If you are highly organized, have a calm personality, and enjoy work that presents new challenges every day, an exciting and dramatic career as a surgical technologist is waiting for you!
The first step in becoming a surgical technician is getting the right education and developing the necessary skills.
Looking Ahead to Employment Growth
In 2008, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported there were 91,500 people employed as surgical technicians. Only two years prior, there were 86,000. Even more eye-opening is the fact that employment opportunities for surgical technicians are expected to increase 25% through 2018, which is much faster than the average rate of growth. With the new push for expanded health care coverage for Americans, the projections for future employment could actually be under-estimated.
Why are these jobs becoming available? There are several reasons:
Increasing number of surgeries performed in the US as its population ages
Growing number of free-standing facilities with operating rooms needing more surgical techs
Expanding number of surgical procedures using new technologies
Increasing need for specialized surgical assistants
Growing need for surgical technicians in physician's offices where outpatient procedures are performed
Another major factor behind the growing need for surgical technicians is cost containment. It is economically smarter to pay a surgical technician to provide certain services than it is a physician or nurse. That is excellent news for you if you are considering a career in this field.
Surgical Technician Salary
Surgical technicians earn excellent money. In 2008, a person who had worked less than one year in the field earned a median salary of $38,740 according to a recent survey.
Lowest 10% earned $27,510 in wages annually
Middle 50% earned between $32,490 - $46,910
Highest 10% earned $54,300
Naturally, your salary will depend on a number of factors, including the state and city where you work, years of experience, the type of degree and certifications, and the type of facility in which you are working. General medical and surgical hospitals tend to hire the most surgical technicians. Physician offices are among those that often offer the highest salaries.
A person just starting out can expect to be paid between $13 to $18/hour. Paid benefits include holidays, paid sick leave, and of course, health insurance. A person with two years’ experience and a surgical technology certificate can earn as much as $24/hour, putting them in the top 10% annual wage percentile. This gives you a good idea of the salary opportunities waiting in this career choice with the proper training and education.
The Education you need for the Best Jobs
Because it is a technical position that requires bearing responsibility in the operating room, serious applicants must complete surgical technician education programs. Interestingly, a surgical technician is the highest-paid job in the health care industry that does not require a four-year degree.
When you review the information about becoming a surgical technician, there are a number of different types of certifications and degrees you can pursue. There are minimum qualifications required for most surgical technician positions, but above all, candidates must graduate from a surgical technology program and have two years’ on-the-job training. Those with certification are preferred, as they have undergone a national certification exam.
Surgical Technician Education Choices
You have three choices in terms of education:
Certificate
Diploma
Associate degree
A surgical technician program requires a high school diploma or a GED before accepting your enrollment application.
Where to Attend
There are many different kinds of surgical technician certification schools:
Colleges and universities
Community colleges
Hospitals
Military programs
Specialized healthcare schools
Vocational schools
However, it is highly recommended you attend an accredited program. They are not difficult to find; the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs has over 450 accredited surgical technician programs throughout the US.
The duration of the program varies, but most programs last 9 to 24 months. You will earn a certificate in a 9-month program and an associate's degree in a 24-month program. Programs include both classroom instruction and hands-on experience in a clinical setting similar to where you will be seeking employment.
Choosing the right program requires that you:
Consider what accredited schools are accessible to you
Whether classes are offered at timings when you can attend
How much it will cost (depending on the type of program)
How much time you can invest in your education
Whether the program includes classroom and clinical experience
Surgical Technician Certification
Surgical technicians earn various certifications that indicate a person’s abilities. They can also be gained in a particular specialty, such as heart surgery, cesarean surgery, neurosurgery, and many others. It should be noted that there are schools that offer specialized certification programs, although the certification cannot earned until after you graduate from a surgical technology program.
After graduation, as a minimum, you will want to earn one of two certifications:
National Board for Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting [NBSTSA]: must work one year before sitting for exam; upon passing, you earn the title, Certified Surgical Technologist [CST]
National Center for Competency Testing [NCCT]: can sit for exam within 30 days of graduation from a surgical tech school; upon passing, you earn the title, Tech in Surgery-Certified [TS-C]
