Sunday 16 June 2013

Surgical Technologist Jobs: Your Available Options

By Salena Jolley


In order for surgical procedures to be carried out in the safest and most efficient way, surgeons and other health care workers rely on surgical technicians. Among the many responsibilities of a surgical technician include preparing patients for surgical procedures, sterilizing of surgical instruments, and assisting with dressings. Training usually lasts just 2 years or less, and they are offered in a wide selection of surgical technician schools.

Surgical technician schools can properly train you for the delicate tasks that surgical technicians are involved with on a daily basis. You will primarily be given instruction in basic science courses such as medical terminologies, biology, anatomy, and chemistry. Advanced courses such as pharmacology, surgical anatomy, microbiology will also be included, as well as clinical training for surgical assisting.

Surgical technician schools will ask you to meet certain requirements prior to enrollment in a particular program. Most schools require applicants to have a high school diploma or a GED equivalent, some will require previous attendance in a Science, Mathematics and English class, while some also require passing an entrance exam. It is best that you schedule a personal school visit or log on to their website to know more about their admission requirements.

There are basically 3 surgical assisting programs offered by surgical technician schools - these are certificate, diploma, and associate's degree programs. Certificate programs are a fast lane towards becoming a surgical technician as it only takes 6 months to complete. Diploma programs take a little longer to complete at 12 months, but offers more advanced training. Associate's degree programs are more comprehensive and in-depth, and offers better employment opportunities, but will take 2 years to complete.

In your search for surgical technician schools, you must consider important factors such as tuition fees, school location, class schedules, reputation of the school, quality of instruction, and the programs they offer. You might want to check with the Commission on Accreditation on Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) for a list of schools which have accredited surgical technician programs as this is a good indication of their instruction quality.

Once you complete your surgical assisting training program, the next step for you is to receive certification by passing a certification exam issued by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA). Besides providing you with surgical assisting instruction and training, surgical technician schools can also help prepare you for the certification exam.




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