Surgical Technologist Salary
Chances are, unless you work in the medical field, you probably haven’t heard of a surgical technologist. Those in this profession though are very important in the medical field. A surgical technologist helps during surgeries and is a critical part of the operating room team. Not only does he or she set up the room before an operation, the technician preps the patient and often is asked to work machinery during the procedure. Once the procedure is complete, the technician may be responsible for transferring the patient to recovery. If this sounds like the career for you, research will be needed as to what education and certification you will need to obtain as well as what surgical technologist salary you can expect to receive.
Surgical Technologist Salary
Your surgical technologist salary will depend on many factors. Those with more education and experience make more and the responsibilities taken on in the course of your work will also be factored in. Those who work in specialty hospitals have a median annual wage of $40,880 while those who work in dental offices have the lowest median annual wage at $36,380. Consider all of the above when determining if this is the career for you. Many believe it is as it is very rewarding knowing you are helping others at a critical time.
Surgical Technologist Training and Education
In order to become a surgical technologist, you must first obtain a high school diploma. Once you have this document, your next step will be to enter a formal training program. This type of program is offered by junior and community colleges, universities, hospitals and vocational schools. More than 450 training programs have been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs so you will have a variety to choose from. Surgical technologist programs typically last anywhere from nine months to two years and, depending on the program you choose, you will receive a diploma, certificate or associate’s degree.
Surgical Technologist Certification
Certified technologists are in demand in the workplace so you should obtain certification if at all possible. The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting offers a certification program. In order to become certified by this organization, you must first graduate from a program approved by them and then pass an exam. To maintain certification, continuing education courses must be completed or the exam must be taken every five years.
Job Growth Outlook For Surgical Technologists
Job growth for surgical technologists in the United States is looking quite strong. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics job growth is expected to be around 25%. This is a lot faster than the average when compared to the rest of jobs in the United States. There are a number of factors contributing to this strong growth. For one thing the US population is getting steadily older. The baby boom generation will be taking up a large majority of the population and they will require more more surgeries. On top of that, hospitals which employ the vast majority of surgical technologists will be trying to cut costs by replacing surgery room nurses with technologists.
While the majority of surgical technologist jobs will be provided by hospitals, the increasing capacity for clinics and other environments to perform surgeries will mean further increasing in jobs in these areas for surgical technologists. According to the US Bureau of Labour statistics once again, those surgical technologist with the best certification and the willingness to relocate will have the best job opportunities going forward.
There are many opportunities online for certification as a surgical technologist, so be sure to do some further research. Good luck!
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