Occupation Profile

Industries Employing

Surgical Technologists

(SOC Code : 29-2055)

in California

Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeon's assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with Post secondary vocational training .

Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2023	1st Qtr	$36.38	$30.17	$37.52	$41.82

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Total Job Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2018 - 2028	9,800	11,100	1,300	13.3	9,730

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

General Medical and Surgical Hos

1,477

55.1%

Offices of Physicians

59,067

16.6%

Outpatient Care Centers

10,342

14.2%

Offices of Dentists

30,406

7.7%

Employment Services

5,110

3.8%

Specialty (except Psychiatric an

178

1.3%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Surgical Technology/Technologist

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.

Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.

Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.

Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.

Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.

Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons` assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.

Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis.

Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.

Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.

Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation.

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Top Skills used in this Job

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others` actions.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Time Management - Managing one`s own time and the time of others.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

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Alternate Titles

Certified Surgical Technologists; Scrub Technicians; Surgery Technicians; Surgical Technicians