A surgical technician is a person who plays a very important part in every operating room. They transport patients to and from the operating room, prepare the room for operations and assist the surgeons in the operation. The median annual surgical tech salary for 2008 was $38,740.

High school students who are interested in a surgical technician degree should take mathematics, chemistry, biology and health in preparation for college. Classes in college will include subjects such as anatomy, microbiology, medical terminology, care and safety of patients during surgery, surgical procedures, and sterilization of instruments.

Training to become a surgical technician is for two years in a community college, ending with an Associate Degree. These students can become licensed by taking a national exam and passing it. In order to advance in this career, a student may become certified by doing a two year internship in a hospital or by working in the field for seven years. Every five years this certification needs to be renewed by taking continuing education courses or retaking the examination.

Surgical technicians can move up the ladder in their job by specializing in specific areas of surgery. For example, they can choose areas such as open heart surgery, neurosurgery or pediatric surgery just to name a few. They may become first assistants that assist doctors directly by actually taking part in the surgery itself.

In 2008 there were 91,500 jobs held by surgical technicians. Nearly three-fourths of these jobs were in hospitals in delivery rooms and operating rooms. The other jobs were in offices of dentists or doctors that perform outpatient surgeries and in outpatient clinics where ambulatory operations are performed.

Most surgical technicians work a 40 hour week, but they are often on call on weekends, holidays or nights. A surgical tech salary varies with the position. Dental offices have the lowest salaries and specialty hospitals such as psychiatric or substance abuse hospitals pay the highest.

A surgical technician must have dexterity in his fingers in order to pass the surgical instruments quickly and efficiently. He cannot be squeamish at the sight of blood, and he must be able to stay calm in an emergency. If you have these characteristics and desire to work in a medical field, a surgical technician career may be for you.