Surgical Technologists

Also known as: Certified Surgical Technician, Certified Surgical Technologist (CST), Operating Room Surgical Technician (OR St) (+13 more)

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.

🎓 Experience Level 3 (Medium preparation needed) 📈 Healthcare & Human Services

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What You'll Do

Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during 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.
Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.
Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis.
Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery.
Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation.
Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
Observe patients' vital signs to assess physical condition.

Essential Skills

Monitoring 3.75/5

Active Listening 3.38/5

Operations Monitoring 3.25/5

Speaking 3.12/5

Critical Thinking 3.12/5

Coordination 3.12/5

Time Management 3.12/5

Reading Comprehension 3.0/5

Active Learning 3.0/5

Learning Strategies 3.0/5

Social Perceptiveness 3.0/5

Instructing 3.0/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
Helper: Supporting people and making a difference matters to you.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Dependability, Cautiousness, Cooperation, Self-Control

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 4.0/5

Problem Sensitivity 3.75/5

Near Vision 3.75/5

Speech Recognition 3.62/5

Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.5/5

Selective Attention 3.38/5

Manual Dexterity 3.38/5

Oral Expression 3.25/5

Technologies & Tools

Database software Electronic medical record EMR software Email software Google Drive Graphics software Internet browser software MEDITECH software Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Windows Microsoft Word Nursing documentation software Patient scheduling software Patient tracking software Supply documentation software Surgery workflow communication software Word processing software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

Attention to Detail (High importance: 5.0/5)
Dependability (High importance: 4.77/5)
Cautiousness (High importance: 4.75/5)
Cooperation (High importance: 4.73/5)
Self-Control (High importance: 4.67/5)

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How to Become One

This career typically requires vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some specialized training or certification may also be required.

Similar Careers to Explore

Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

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) Travel Surgical Tech (Travel Surgical Technician) Travel Surgical Technologist

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.

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