Information Provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
Surgical Technologists
Employment is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2014. Training programs last 9 to 24 months and lead to a certificate, diploma, or associate degree. Hospitals will continue to be the primary employer, although much faster employment growth is expected in offices of physicians and in outpatient care centers, including ambulatory surgical centers.
On average, Surgical Technologists earn $ 36,080 per year.
Job Opportunities for Health Care Careers are
expected to:
Increase faster than average.
Pathology/Pathologist Assistant
Surgical Technologist
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Surgical technologists, also called scrubs and surgical or operating room technicians, assist in surgical operations under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. Surgical technologists are members of operating room teams, which most commonly include surgeons, anesthesiologists, and circulating nurses.
Surgical technologists receive their training in formal programs offered by community and junior colleges, vocational schools, universities, hospitals, and the military. In 2006, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) recognized more than 400 accredited training programs. Programs last from 9 to 24 months and lead to a certificate, diploma, or associate degree.
Surgical technologists held about 86,000 jobs in 2006. About 70 percent of jobs for surgical technologists were in hospitals, mainly in operating and delivery rooms. Other jobs were in offices of physicians or dentists who perform outpatient surgery and in outpatient care centers, including ambulatory surgical centers. A few technologists, known as private scrubs, are employed directly by surgeons who have special surgical teams, like those for liver transplants.
Association of Surgical Technologists
Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist
