(ARA) – Projected growth of the health care industry is widely reported, presenting myriad job training options for new high school graduates and people who are switching careers. One can take many different paths within the health care industry. One such direction is working as a surgical technologist.

Employment opportunities for surgical technologists are expected to grow faster than average from now until 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, citing a number of reasons for growth. One reason for an increase in surgeries is the aging baby boomer population. Another reason is technological advances, such as laser and fiber optics, which allow an increasing number of procedures to be performed.

With an eye toward employment opportunities in health care, many people are investigating the prospects of becoming a surgical technologist. Just what does a surgical technologist do? Heather Gasaway, chair of the Surgical Technology Department at Brown Mackie College – North Canton, offers insight into the field.

“A surgical technologist works as a member of an operating room (OR) team under the direction of a surgeon,” says Gasaway. Surgical technologists prepare the operating room for each procedure. They should understand exactly what the surgeon will need and set up the room with the required instruments.

Commonly called “scrubs,” surgical technologists sterilize equipment and ensure that everything works properly. Typical daily duties include scrubbing for surgery, dressing in gown and gloves, setting up the sterile field, draping, passing instruments and maintaining the highest level of sterile technique during the procedure.

Gasaway recommends that candidates for a career in surgical technology possess a strong interest in science. The program at Brown Mackie College – North Canton includes courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology and pharmacology. “It’s an intensive program. People with focus who love a challenging atmosphere thrive in the profession,” says Gasaway.

A handful of states currently require certification for those working as surgical technologists. “Eventually, everyone in the profession will need to be certified. It’s a way to control the quality of the profession,” Gasaway says. Two accrediting bodies serve as credentialing agencies for the profession: Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) and Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Schools (CAAHEP).

“Once certified, surgical technologists must maintain Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to remain certified,” Gasaway continues. “Just as with many of the allied health professions, CEU’s are a requirement to maintain licensure. The accrediting agencies work with colleges to ensure that the curriculum provides the student with the knowledge and skills to graduate and enter the field as an entry-level practitioner.”

“It’s a rewarding career and a decent wage,” Gasaway says. “The position definitely calls for being a complete hands-on patient care advocate.”

Surgical technology has become a viable employment option for those who want to work in the medical field without the years of schooling required to become a doctor. The position calls for both compassion and a scientific approach to the care of others. Recent high school graduates, and adults who have chosen surgical technology as a second career, are finding professional fulfillment in the work.