surg tech in undergrad?

[yanu]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Did anyone here work as a surg tech in the OR while in college? If so, how would I go about doing this?

 

[Bones2008]

Well, you really can't be a real surgical tech (CST) without making a career out of it. It requires quite a bit of school (think multiple years). I worked in an O.R. for four summers, though, first as a surgical transporter (push patients around) and then as a clinical "tech" (glorified janitor who occassionally gets to scrub and assist on cases). I had connections at the hospital that got me the original job, and I just worked my way up. Try to get a very low-level job in the surgical suite (e.g. transporter) and try to build relationships so that you can get promoted.

 

[tupac_don]

Well, you really can't be a real surgical tech (CST) without making a career out of it. It requires quite a bit of school (think multiple years). I worked in an O.R. for four summers, though, first as a surgical transporter (push patients around) and then as a clinical "tech" (glorified janitor who occassionally gets to scrub and assist on cases). I had connections at the hospital that got me the original job, and I just worked my way up. Try to get a very low-level job in the surgical suite (e.g. transporter) and try to build relationships so that you can get promoted.

When you say "assist", I hope you don't mean actually cutting and working on the person. But rather, handing instruments and getting things out of the way.

 

[Bones2008]

When you say "assist", I hope you don't mean actually cutting and working on the person. But rather, handing instruments and getting things out of the way.

holding retractors, doing suction, working the lap scope, etc., etc. nice of you to be concerned, though.

 

[logos]

I did something very similar, started transporting etc etc. By the end of my second summer I had probably 1st assisted ~10 or 15 cases. All routine stuff pretty much though. Coolest thing was a parotidectomy, because i got to cut a little.

 

[insistence]

Did anyone here work as a surg tech in the OR while in college? If so, how would I go about doing this?

I took two years off after undergrad to work as a surgical tech in the OR. I was really fortunate to get the job because I didn't have to start transporting like a lot of people do to get to that point. I was trained on the job and after a year I got to first and second assist on virtually any kind of procedure. I've been able to first assist on many orthopedic, vascular, general, and ENT cases. Plus, I've gotten to assist in outpatient surgery which is a nice change of pace.

I'm not a current med student but I'll be starting in the fall. Hope that helps.

 

[Dr. Rosenrose]

Most allied health schools offer a scrub tech program that is about 10 mo. long. I would call local hospitals b/c some hospitals have a little mini course they do in summer (couple weeks- no certification) gets you in the OR quicker to get some experience. Usually for undergrad students.