•••quote:•••Originally posted by PTjay:
•Pags
how difficult is it to get a surg tech position? is training necessary before hire? i'd be interested in something like that.•••••It depends soley on the hospital and the state in which you will work. I was let go as a nursing assistant in the ICU due to the downsizing epidemic in the mid 90's for area hospitals in upstate NY. There was an opening for a surgical tech job in the OR where experience was preferred. Since I was being let go, I had first dibs on landing that job in which they would train me for 12 weeks. Also, being in NY, I was not required to have surgical technician certification, as is required in some states, in order to work. The hospital was willing to train me knowing that I would leave if and when I was accepted to medical school. They took chance on me (for any of you ABBA fans) and it gladly paid off for both parties.
So that's my little saga. There is standard training for surg techs and you can obtain national certification by passing a standardized exam and having logged so many work hours. I was making almost $10/hr back in 98', however, you can make up to $17/hr (maybe even a bit more now) as a contracted surg tech through an agency.
I thought my experience was invaluable. You learn organization and efficiency skills, and maybe most importantly, learn how to work under pressure. The downside....working with some nasty surgeons and histrionic personalities.