PROS AND CONS OF BEING A SURGICAL TECHNOLOGIST 

Lol I haven't got down to the nitty gritty stuff yet but I appreciate your respond. More pros to me than cons. My glass is viewed half full.

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK love it! Do you have an IG or something we can connect?

@@kendalladdison3085 yeah! Same username! Let's link up!

hi im a surgical tech too... can we take part in RN?

Y’all I’m nervous. I am currently enrolled in school to become a surgical tech but I’m scared that I won’t remember the name of all the instruments and people have told me surgeons tend to be rude or mean. Please help me with a few words of encouragement

Can you interview season tech to show us some great tips

@@jessicagordon8456 lol they're shy. They don't wanna be on camera. 🤣 I tried.

@@jessicagordon8456 I convinced 2 of them coming soon! One is a heart tech and the other was a tech for 15+ yrs and is now a nurse

That's so nice! Well I'm here to share all what i know! My bestfriend is a CVOR tech so I'll have her on these videos soon!

Awww so happy to hear that!!!! Definitely motivates me more to keep going.

I appreciate it so much! It's not perfect. I don't claim that my set up is nearly as good but I'm humbled you guys enjoy these vids.

Realistically, very low % of hospital hires without experience and go straight to hearts. Not gonna say never but very little %. And hospitals aren't the ones that chooses your cases during clinicals. It's the preceptor. Everything else that isn't a speciality can be learned on the job while the rest are hard to get into if they have teams as you mentioned. Anyone can be taught a lap chole in a week but total joints take awhile. Good points though! I'm with the vascular team and i love doing endo aaa!

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK correct. Before I could join the heart team, I had to have had scrubbed at least 4 years at my facility.

Ah thank you so much!!! ☺

Is it hard?

@@diggin2195 lowkey yea

Woohoo!!!!! U got this! I'll be active on here if u have questions!

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK thank you so much!! I'm looking forward to orientation and what info they'll be giving us

Congrats on being accepted into the program 👏🏽 I was also accepted and will be starting in 2 weeks, I have an orientation on my 1st day of school. How was your orientation?

@@lunabb23 we just went over our schools surgical tech handbook and the rukes/regulations and discussed attire and requirements etc.

@@Khous-yg1urhi, congratulations on getting in the program. Was it hard and also are you finished?

THIS IS IT FOR U!

Thank you! I've got more content for yall soon!

Girl ur brave. Lol it's sooooo hard. I'm keeping an open mind but congrats!!!!!! That's very inspiring!

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK if you’re thinking about getting your RN I would 100% recommend going for it! Yes it is incredibly difficult but it is doable! You just have to make the commitment and keep going! I have no regrets and I’m so thankful that nursing school has changed me as a person for the better!

@@laurenhills239 I was looking into PA school and they want me to quit all my jobs.... either that or nursing. We shall see! The emotional trauma from being in school lol.....

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK good luck!!

@@laurenhills239 Where I worked, several CSTs earned their RN. A hospital will work with you. I worked as a CNA while in nursing school back in the 90s. Sometimes scholarships are available. As an employee, you stand a better chance of getting one. The hospital realizes your hours change every semester. Best of luck to you!

Coming soon!!!

Whatttt????? Where can I watch you???? I'd love to see!

In everything in life, you gotta start somewhere. You can't ask for higher wages without a background. With just 1 year of dedication you can drastically change your income 2 to 4x as much if you travel. All it takes is 1 year. As far as lifting rep trays, there's a max limit of weight for trays. Don't quote me but it can't be heavier than 30 lbs due to wrap and sterility issues. For calls, there's no way around it, it's required everywhere. It's not for everybody and I hope one day you get to find your passion. ❤️

Oh girl this could be it. Nursing wasn't for me and I needed something with very little math and zero organic chemistry but healthcare. So I wish u goodluck!!!!

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK do you plan on traveling? That weekly pay is looking nice

@@care-a-lot1051 I thought about it and I'm glad I am in the field to have that option but I would like to start a family soon. I'm just trying to line up the cards so that I can enjoy motherhood ❤️

Hope everything works out for you. 🌹

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK Can you recommend something else that is very little math and chemistry? I want to work in healthcare but don't want to be on my feet all day like surg tech. Please reply if you can! Thank You!

i’m in school to be a surgeon and i think i’m going to do surgical tech before i make such a big commitment of doing surgical residency .

@@alimonet7180 my homie is a surgeon and he’s going to LA in the next few weeks to I believe start his residency. He’s the one who told all me and the other homies about being come surgical tech.

Cool! Whats a burn tech?

The burn unit sounds like such an interesting place to work!

Welcome to the scrub club!

Aw thank you 😊

Hmmm we have 1 surgeon who was a scrub tech back then. It's possible.

Ur very welcome

You should! Look around and see which school near you offer this certification. Once you get in, do all the pre reqs, we will keep in touch before your clinicals.

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK Yes thank u, there is a school in Orlando nearby which offers the course, a tech type school/non degree setting, which is fine cause i already have bachelors. Thanks again and Ill keep checking back for more of your valuable and often funny insights!!!!!!!

@@RedStingrayy you'll find that throughout the BS, all you can do is laugh about it lol. Goodluck my friend! Wish u all the best!

Better early than later. Trust me.

Surgery centers don't guarantee hours. They send you home if all cases are done. No opportunity to make more money since their schedule is fixed. No weekends No holidays. Varies by facilities. This is typically where techs wanna retire to.

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK right, it varies by facility, meaning there are plenty that do guarantee hours. That’s why you read your contract. Edit: it’s not hard to be per diem at another place and pick up extra hours. You said that you didn’t like taking call, and I was just demonstrating that one can arrange it to where they don’t have to take call. Edit edit: you’re definitely right that people who work at surgicenters generally want to retire, lol. Skills get a tad bit weak working at one..

@@Baconbeater I did per diem in one and full time in one. I gave my calls to co workers and they take it lol it's a plus for me. If not, I have no choice but to just deal with it. But it does get old and I get burnt out 😭.

I love when a facility is a teaching hospital. Makes it less aggressive lol.

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK I wish they would have offered it when I was younger! But I'm ready!!!!! I'm a tad nervous! I'm 40....I feel a little old to be on a new adventure!

@@aunhume7550 girl age is nothing but a thanggggg

How did you find out about this?

What about travel

We get 30 and that includes set ups 😫

Yes it varies. So we all techs get paid $3-$5 on call if you're at home and if u get called in then it's time and a half.

I do gum and dunk a protein shake lol. I last for about 6 hrs lol and candies. We gotta do eat we gotta do. I'd really hate to pass out and there has been people that went down cause they're hypoglycemic. Not i.

To get through PA, you need a bachelors. ST is associates and can give you a head start. If I were you I'd do sonography.

I know I’m not part of this thread but do not do surgical tech. Surgical tech is way more specialized and it’s own path as opposed to the rest of those professions that are somewhat intertwined. Surgical tech also requires WAY more knowledge/schooling to get through than the rest of those choices, and to be honest is more stressful, too, at least for me it was. Do CNA or EMT-B; it’s quick, you get good exposure, it fulfills your pre clinical hours, and doesn’t overload your brain with stuff that you will not use. The whole point is to get your clinical hours quick and easily so you can do what you initially set out to do. Phlebotomy, EMT-B, and CNA all have overlapping skills, whereas surgical tech does not. It’s way too specialized, and the VAST majority of skills that you learn in there are not applicable to other professions. CSTs only really make sense as surgical team members, in SPD, or as a Rep for a company. There is one exception, though. If you’re deeply interested in surgery, then CST would be the way to go. However, PAs aren’t being used as much anymore in the OR, they’re used in CLINIC, where experience as a former EMT-B or CNA would be MUCH more beneficial. No point in paying 150k plus for a PA in the OR when the hospital could easily have a resident, CST, or ortho tech assist-for 35% of the cost and just have the surgeon close. Let me add that there is another exception: if you plan to go into private practice. However, the VAST majority of PAs do not go that route; ultra small minority. I know you had also said that you might want to go MD or NP; CST would be even less useful in those fields unless you were trying to become a surgeon, and that’s why I focused more on PA then the other options

Clinicals are for school. In the beginning, they put you everywhere because as a brand new tech, you don't really know yet where you're good at. It took me 6 months to see where I'm strong and that's when I tell them I'd like to be in, for example, vascular cases as much as possible and they would. Varies by facility.

Omg yes I will do a video on that. Currently wearing danskos but there's so many types

I had so many different ones over the years. I think I liked the Merril leather shoe. You'll need new shoes at least every 6 months. You can claim 1 pair every year on your taxes. To hold off spider veins wear knee high compression hose.

Pls what surgical tech program are you in chicago.

I’m a CNA too but my husband is a surgical tech! It took him 1 and a half years to get his associates but he had some college education prior to it so he didn’t have to take all the classes. He loves it, he’s currently doing ortho and he always comes home with amazing stories! Makes me want to further my studies ☺️

@@Fictioning I wanted to do ortho too! I think I settled with getting a feel for the field by becoming a sterile processing tech first, that way I’ll learn the tools first, then I’ll learn the anatomy.

@@Fictioning he won’t share that same sentiment after a few years, lol. I’m not throwing shade, either. Encourage him to continue his education!

No, you should get a bachelors degree in any sciences.

No not really. I only get queasy with saliva. Other than that, I can do any case without being nauseous.

I am literally in the same canoe as yourself[literally]

I had a co worker who left after 3 years to go back to chilis cause she made moreover in tips lol. I don't blame you. I'm definitely working on something different but I want to share my experience to students. I think I can provide an insight. I agree with u 100%

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK what are you working on now?

@@coffeepandacat thinking of nursing this fall so I can hopefully be an OR nurse. Thats the best combo for this profession.

Alot of techs doesnt get paid very well for what they do and for what they did to get that career

@@apdroidgeek1737 agreed.

I dont disagree

No, we just spray the instruments with pre klenz. We don't clean the rooms. We have evs or orderlies.

There's pros and cons for everything. Calls are pros to some people but after doing it for many years, it got tiring. I'm thankful that my co workers like them because they take mine.

WHERE SHOES THAT DONT HURT YOUR FEET STAY AWAY FROM BURKEN STOCKS THE UGLY CLOGS AS YOU MIGHT BREAK YOUR NECK STEPPING UP & DOWN OFF OF LIFTS IN OR. TENNIS SHOES ARE BEST

I'm in nursing school and it's so hard

That doesn't make sense, you like nursing but you hate it at the same time?

You need to do some research. Working in surgery is in it's own world. There's just too much to explain. I'm a RN. I scrubbed, assisted and circulated. I loved it. It's fast paced. There's a lot of heavy lifting too.

2 years associate degree. First assistance requires a bachelor's.

Advil. Tylenol. If you have allergies, take your meds because you don't wanna be sneezing if you have a hood on during ortho. Most terrible thing. Also if you wear pads, I highly don't recommend cause you might be stuck in a case for a long time and a relief may be scarce. Cover your own back. I use a diva cup.

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK I use the cup too. I thought you may be busy more than what the cup can hold then what. Thanks for your Vids!

@@Whit-09 wear a liner under. Definitely good questions. I've ran into these issues before.

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK Thank the heavens I’m on bc that stopped my periods (heavy and painful they are). If you can, birth control can be your best friend. I agree; menstrual cups are your friend.

Get a menstrual cup

Yes we touch the body. I can touch anything a surgeon touches.

Uh I don't have an assist lol

Yes if u work in surgery centers. But hospital, it's highly unlikely. It's required. We do 1 call a week and 1 24 hrs on a weekend once a month.

She was a special case because she wanted to make money but didn't wanna take calls. She always call out and never sign up for extra shifts. She did not go back to chilis but she did quit to do non Healthcare home job but she quit that too and went back to scrubbing at a different private hospital for more money. My loan was 28k minimum. I did what I can to pay my loans while in school. I did work study while my colleagues bought cars, bags, vacations. With my job, I'm almost done paying it off. I was scared to take that much money out but i wanted it soooooo bad. Think about investing on yourself. You need gas to fuel the car. You need food to sustain your body. Same thing. You need to invest on yourself to see growth. You'll age in 2 years with loans. Why not age in 2 years with an associates degree and a dream job? It's all about perspective. Hope that helps!

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK thank you so much for your reply as wells as your thoughts; you give me lots of inspiration. The school I talked to is a private small school which mainly trains students to be and to pass the certificate. I’m in my late 40s, shall I just take the certificate or an associate in which I have already had lots of GE classes from previuos colleges? Thank you so much @Surgical Tech Geek!

@@andytran4090 I think you should seek an associate bec one day you're gonna wanna move up and you'll have a degree to aid you along the way. Plus more money in the future. I wish you the best my friend. It's never too late. The lady I trained is in her 50s. Never too late. Wish you good vibes!

@@SURGICALTECHGEEK Thank you a million times again. You have a very kind heart making these videos and giving advices+tips for others. Warmest wishes.

@@andytran4090 anything u need sir, just dm me here! You got this! Rooting for u!

Just do it. Don't think about it. This is your sign.

Possible but tough around calls.

Yes to lashes.

I'm confused. What do u have a bachelors on