Major: Surgical Technology
Scene: The operating room. A medical team wearing scrubs and masks surrounds the patient lying on the table. The surgeon speaks: “Scalpel.” A technologist briskly hands over the requested instrument.
Surgeons lean heavily on the expert support of surgical technologists. As a surgical technology major, you’ll learn not only how to hand over the scalpel (and other instruments) right on cue, but how to sterilize and clean equipment, maintain inventory, and perform other tasks that help keep everything functioning safely before, during, and after surgery.
Surgical technology students learn the skills needed to assist in the operating room.
Did You Know?
- Though most surgical technologists work in hospitals and clinics, some work as private “scrubs” for surgeons.
Are You Ready To...?
- Memorize the names of medical instruments
- Wear scrubs for clinical work
- Sterilize and clean equipment
- Learn operating room safety procedures
- Choose a specialty, such as heart surgery or obstetrics.
- Study for the certification exam
It Helps to Be...
A fast thinker: surgical technologists have to handle instruments quickly and accurately. You’ll also need to be good with your hands.
College Checklist
- Is the program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs?
- Will the program prepare you for the national certification exam?
- Is there a clinical component that provides hospital operating room experience?
- Are classes available during the day as well as evenings? Is an accelerated program an option?
- What are recent grads doing now?
- Will the school help you find work after graduation?
Did You Know?
- Heart surgery got its start during World War II, when improvements in blood transfusions and other techniques made it more likely that patients would survive the operation.
Course Spotlight
Things get really interesting in surgical specialties, a class you’ll take after getting the basics out of the way. Here you’ll learn about the specialty instruments and procedures for different kinds of surgeries, from a Cesarean section to a heart transplant. You'll probably take this class simultaneously with clinic, so you may even find yourself in the role of first scrub during the semester.
