The operating room isn’t just for doctors and nurses.
Surgical assistants, also called surgical and operating room technicians, are critical members of the healthcare team, 在外科医生的监督下密切合作，协助进行挽救生命的外科手术.
We talked with Stephanie Allen, a surgical technology instructor at Herzing University, about how she got started as a surgical technologist 以及学生在手术室工作需要了解的内容.
Why did you decide to become a surgical tech? How did you get started in your career?
I had always wanted to be a surgeon, 但不想过外科医生的生活(必须全天候待命). After taking the MCAT, I decide to change my major. Eventually, I found a surgical technology program that was exactly what I was looking for. 我知道这是一份我可以用余生来热爱的职业. 直到今天，我真的很喜欢我所做的，不想做其他任何事情.
What do surgical techs do? What does your typical day look like?
外科技术人员是手术室中最重要的人员之一. 软件下载对每一个手术程序都了如指掌软件下载必须为所有可能出现的问题做好准备. 软件下载做的最重要的事情之一就是严格遵守无菌技术, 确保手术过程中一切都是无菌的. 软件下载还可以在手术过程中协助外科医生完成不同的任务, such as suctioning, cutting and retracting.
ST的一天通常从清晨或深夜开始. Before every procedure, ST负责确保所有的设备, instruments and supplies are set up. 病人和外科医生到达后，手术就可以开始了. 这是所有STs都喜欢的部分，因为软件下载可以在手术过程中帮助完成某些任务. 手术结束后，软件下载会帮你缝合伤口. 然后病人被带到恢复区，同时软件下载打扫房间，准备为下一个病人重复同样的步骤.
What is most rewarding about your career?
作为一名ST最有意义的部分是能够帮助别人 patients and not getting the recognition. Patients do not know who we are or what we do, but they trust everyone in the room to take care of them. As an ST, 我很自豪地知道，病人相信我能做好我的工作，并为他们辩护. 我不需要别人承认我救了别人的命. 我只需要病人的信任让我继续做我喜欢做的事.
你在职业生涯中遇到过哪些挑战?你是如何克服它们的?
Working in the operating room can be challenging. 你可能会遇到一个刻薄的外科医生，贬低房间里的其他人. Sometimes, you have to deal with the loss of a patient. That happens very rarely, but it does happen. Both can be hard to overcome. 你只需要不断告诉自己你已经尽力了, but not everyone is perfect. Learn from your mistakes and work harder the next time.
What skills are essential for success in this field?
When it comes to surgery, the ST is an expert. 软件下载被期望知道一切——身体的解剖学和生理学, how the procedure is to be performed, and multiple different variations of the procedure. 软件下载需要为意外做好准备，并能够批判性地思考如何解决任何问题. 对于任何ST来说，最重要的两项技能是在压力下保持冷静的能力，以及在外科医生知道下一步是什么之前预测外科医生的需求.
对于有意从事这一行业的学生，你有什么建议?
对于那些对外科技术感兴趣的学生，我最大的建议就是每天都要开心地学习. The human body is such an amazing wonder of the world. 你会看到、闻到和听到不正常的东西. Take it and learn from it. 这是一个很棒的职业，有很多发展机会. Never give up and strive for more.
Learn More About Our Surgical Technology Program
* Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, 职业就业和工资统计2022 /职业展望手册2022. 劳工统计局的估计不代表入门级工资和/或薪水. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, 你想要工作的地理市场和学位领域, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing既不代表它的毕业生将获得劳工统计局计算的特定工作的平均工资，也不保证从它的幸运28计划毕业后就能找到工作, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
