A surgical technologist is also commonly known as a surgical technician, and their primary duty is to provide assistance to a surgeon during a medical procedure. The operations conducted by surgeons are often complicated and demanding, requiring the assistance of at least several additional people – surgical technologists are commonly tasked with duties like preparing the room and instruments, as well as the patient, assisting the surgeon during the procedure, and cleaning up afterwards.
Though the educational requirements for a surgical technologist aren’t as strict as those for a regular physician, the job still takes some qualification before getting approved – a candidate would typically need to go through specialized education in order to obtain a job, which prepares them for practicing it properly in a variety of ways, mostly by laying down the foundations towards a hygienic working style that’s safe to both the patients and doctors themselves. A good surgical technologist must be agile and responsive at all times.
Surgical technologists are moderately well paid, though understandably they earn far less than regular physicians. The typical annual salary for a surgical technologist ranges between $30,000 – $55,000, and the job can offer some good bonuses in most cases – healthcare benefits being the most prominent ones. Still, it doesn’t hold so many prospects for further career advancement, and can be rather difficult to find new employment, making it a somewhat unpopular choice.