Career Overview
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.
Also Known As
- Certified Surgical Technologist (CST)
- Operating Room Technician (OR Tech)
- Surgical Technician
- Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech)
Alternate Job Titles
- Cardiovascular Operating Room Technologist (CVOR Technologist)
- Certified Surgical Technician
- Certified Surgical Technologist (CST)
- Operating Room Surgical Technician (OR St)
- Operating Room Surgical Technologist
- Operating Room Technician (OR Tech)
- Operating Room Technologist (OR Tech)
- Scrub Technician
- Surgery Technician (Surgery Tech)
- Surgical Orderly
- Surgical Scrub Technician
- Surgical Scrub Technologist (Surgical Scrub Tech)
- Surgical Technician
- Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech)
- Travel OR Tech (Travel Operating Room Technician)
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
- Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
- Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.
- Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
- Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
- Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.
- Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Schedule surgical procedures for patients.
- Transport patients to and from the operating room.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
- Medicine and Dentistry
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Monitoring
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Speech Recognition
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Manual Dexterity
- Selective Attention
- Oral Expression
- Information Ordering
- Perceptual Speed
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Cooperation
- Self-Control
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Support
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Adjustable height instrument tables
- Air driver drills
- Anesthesia machines
- Argon beam coagulators
- Autoclaves
- Autologous blood recovery systems
- Autotransfusion systems
- Blood/fluid warmers
- Carbon dioxide CO2 lasers
- Cardiac leg wedges
- Cardiovascular stents
- Cavitrons
- Cell savers
- Central venous catheters
- Chest drains
Work Environment
- Physical Proximity
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Contact With Others
- Frequency of Decision Making
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $43,290 |
| Median | $62,830 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $90,700 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 113,890
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Surgical Assistants
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $60,290
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $67,260
Endoscopy Technicians
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $46,050
Medical Equipment Preparers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $46,490
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $77,660
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.