY: OPERATIONS LARGELY TAKE PLACE DURING THE DAY, SO YOU CAN EXPECT TO BE WORKING DAY SHIFTS.
• LESS DIRECT PATIENT CARE: IF YOU LIKE BEDSIDE CARE AND SOCIALLY INTERACTING WITH THOSE YOU CARE FOR, NURSING MAY BE BETTER FOR YOU.
• LESS ROOM FOR ADVANCEMENT: AS A SURGICAL TECH, YOU WILL HAVE TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL TO EARN ADVANCEMENTS OR MORE MONEY.
• LICENSURE: A NURSE HAS A LICENSE, WHILE A SURGICAL TECH HAS A CERTIFICATE. IN LEGAL TERMS, THAT MEANS THE SURGICAL TECH DOES THEIR WORK UNDER THE NURSE’S LICENSE.

Sources 

WOIS - Enter Site Key, www.wois.org/use/careers/viewer.cfm?occnum=100203.

“Nursing School vs. Surgical Technologist School: Advantages and Disadvantages.” Kevin's NCLEX Blog, www.kevinsreview.com/nclexblog/nursing-school-vs-surgical-technologist-school-advantages-and-disadvantages/.