When choosing a career field in allied healthcare, professionals typically follow two paths: non-clinical and clinical roles. The former encompasses more administrative positions that empower individuals to help patients without being involved in direct patient care. However, for those who may be more passionate about hands-on, patient-facing responsibilities, clinical healthcare roles offer the opportunity to perform necessary patient care and assist other providers.
Among clinical healthcare careers, surgical technology stands out for shorter post-secondary degree programs that train individuals to work alongside surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses to perform life-saving procedures on patients of all ages. In addition to high-paced, high-stakes settings like operating rooms, surgical techs, sometimes called scrub techs, can also pursue roles in more relaxed environments like provider offices and outpatient facilities. This variety, coupled with the ability to work on the frontlines of patient care, makes surgical technology an excellent career opportunity for many individuals.
To help you understand if becoming a surgical technician is right for you, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to the career — from the job description to daily responsibilities, specializations, and the education you’ll need to get started.
In This Article:
What Is a Surgical Technologist?
At their most basic definition, surgical technologists or technicians are healthcare professionals who assist surgeons during surgical procedures. Their role typically encompasses the entirety of the surgical process from start to finish, meaning that a surgical tech is present and helping during the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of the surgery. They may transport the patient to the operation room and then hand them off to the recovery team after the procedure.
A surgical technologist plays a crucial role in the operating room, ensuring the right supplies and equipment are available, preparing the patient for surgery, and passing instruments and supplies to the surgeon throughout the procedure. They also perform surgical counts before, during, and after the incision is closed and maintain a sterile environment during the procedure.
Surgical Technician Job Description | Overview
Surgical technologists need to be skilled in anticipating the surgeon's needs, monitoring for sterile processes, and active listening. Because they're present during the entire operation, they must be comfortable with human anatomy, including blood and bodily fluids. The job also requires excellent communication skills, as surgical technologists work in coordination with the surgeon, circulating nurse, and anesthesia provider, among others.
The responsibilities of a surgical technologist can vary depending on the work environment, employer, procedure types, and specialty. However, their day-to-day tasks generally include the following:
- Following the Patient First (AEGER PRIMO) motto as the primary responsibility
- Maintaining a sterile environment
- Operating, assembling, and maintaining sterile equipment before, during, and after surgery
- Assisting the surgical team in scrubbing and putting on gloves, and surgical gowns for the surgeons and other staff
- Getting the patient ready for surgery by positioning them correctly on the table, cleaning the incision site, and draping the patient
- Offering technical assistance to other members of the team
- Passing instruments and supplies to the surgeon throughout the procedure
- Anticipating the needs of the patient and the team
- Performing other tasks as directed by the surgeon, like holding retractors or cutting sutures
- Preparing and assisting with the application of dressing and bandages after surgery
- Handling specimens collected during surgery so they can be analyzed by the lab
- Cleaning and restocking the operating room after each surgical procedure
- Maintaining files and records
- Ordering instruments and supplies
Where Do Surgical Techs Work?
Surgical technologists work in hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, doctor's offices, and organ donor centers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that more than 70% of surgical technologists are employed in state, local, and private hospitals as of 2022. Some surgical technologists assist only with in-office procedures like wart removal, mole biopsies, etc.
Many surgical technologists cover some overnights, weekends, and holidays, and may be on call to ensure patients who need emergency surgery have a team available. Surgical technician roles can be physically demanding due to the dynamic, unpredictable nature of surgery. As a surgical technician, you may be on your feet for long periods and have less structured breaks.
Aspiring surgical techs looking for a more routine schedule may consider specializing in a field that enables them to work in an office with regular hours, such as plastic surgery.
Specialties & Types of Surgical Technicians
While some surgical technologists work as generalists and assist in a wide variety of common surgical procedures, others choose to specialize in a particular area and become proficient in the surgeries within that specialty. Specialized surgical areas include plastic surgery, cardiology, organ transplantation, oral and facial surgery, neurosurgery, pediatric surgery, and orthopedic surgery. In many cases, specialization occurs naturally; a surgical tech who spends five years assisting in an OBGYN practice will naturally become specialized in obstetrics and gynecology.
Surgical Technician Career Outlook
The BLS estimates that surgical technician roles will increase by 5% by 2032, a pace much faster than the national average for other occupations.
Surgical technicians can advance their careers through continued education, experience, and specialized training. A surgical technician may use the role as a stepping stone into roles that have more significant intraoperative responsibilities, such as a surgical assistant, also called a first assistant. In comparison, a first assistant can directly aid with aspects of the procedure, such as wound closure, exposure, and bleeding control, at the surgeon’s direction.
Surgical Technician Requirements
Most individuals pursuing a career in surgical technology begin by enrolling in an accredited surgical technologist program, which can have varied degree outcomes, and pursuing surgical technician certifications. Typically, surgical tech schools and programs require possession of a high school diploma or GED prior to enrollment.
Surgical technologist requirements vary by state, and employers may have their own set of education expectations, from certificates and diploma programs to an associate or bachelor's degree. In Texas, practicing surgical technicians must be certified by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA).
How to Become a Surgical Technician - Choosing Your Surgical Technician Program
When choosing a surgical technology program, it's important to consider all of the schools that might meet your needs and make an informed decision. Factors to consider include:
- The length of the program
- The degree or certificate awarded upon completion of the program
- Tuition and fees
- Clinical experiences offered
- Whether the school and program are accredited
- Graduation and employment rates
- Student services available upon graduation (resume writing, job seeking, etc.)
- Satisfaction of current and former students
- Eligibility requirements
- School reputation
What You’ll Learn - Surgical Technician Education
Your program selection will determine the depth, breadth, and length of education you receive when training to become a surgical technician. The College of Health Care Professions (CHCP) offers an Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology at the Austin, Houston Northwest, Dallas, and San Antonio North campuses.
During this program, students learn aseptic technique, surgical procedures and techniques, anticipation of surgeon needs, identification and usage of surgical instruments, disinfection/decontamination/sterilization, patient preparation, professionalism, and the roles of first scrub, second scrub, and non-sterile surgical technologist.
A few courses you can expect to take throughout your 80-week program at CHCP include Critical Thinking, Pharmacology, Medical Terminology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Professional Readiness. You'll also complete an externship as a part of your program, allowing you to both observe and practice the skills you learn in an actual operating room under the supervision of experienced surgical teams.
Become a Surgical Technician in Texas at CHCP
Whether you’re a high school student exploring potential career paths or a non-traditional student looking to start a new career later in life, The College of Health Care Professions has a degree or certificate program for you. It's always the right time to find a career that you love.
CHCP's Surgical Technology Program will provide you with the chance to gain the knowledge, skills, and clinical experience you need to become a certified surgical technologist and begin your surgical technologist career right in Texas. Take the first step toward your AAS in Surgical Technology by applying online today. Our admissions team will reach out to support you as you embark on this exciting journey!
