Not Just a Blip: Surgical Technologists are Critical?

The capacity of technology to mediate medical procedures has come a long way since the simulated appendectomies of the early Mac video game _Life and Death_. A surgical technology certification has some attributes that make it attractive, notably mobility, responsibility, and the outright speed of technological change.

While there are journeyman musicians, writers, and even journeyman Quark paginators, a surgical technologist could also potentially enjoy the ability to pick up and do their thing in a new town. Continuity and getting to know your doctors is important, but fundamentally a surgical technologist has a skill that travels with them where they go.

The responsibility level required is high. Things must go right in operating rooms, and some people thrive on having a lot at stake. While a blip on the various monitors such as an electrocardiogram (abbreviated as EKG) can lull someone into thinking they are watching mere electronics, there is a close relationship between the electronic representation of a person’s vital signs and their actual vital signs.

Another reason why a surgical technology certification might be an appealing program is the capacity of new technology both to make people feel better and to make your surgeon’s life easier with realtime metrics. For one thing, advances in endoscopy have allowed for less invasive procedures more of the time. So your work is more likely to be on people who really need to be there. Also, patients can be very grateful when surgery relieves pain they thought they had no hope of getting rid of, and the technologists are entitled to join doctors and nurses in basking in that glow and happiness.

Since the passage of healthcare reform, a urologist in Florida has controversially advised people that if they voted for Obama, they should go somewhere else to be treated. Part of a good medical program is a strong ethical foundation. Someone with a surgical techology certification would, hopefully, learn to keep their eyes out for a rogue surgeon who actually intended to throw a patient’s care because of differences of opinion or ideology. Hopefully such a thing would never really happen and the attention upon this doctor is merely sensational journalism.