Medicine and health study the physical and mental well-being of people to develop medicine for the prevention and cure of different diseases. Surgical technologists are healthcare professionals who perform technical duties in the operating room along with surgeons and nurses.
Surgical technologists manage the operating room by preparing and sterilizing surgical equipment, preparing patients for surgery by cleaning the incision areas, and offering technical assistance to surgeons, such as passing necessary supplies.
Surgical technologists should be graduates with diplomas or degrees in surgical technology to qualify to practice medicine. Surgical technologists should pass a test through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) for certification. The field of medicine is continuously advancing; hence surgical technologists should document continuing education to keep their medical licenses valid.
Additionally, surgical technologists require specialty certificates, internships, postgraduate attachments, registration, and medical licenses as credentials. Surgical technology graduates can seek employment in hospitals, schools as medical teachers, research institutions, and forensic labs as assistant medical examiners.
The future of surgical technology will include new technology to improve surgical care, such as surgical robots, artificial intelligence, new imaging models, and three-dimensional printing. The expected entry-level salary of a surgical technologist ranges between $2,800 and $3,200 monthly.