Surgical technicians and technologists, also known as operating room technicians, are primarily responsible for providing assistance to surgeons during a procedure. This can involve a wide range of duties such as keeping a sanitized and organized set of equipment, prepping the operating room for the upcoming surgery, as well as directly helping doctors by handing them specific instruments. A surgical technician's role may extend to preparing the patient for surgery as well. Tasks such as shaving, cleaning, and disinfecting incision sites, moving patients to a gurney, and transporting them to the operating room might also be included in a surgical technician's daily routine.
The list shown below identifies several Connecticut schools which feature surgical tech programs open to students. The list includes a few facts about the school such as historical dates, student body size, and the student-to-faculty ratio.
Many surgical technician roles will require candidates to achieve some sort of postsecondary education, preferably in a specialized surgical technology program which is becoming more and more common in institutions every year. While each program has its own stipulations, they can take as little as a few months to complete all the way up to several years.
Most surgical technology programs will involve a comprehensive education in various life sciences such as anatomy and biology as well as studies in medical terminology and pharmacology. It is likely that prospective surgical technicians will also receive more specific instruction on how to complete some of the tasks they will likely be performing regularly in the role such as sterilizing instruments and equipment properly, preparing operating rooms, and readying patients for procedures.
Some crucial skills that might be refined during coursework are:
While an individual's ability to perform the role of surgical tech depends on many factors, cultivating the above skills may improve a candidate's success.
Connecticut does not require surgical technologists to be formally licensed. Obtaining some form of certification, however, may improve the odds of gaining employment as it demonstrates proficiency in the skills necessary to succeed in the position.
Interested candidates can seek national certification through several means. The first is through The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting. This organization provides the "Certified Surgical Technologist (CST)" title and requires graduating from an accredited program or military training program as well as passing an exam.
The other option is going through the National Center for Competency Testing and gaining the "Tech in Surgery - Certified (NCCT)" certification. This certification requires the completion of an exam as well but allows a bit more leniency on qualification. As opposed to the CST, candidates for this certification may graduate from either an accredited or military training program in addition to qualifying through work experience alone.
While these two certifications are the most obvious choice for prospective surgical technicians looking to stand out from other candidates, another certification that many employers actually require is CPR and basic life support certification.
Listed below are metro areas ranked by the popularity of jobs for Surgical Technologists relative to the population of the city. Salary data was obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov
Metro Area | Jobs | Annual Median Salary |
---|---|---|
New Haven | 180 | $62,740 |
Waterbury | 70 | $63,690 |
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk | 270 | $56,540 |
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | 400 | $58,140 |
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