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What is a surgery technician and how to become one
A surgery technician assists a surgeon during an operation to ensure that even the most complicated medical procedure is successful. Before surgery, surgery technicians prepare the operating room by sterilizing everything and preparing the equipment. During a procedure, they work with a surgeon by handing them equipment, monitoring patient vitals, and maintaining a sterile environment. Often they predict what a surgeon needs without the surgeon even telling them what to do.
Surgery technicians also interact directly with patients by dressing their wounds, transporting them to and from the operating hall, and assisting in case of an emergency. While most surgery technicians help people through necessary operations, there are also veterinary surgery technicians that help animals through surgery.
Unlike surgeons, surgery technicians don't need to go to medical school. Most have an associate's degree or certification as a surgical technologist. Some states require surgery technicians to get a license before they set foot in an operating room. Once they are qualified, surgery technicians can earn an average salary of $35,143 a year.
Avg. Salary $41,646
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 20%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.27%
Asian 2.06%
Black or African American 2.66%
Hispanic or Latino 10.86%
Unknown 6.84%
White 77.31%
Genderfemale 73.73%
male 26.27%
Age - 31American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 31Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
Surgery Technician career paths
Key steps to become a surgery technician
Explore surgery technician education requirements
Start to develop specific surgery technician skills
Skills 
Percentages Patients 27.97% Patient Care 16.66% Surgical Procedures 10.54% CPR 4.23% Infection Control 3.20% Complete relevant surgery technician training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New surgery technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a surgery technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real surgery technician resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed surgery technician usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed surgery technician in most of states. 30 states require surgery technicians to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License Url Alabama - - Licensed Veterinarian Technician Kansas Degree required Third-party exam required Veterinary Technicians Kentucky Degree required Third-party exam required Veterinary Technologist/Technician Alaska Degree required Third-party exam required Veterinary Technician Arkansas Degree required Third-party exam required Veterinary Technician Gain additional surgery technician certifications
More About CertificationsSurgery technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific surgery technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for surgery technicians include Medical Assistant and Surgery.
Research surgery technician duties and responsibilities
- Sterilized/packed surgical instruments, prepare large and small animal patients for surgery, assist with surgical procedures.
- Use compassion when client's pets have passed away or need to be euthanize due to loss of quality of life.
- Assist in positioning and supporting patients for regional anesthesia procedures such as spinal and epidurals.
- Qualify to administer and monitor anesthesia, and assist in surgical procedures, including preparatory and post-op care.
Prepare your surgery technician resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your surgery technician resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a surgery technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Surgery Technician Resume templates
Build a professional Surgery Technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Surgery Technician resume.
Apply for surgery technician jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a surgery technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Surgery Technician Job
Are you a Surgery Technician?
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Average surgery technician salary
The average Surgery Technician salary in the United States is $41,646 per year or $20 per hour. Surgery technician salaries range between $31,000 and $55,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do surgery technicians rate their job?
Surgery Technician reviews
Low pay in competitive hospitals.
Nothing
patient who are real sick and not able to return home it make me sad but i make sure there stay is the best care when they are in hospital this is the only hospital they want to come to and they tell other about the best care they got
Updated January 8, 2025
