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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.
Communication. To prevent infections or other complications, surgical assistants and technologists must relay any issues that arise during surgery to the other members of the healthcare team.
Detail oriented. Surgical assistants and technologists must pay close attention to their work. For example, surgical technologists need to provide the correct sterile equipment for surgeons during an operation.
Dexterity. Surgical assistants and technologists should be comfortable working with their hands. They must provide needed equipment quickly.
Integrity. Because they are trusted to help during surgical procedures, surgical assistants and technologists must be ethical and honest.
Listening skills. Responding to requests from surgeons and others on the surgical team requires the ability to listen to and understand spoken directions.
Physical stamina. Surgical assistants and technologists should be comfortable standing for extended periods.
Stress-management skills. Working in an operating room can be stressful. Surgical assistants and technologists should work well under pressure.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
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93% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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91% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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90% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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89% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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87% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
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84% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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82% | Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. | |
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82% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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82% | Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
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81% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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75% | Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
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73% | Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job. | |
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71% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. | |
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69% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. | |
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68% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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64% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
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83% | Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services. | |
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67% | Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
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83% | Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. | |
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83% | Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical. | |
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61% | Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement. | |
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56% | Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
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75% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |
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69% | Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem. | |
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69% | Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). | |
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66% | Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. | |
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63% | Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position. | |
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60% | Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted. | |
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60% | Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. | |
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56% | Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). | |
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56% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. | |
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56% | Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object. | |
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53% | Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material. | |
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53% | Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness. | |
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53% | Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly. | |
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53% | Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
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55% | Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. | |
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54% | Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
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99% | Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? | |
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97% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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96% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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92% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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92% | Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? | |
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92% | Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? | |
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90% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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89% | Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets? | |
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88% | Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer? | |
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88% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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84% | Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job? | |
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82% | Exposed to Disease or Infections - How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections? | |
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82% | Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing? | |
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82% | Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable? | |
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81% | Exposed to Contaminants - How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)? | |
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77% | Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? | |
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76% | Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? | |
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75% | Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job? | |
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75% | Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers? | |
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74% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? | |
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74% | Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job? | |
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71% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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70% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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67% | Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions? | |
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66% | Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection - How much does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection? | |
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59% | Exposed to Hazardous Conditions - How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions? | |
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55% | Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures? | |
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54% | Spend Time Walking and Running - How much does this job require walking and running? | |
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53% | Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements? | |
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53% | Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job? | |
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52% | Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions - How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions? | |
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51% | Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body - How much does this job require bending or twisting your body? |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
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88% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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87% | Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. | |
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86% | Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. | |
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86% | Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. | |
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85% | Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. | |
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84% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
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84% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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77% | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. | |
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76% | Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. | |
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73% | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. | |
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73% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
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69% | Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. | |
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68% | Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. | |
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68% | Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. | |
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64% | Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. | |
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61% | Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. | |
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61% | Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. | |
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60% | Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. | |
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59% | Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. | |
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59% | Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. | |
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59% | Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. | |
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55% | Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles). | |
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51% | Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
Surgical assistants and technologists help with surgical operations. Surgical assistants, also called surgical first assistants, help surgeons with tasks such as making incisions, placing clamps, and closing surgical sites. Surgical technologists, also called operating room technicians, prepare operating rooms, arrange equipment, and help doctors and first assistants during surgeries.
Surgical technologists typically do the following:
Before an operation, surgical technologists prepare the operating room by setting up surgical instruments and equipment. They prepare sterile solutions and medications used in surgery and check that all surgical equipment is working properly. Surgical technologists also bring patients to the operating room and get them ready for surgery by positioning them on the table, covering them with sterile drapes, and washing and disinfecting incision sites. And they help the surgical team put on sterile gowns.
During an operation, surgical technologists pass the sterile instruments and supplies to surgeons and first assistants. They might hold retractors, hold internal organs in place during the procedure, or set up robotic surgical equipment. Technologists also may handle specimens taken for laboratory analysis.
After the operation is complete, surgical technologists may apply bandages and other dressings to the incision site. They may also transfer patients to recovery rooms and restock operating rooms after a procedure.
Surgical assistants have a hands-on role, directly assisting surgeons during a procedure. For example, they may help to suction the incision site or suture a wound.
Surgical assistants and technologists work as members of a healthcare team alongside physicians and surgeons, registered nurses, and other healthcare workers.
Surgical assistants held about 19,700 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of surgical assistants were as follows:
| General medical and surgical hospitals; state, local, and private | 43% |
| Offices of dentists | 24 |
| Offices of physicians | 19 |
| Outpatient care centers | 5 |
Surgical technologists held about 109,200 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of surgical technologists were as follows:
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 71% |
| Outpatient care centers | 12 |
| Offices of physicians | 12 |
| Administrative and support services | 2 |
| Offices of dentists | 1 |
Ambulatory surgical centers are included in outpatient care centers.
Surgical assistants and technologists wear scrubs and sterile gowns, gloves, caps, and masks while they are in the operating room. Their work may be physically demanding, requiring them to be on their feet for long periods. Surgical technologists also may need to help move patients or lift heavy trays of medical supplies. At times, they may be exposed to communicable diseases and unpleasant sights, odors, and materials.
Most surgical assistants and technologists work full time. Surgical assistants and technologists employed in hospitals may work or be on call during nights, weekends, and holidays. They may also be required to work shifts lasting longer than 8 hours.
Surgical assistants and technologists typically need a certificate or an associate’s degree. Employers may require or prefer that workers have certification. Some states regulate these workers.
Surgical assistants and technologists typically need a certificate or associate’s degree from an accredited program. Many community colleges and vocational schools, as well as some universities and hospitals, offer accredited surgical technology or surgical assisting programs.
Surgical assistants may complete a formal education program in surgical assisting. Others may work as surgical technologists and receive additional on-the-job training to become first assistants.
Surgical technology education includes courses such as anatomy, microbiology, and physiology. These workers also learn about the care and safety of patients, sterilization techniques, how to set up technical or robotic equipment, and preventing and controlling infections. In addition to classroom study, students gain hands-on experience in supervised clinical settings.
The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredits programs in surgical technology and surgical assisting.
Certification may be beneficial for finding a job, and some employers may require it. Surgical assistants and technologists may earn certification through credentialing organizations.
For example, certification through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting allows the use of the title “Certified Surgical Technologist (CST).” Certification typically requires completing an accredited formal education program or military training program and passing an exam.
Certification through the National Center for Competency Testing allows the use of the title “Tech in Surgery – Certified or TS-C (NCCT).” Applicants may qualify through formal education, military training, or work experience. All require documenting critical skills and passing an exam.
The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting, the National Commission for the Certification of Surgical Assistants, and the American Board of Surgical Assistants offer certification for surgical assistants.
In addition, many jobs require that surgical assistants and technologists become certified in CPR or basic life support (BLS), or both.
Some states have regulations governing the work of surgical assistants and technologists. For more information, contact your state licensing agency.
Surgical assistants and technologists may choose to advance to other healthcare occupations, such as registered nurse. Advancement to other healthcare occupations usually requires additional education, training, and/or certifications or licenses. A technologist may also choose to become a postsecondary teacher of health specialties.
Overall employment of surgical assistants and technologists is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 8,600 openings for surgical assistants and technologists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The aging of the large baby-boom generation is expected to increase the demand for surgical procedures, which should result in a greater need for surgical assistants and technologists. A rise in the number of surgeries among all age groups also is expected to support job growth.
Heightened demand for these workers is expected in outpatient settings, such as ambulatory surgery centers. These facilities are seeing an increase in the number of surgeries because of advances in medical technology and changes in insurers’ policies.
For more information about surgical technologists, visit
Association of Surgical Technologists
For a list of accredited programs for surgical assistants and technologists, visit
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
For information about certification, visit
The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting
National Center for Competency Testing
National Commission for the Certification of Surgical Assistants
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of surgical assistants and technologists.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Dental Assistants |
Dental assistants provide patient care, take x rays, keep records, and schedule appointments. |
Postsecondary nondegree award | $44,820 |
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Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses |
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) provide basic medical care. |
Postsecondary nondegree award | $54,620 |
|
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians |
Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians perform medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. |
Bachelor's degree | $57,380 |
|
Medical Assistants |
Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks, such as scheduling appointments and taking patients’ vital signs. |
Postsecondary nondegree award | $38,270 |
|
Physicians and Surgeons |
Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance. |
Doctoral or professional degree | $229,300 |
|
Registered Nurses |
Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care and educate patients and the public about various health conditions. |
Bachelor's degree | $81,220 |