I am currently in a 13 month surgical technology program, divided into 4 quarters. The first 4 months were primarily classroom/lab, and clinicals/more classroom started after that. I’m now going into my third quarter
I’m currently finishing a 3 week break and I’m extremely anxious about going back. I feel like I don’t know enough and that I’m going to walk into the hospital and immediately be exposed as incompetent. I’m learning things, I’ve improved in some areas, and it’s not that every case is a disaster. I have also done well with didactic portion with an A in almost every class. But overall, I feel like I’m struggling with almost everything: instruments, setups, anticipating, procedure flow, adapting to different CSTs, and communicating. I’m extremely anxious about going back to the hospital. I think about clinicals constantly, dread returning and feel like I’m going to walk in and immediately be judged for everything I don’t know.

My program director came up to me on the second day of lab and essentially implied that surgical technology might not be for me because I wasn’t speaking up enough. I was just trying to absorb the information at this point and wasn’t aware I had to be speaking up, there was nothing to “speak up” about at the time.

I’m naturally extremely quiet and reserved, especially around authority figures or people who intimidate me. Communication is something I genuinely need to improve. However, I want to clarify that I’m not completley silent in the or. I ask questions when I don’t understand something, I speak up during counts, I ask questions and try to communicate when I need clarification. I’ve also had multiple instructors make comments about me being too quiet or not speaking up enough.

My clinical exposure has been 8 days in cysto, 4 in dental/orthopedics, and 6 in GYN/general/vascualr.

I studied a lot of general surgery because I expected to get repeated exposure to it, but I’ve actually had relatively little general surgery experience.
Another thing I’m struggling with is that every cst has their own way of setting up and only allows me to set up their way. I understand why. They need to know exactly where everything is, and they have developed their own habits and preferences over years of doing the job. If I set something up differently from the CST I’m working with, they’ll often interrupt me, correct me, or rearrange things.
I understand that their way works for them and that consistency matters in the OR. But as a student, it’s difficult because I can learn one setup from one person and then the next person has a completely different arrangement. I have not had a chance to set up from start to finish yet.

I’m trying to learn the underlying principles instead of just memorizing one person’s exact setup, but when I’m still learning the basics, constantly being corrected makes it difficult to know whether I’m actually doing something wrong or simply doing it differently.

I was placed with a CST who does a lot of robotic cases. Ihad no robotic experience or knowledge going into the case and told her that beforehand. So far I only scrubbed robotic/laparoscopic cases around 5–6 times and am still not comfortable with things like the trocars, setup, and robotic equipment.

I obviously understand that I need to learn it, there wasn’t much patience for the fact that this was completely new to me.

Before one of the robotic cases, she was talking to her coworkers while I was right there and said:
“I hate when I am talking to someone and it feels like I’m knocking on the door and nobody is home.”
It wasn’t explicitly directed at me, but I was standing there and it felt very obvious what she meant.
Two different CSTs at the clinical site have also said “nobody is home” to their coworkers in front of me and negative feedbacks to my preceptor.

My lab instructor/clinical coordinator even jokes that I was kicked out of the main or. My preceptor came to me on my 14th day of clinical and told me that she keeps getting feedback from the techs and nurses that I “need a lot of help” and can’t do things on my own. I don’t feel like I ever got a proper description of what was expected of my by my first clinical quarter. Nonetheless I still did well grade wise for the first clinical quarter. But many mistakes were made and I feel that I have seriously damaged my standing at this clinical site. No faculty at the school, preceptor, or any staff at the hospital care to treat me with any bit of respect. My school has a very difficult time getting clinical sites (this is their only guaranteed one) so the director puts a lot of pressure on us to not embarrass the school.

I’ve struggled with understanding the flow of unfamiliar procedures and anticipating what comes next, or what needs to be done. I’ve had situations where I don’t know what instrument is coming next or where something belongs.I’ve also had cases where I did much better and gotten a complement from a doctor, though only for simple cases.

I know I have so much to improve and learn. I’m now going into my third part of program and I’m trying to figure out whether I’m simply experiencing a really difficult learning curve or whether I’m genuinely not progressing enough.
I’m also naturally very quiet, and I know that can be a disadvantage in the OR. But I don’t want to assume that being quiet automatically means I can’t become a competent CST.

How concerning would you find my situation?
How much should I be concerned about the fact that several people have independently commented on my communication/reserved personality
What would you recommend I focus on during the rest of my clinical education?
At what point would you tell a student that they’re genuinely not progressing enough and should reconsider the career?

Right now I genuinely can’t tell whether I’m a struggling student who needs more repetition and confidence, or whether I’m showing signs that I’m fundamentally not suited to surgical technologist.

Hey! I’m looking to hopefully enroll in the program but I’ve heard the surgical technologist programs in the state are mostly run down. However, I see Swedish Institute has almost 4 stars on google reviews (although for some reason I’m unable to view them) opposed to Center for Allied Health Education (CAHE) and Mandl that are in the low 3 stars with horrible reviews from students.

\- How was your time there?
\- Were facilities up to date/standard
\- What were the class sizes
\- How long did it take for you to complete the program
(I’ve heard it takes a while for students to be placed for clinicals in every program except NYU)
\- Were there an shortage of supplies for students
\- How was communication from faculty

I'm interested in hearing from current Medical Assistants and instructors. What clinical skills did you find the most difficult to learn when you were first starting—phlebotomy, EKGs, vital signs, injections, patient communication, or something else?

Hii everyone, today was my first day of clinicals and i left the hospital feeling uncertain about being their for the next 4 months. It was like preceptors made it their duty to be a-holes. It seems like they are thriving off making things complicated and trying to be intimidating. I would love it if I could get some encouragement and uplifting words to keep going, sometimes it helps to hear it from a different source :)

I have been so excited to go to clinicals and we are finally starting and my first two weeks of clinicals I will be in SPD. Not sure why but I feel frustrated about it /: I guess just a tiny rant. But anyone who this has happened too can you relate?

Edit: there is nine of us in my program and I am the only one sent there, I guess I’m kind of bummed bc everyone else will be doing cases while I’m in SPD.

My doctor mentioned a uterine manipulator that can be controlled with the DaVinci Xi robot. She hasn't gotten back to me with the name of it. I did a quick search and I can't find anything that works with the robot. I found manipulators that attach to the bed.

Does anyone know what this manipulator is called?

I'm already burned out from scrubbing and not sure what to do. I recently changed hospitals and still feeling the same. Part of it is my health issues and how much scrubbing is tearing up my body. I don't know what to do next and wondering if anyone else has felt this way early in their career. I'm trying to figure out how to pivot into a less physically demanding career. I knew it was demanding before I started, but didn't expect it to be this bad.

I believe its because for the first time in a long time Im learning something completely new again. My brain is being exercised in a way it never has. Its very hard and I have to think quickly, rely on intuition, anticipate and use deductive reasoning and process of elimination to make the right decisions.

Ive found that since I started scrubbing I make decisions quicker, my hand eye coordination has gotten better, i process my thoughts on paper better, my speech has gotten better, I've even gotten better at guitar. Its honestly incredible I feel like learning a new language or something to keep this going.

I have been a scrub for almost 2 years now. I feel like I have really grown and although I’m still learning, I have a good basis on things I need for cases and all that. I have normal stress during my cases and I feel like during the hard moments I have a good time managing but I’m having a really hard time managing my stress and anxiety when I’m done with my shift, I feel like all the stress I deal with hits me at the end of work and I get extremely anxious that I may have caused harm to my patients and I’m not aware of it (I feel like I am very good with my surgical conscious and I always point stuff out, it’s a lot of “what if I didn’t see this or that” when I get home) and all I can do is nap and kind of waste my day afterwards. I want to be able to be productive and also do things rather than sleep to reduce my stress. Does anyone else have these issues and if so how do you guys relief stress after work?

I’m doing my clinical rotations right now and am wondering what the requirements were for other programs. We have to do a minimum of 120 cases, 90 of them being in first scrub. We recently learned that there’s a minimum number of hours required? Is this true and if so what’s the minimum?

Hi everyone, Im attending a technical high school, surgical tech being my area of study. I will be taking the test this coming May, only issue is I’m uncertain how I will complete the 125 case requirements for the certification. I’m only 17 and have a few surgeries from clinical, but the program is strict on how many hours we go. If I’m not done with all the cases by the time I graduate High school, where and how can I find a place to let me finish the cases I need for my certification since I won’t be in school and can’t participate with the hospital they’re partnering with.

Potentially moving to the Boston area soon and was wondering if anybody had some knowledge or advice about which hospital would be good to work for. I mostly do endovascular cases currently and would like to continue that if possible.

ok y’all, i just need some different perspectives/opinions on a situation.

so at my facility reps have a lot of freedom, they can run the hana/guardian/traction tables, some open trays/peel packs, they are the DJ’s, and almost of all of them reset their trays in the room while we’re closing. when they’re done they throw it on the case cart for me. well recently we were told they can’t reset their trays and when asked why management said it’s cause they don’t have the proper PPE. a circulator brought up that when they are the ones doing it, they don’t either so what’s the difference? that’s when we were told that it’s the scrubs responsibility to reset all the rep trays during closing. a vet scrub spoke up quickly reminding management that during closure we are focused on passing sutures, cleaning up other instruments, cutting sutures, getting dressings ready, counting, etc and it just doesn’t make sense for us to do it. everyone from scrubs to FA’s to circulators agreed. our program director said “then figure something out, i’m not in the rooms, that’s not my job.” ok true, but you are an admin in this department, it IS your job to support us and help us brainstorm ideas for possible policy changes. when we come up with a new idea all you do is shoot us down with absolutely no possible solution or idea.

we also participate in high efficiency days. this is basically a day where we do 14+ total joints for one doctor (we currently only have one H. E. dr with more joining in). H. E. days are knees only btw. these days have 2 scrubs, 2 FA’s, 2 circulators and 2 CRNA’s per room (all of our ortho docs get flip rooms), so that’s 8 people PER ROOM, not counting reps. on these efficiency days it seems all management cares about is quick turnover times. they seem to have lost the plot that we are HUMANS with other humans lives in our hands. i do spine so thankfully i am not apart of these days but still, its so frustrating to see it happening and seeing out infection rate rise. we used to have a 0.1% post op SSI rate and now it’s risen.

we’re all irritated and being treated like we’re the issue when asking for support. idk, i guess i’m just looking to vent and hear about different perspectives i may be missing or if we (the staff) are valid for feeling upset.

i will state that my spine reps are allowed to reset our globus trays since there’s so many but nothing else.

I am currently a scrub tech, but I am heavily considering going back to school to be a RN. I have most of the classes I need to apply and would work PRN while in school. I would more than likely stay in the OR as a circulator, but sometimes I just feel like circulating is boring. I would much rather be scrubbed in and hands on. At my facility the nurses do not scrub, so that’s not really an option. I’m kinda torn. I like my job, but the pay could be better. Pay isn’t the only reason I want to do nursing, but it is a huge benefit.

So I’m a patient transporter and my hospital is going to let me shadow for a day… should I watch more surgical videos beforehand to desensitize myself? Or is it going to be surreal either way and not really matter

I have an in person interview at Grifols for a phlebotomist position this week and I am completely nervous. This is my 1st job interview and I don't know what to expect. if anyone knows what type of questions or answers I should expect/give would really help. For added context I have no experience for this job what so ever.

I'm a scrub tech student and started scrubbing at the beginning of june. Towards the beginning of july, I noticed some bumps on my skin and they were super itchy. I then went on break and they eventually went away, but now that im back, so are the bumps and itchy skin.

I do an initial wet scrub for the day and then use sterillium between cases- could the soap or sterillium be what's causing this? My hospital uses latex free gloves, so i already ruled that out. Could this be due to anything else? This is kind of what i'm gonna be doing for the rest of my life so a solution would be great!

Hello. I am a surgical tech with five years of experience. I‘m most likely going to continue being a surgical tech, but what are some other paths to take to make more money or do something a little less physical a.k.a. standing all day and high stress? I’m looking into other medical jobs like sonography but I don’t know what’s right for me.

Is there really any difference for a new grad starting at a Teaching Hospital than a regular hospital ? If that makes sense?