Do you consider yourself to be a great team player, someone who’s well-organized and detail-oriented? If so, you might not know it, but you already possess some of the core requirements to be a surgical tech. In this article, we explore how to become a certified surgical tech.
Did you know you could complete a surgical technologist degree program with just two years of training? Whether you’re considering changing careers or you’ve just graduated from high school – becoming a pivotal member of an operating room’s team as a surgical tech could be your calling. Find out more about how you, too, could become a crucial member of the healthcare industry with just 24 months of training.
Learn more about Dorsey College’s Surgical Technologist program here!
How to become a surgical tech in three steps!
Learning how to become a certified surgical tech is more manageable than you might expect and can be divided into three straightforward steps. From picking the best program to suit your needs to passing your certification exam, we detail the steps you need to take to become a surgical technician below.
Step 1 – Finding a program that fits your needs!
The first step on your journey to become a certified surgical tech is finding a program that fits your career goals! Other obligations can often make attending school difficult, finding a training program that offers flexibility can make training for a new career easier! Some schools now offer flexible hybrid training programs that allow you to attend some classes online while attending others at the campus. This can help you balance your responsibilities outside of school. When combined with in-class teaching and hands-on clinical instruction, it offers an adaptable approach to becoming a certified surgical tech.
What do you need to become a surgical tech
It’s worth noting that the requirements to be a surgical tech may vary slightly from state to state. However, most healthcare career colleges nationwide will require you to have achieved a high school diploma or a GED equivalent to be eligible for enrollment. Some schools may have additional admissions requirements such as submitting an essay, taking (and scoring a minimum score on) an entrance test, to just name a few. It’s a good idea to research your school’s admissions requirements in advance so you know what you have to do in order to be accepted into the program.
Step 2 – Complete your training successfully
Throughout your training program, every step is important when learning how to become a certified surgical tech. Every part of the program syllabus aims to teach you the essential tasks demanded of the vocation and certification exam criteria.
A comprehensive surgical tech education curriculum can teach you the fundamental components required for the role, which include learning:
- Fundamentals of surgical terminology
- Human anatomy, psychology, and physiology
- Surgical procedures
- Pharmacology
- Microbiology
- Healthcare laws and ethics
The importance of picking a hands-on training program
In support of this, hands-on clinical training is potentially the most impactful aspect of learning how to become a certified surgical tech. Here, surgical technologist schools provide a wonderful opportunity for you to apply the skills you’ve acquired in a genuine clinical setting.
Hands-on training is essential to your education and is deployed to enhance your knowledge of the attributes and duties involved in the job. Furthermore, it can help boost your confidence before tackling the certification exam to become a qualified surgical tech.
Step 3 – Take and successfully pass certification!
The final step is to challenge a surgical tech certification exam once you’ve graduated from your healthcare career college program. The certification assessment draws upon the knowledge you’ve learned and the practical clinical elements you’ve trained on.
Once you pass the examination and met the requirements of the certifying agency… congratulations! You are now a certified surgical technician, and you can start applying for entry-level positions in the healthcare institution of your choosing.
As a result, qualifying as a certified surgical tech could soon see you employed in:
- Local, state, and private hospitals
- Private surgical clinics and offices
- And more!
Whichever area you decide to pursue… joining the healthcare sector is an intensely rewarding career and provides a stage to be a fundamental team member in helping people undergoing surgical procedures.
Take the first step towards your future with Dorsey College!
If you’re looking for a surgical technologist program in Michigan, then speak to Dorsey College today. Our mission here is to assist you in becoming a surgical tech – providing a solid education through our caring faculty who are committed to helping you succeed.
Dorsey College’s Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology has hands-on clinical training along with in-class courses at our Roseville, MI campus location (a branch campus of Madison Heights). This program is designed to be completed in just two years.
Kickstart your journey to become a surgical tech by speaking to one of our admissions faculty at Dorsey College now.
